Refuse To Be A Victim Celebrates 25th Anniversary in 2018

Refuse To Be A Victim Celebrates 25th Anniversary in 2018
NRA’s Crime Prevention Program Continues Commitment to Personal Safety 

FAIRFAX, Va. – Twenty-five years ago, the women of the NRA developed a program in response to women who requested crime prevention and personal safety information. These women saw a rise in violent crimes against women and wanted something for women, by women, to prepare and protect themselves against criminal confrontations. With this goal in mind, the Women’s Policy Committee of the NRA and female NRA staff members began developing the now award-winning crime prevention program, Refuse To Be A Victim. The program is an extension of the NRA’s commitment of more than 130 years to safety education and the right for Americans to keep themselves and their families safe.

One of the major appeals of the program was, and remains, the idea that there are other things a woman can do to ensure her safety besides choosing a firearm. Through interviews with 400 women about personal safety, violence they have experienced, and discussions of self-defense training, the basis of the Refuse To Be A Victim seminar was created. 

An all-female instructor team test-marketed the seminar in 1993 in Houston, Miami, Washington D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland, all cities with high crime rates at that time. The seminar covered a variety of personal safety options including self-defense, avoidance techniques, and security. Within five years, more than 3,500 women had attended a Refuse To Be A Victim seminar. 

As men saw the value of the information, they asked to attend seminars. This interest led the NRA Board of Directors to vote in 1997 to extend the program to men. Since then, the program has also extended to law enforcement agencies by offering training and partnership for community outreach efforts. In 2018, Refuse To Be A Victim still aims to ensure individuals are educated in safety information regarding home, personal, cyber security, auto security, and more. 

In the program’s 25th year, more than 7,000 instructors are teaching the life-saving message of Refuse To Be A Victim across the country. Additionally, more than 138,000 people have attended the basic seminar. Seminars have been held in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Costa Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, England, and Tahiti. 

The four-hour seminar includes a 64-page Student Handbook, which is provided to each attendee. There is a separate one-page Firearm Supplement for those who might consider a firearm as part of their personal safety plan. The program has also grown to include a separate program, the Collegiate Edition, an hour-long seminar containing safety strategies pertaining to young adults. Refuse To Be A Victim continues to build relationships with law enforcement agencies across the country and has been endorsed by numerous agencies. 

Refuse To Be A Victim is looking forward to celebrating 25 years of providing vital and current safety information, and expanding to diverse groups. Program staff is also looking forward to reaching over 150,000 seminar attendees since the program’s inception. 

For more information about Refuse To Be A Victim, including a list of seminars in your area, visit rtbav.nra.org or email [email protected].

About the National Rifle Association
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Five million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and is the leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit http://www.nra.org. 

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