People throw a lot of things – garbage, a pitch, but very rarely do people learn how to throw a punch – something today’s “Teach me Tuesday” will remedy.

Adam Due, chief of police at the University Police Department, along with Lieutenant Phil Lang, will be teaching a self-defense workshop for “Teach Me Tuesday,” an event put on by University Board.

They will talk about safety on campus and safety in general, and will base their demonstrations on how many people end up attending the event.

“I think safety is important to everybody,” Due said. “Women are more often victims of these types of crime.”

Due will teach women that the decision to fight is theirs.

“As a woman, you don’t have to fight back,” Due said. “We show them how to do it (if they chose to). A lot of girls have never thrown a punch or been in a confrontation before.”

The attendees will also be shown how to throw a proper punch.

Due said a punch should carry a lot of force.

“If you are a small person, technique becomes more important,” Due said.

Women should also learn where to hit an attacker.

Due said that most women’s reaction to kick their assailant in the groin is a good idea, but there are other areas of weakness as well and women should know where to strike.

Men should also understand the importance of protecting women.

“A lot of agencies deal with sexual assault approach education from a male aspect as well,” Due said. “If you are the guy and see another guy doing or acting like he should not, he should call him on it and say ‘hey, that’s inappropriate.'”

The event will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Whistles and lights will also be given away at the event.

The next “Teach Me Tuesday” will be a belly-dancing workshop on April 13.

Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or at haholm2@eiu.edu.