Eve Torres Teaching Gracie Women Empowered Program – Press Release

Former WWE Diva Eve Torres will be teaching the Gracie Women Empowered program to men and women of the U.S. Air Force this week. Here is the press release.

Team Minot Fights To Battle Sexual Assault

3/6/2013 – MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. — As part of an innovative initiative to reduce sexual assault across the Air Force, Team Minot has partnered with the Gracie Academy to certify 100 men and women of the U.S. Air Force in the Gracie Women Empowered program , April 15-19.

In 2012, the U.S. Air Force saw a 30 percent increase in sexual assault reports ranging from inappropriate touching to rape. There were 796 reports filed, compared to 614 reported in 2011.

“The goal for the Air Force is zero sexual assaults,” Col. Alex Mezynski, 5th Bomb Wing commander said. “Hopefully our Airmen can utilize this as another tool to protect themselves from sexual assaults and encourage others throughout our force to learn techniques to defend themselves as well.”

In an effort to bring awareness to the criminal act of sexual assaults, increase self confidence in potential victims and provide predator awareness strategies, the Gracie Jiu Jitsu family created the Gracie Women Empowered program.

While women make up a majority of sexual assault victims, the program is open to men as well in an 80/20 split to ensure the focus of the program targets those most prevalent to sexual assaults.

Rener Gracie has teamed up with World Wrestling Entertainment’s Eve Torres to teach a one-week intensive training program here.

Upon graduation, course participants will be certified to teach core principles and techniques to other men and women throughout the Air Force.

Capt. Tyrone Bess, a Jiu Jitsu instructor assigned to the 5th Security Forces Squadron, began thinking of innovative ways to assist in the sexual assault problem the Air Force has been facing. He pitched the idea to leadership here and was able to organize and procure funding for this initiative.

“The Gracie family understands the significance of eliminating sexual assaults in the military and has graciously offered to conduct a Women Empowered Instructor Certification seminar for 100 members,” Bess said. “As leaders in the Air Force, sexual assault is everyone’s problem and this is a way we can help eliminate this horrible crime in our Air Force.”

Women Empowered is a comprehensive self-defense program for women based on proven verbal, physical, and psychological self-defense strategies that have been developed and refined over nearly two decades.

The Gracie Academy instructors will be available for media interviews. If interested please contact Kiley Swopes, Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs, at 701-723-4673.