CAMPUSPEAK

Nationally-recognized expert on campus safety, crime prevention, women’s safety and self defense.

Are college women too trusting? In 2004, Inside Edition enlisted the help of Steve Kardian to find out.

He posed as a stranger needing assistance on the campus of a university in the New York area. With the school’s permission, the producers filmed Steve with a hidden camera as he approached female students in a campus parking lot and pretended he needed help. With no hesitation, all eight of the women he approached cleared off seats and invited Steve into their vehicles. The results surprised even Steve, a career law enforcement and safety expert. When asked later, the women said that danger crossed their minds but that they decided that it was more important to “help someone out.” Steve stressed to the women afterwards that a woman should never allow a stranger to take her to a second location. Doing so greatly increases the odds of a sexual assault, or worse.

Steve is the nation’s go-to expert on issues of women’s safety. In addition to his work as a consultant for Inside Edition, he is a national media consultant for CNN, Fox News, CBS, The Morning Show, NBC, Men’s Journal, The New York Times, Best Life Magazine, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and Sports Illustrated. As a career law enforcement officer, detective, counter-terrorism specialist and chief crime investigator, Steve has a demonstrated lifelong passion for issue of personal safety, particularly as it applies to young women. Through his media and consulting work, Steve has helped millions of young women better understand their role in preventing assault.

Personally, he has trained tens of thousands of women to be safer in their homes, on their campuses and in their communities. Although his campus keynotes deal with some seriously scary topics, Steve gets his audiences laughing, sharing and interacting. His keynotes are not about scaring women. They are about empowering women, and preparing them with the confidence to react appropriately in an unfortunate situation. Steve is about prevention foremost, but he’s also committed to helping women know what to do when the worst happens.

• Keynotes

• Reduce the Odds
• Reduce the Odds on Spring Break

Reduce the Odds

A woman of any age can become the victim of sexual assault, however statistics indicate that women between the ages of 16 and 20 years-old are four times more likely to be victimized. A woman entering her first year of college—specifically, between September and Thanksgiving break—is at the most vulnerable time in her life.

In Steve’s general sexual assault prevention keynote (perfect for new student orientation or general sexual assault prevention education), he helps arms college students (men and women) with the knowledge, skills and tools to prevent them from becoming a crime statistic. Through a means of awareness, avoidance and escape, Steve helps students understand the mind of a predator and helps them understand the difference between a “hard target” and a “soft target.”

It’s not just the women; Steve includes men in his lecture. Research show that nearly 1 in 10 (or nearly 10-percent) American men are victims of sexual assault. In addition, from the very outset, Steve explains that 98-percent of sexual assaults are committed by men, and he believes if we include men in the process, we can include them as part of the solution. He encourages men in attendance to think about what it is they can do to keep our sisters, girlfriends and female loved ones safe from sexual assault, harmful relationships, stalking and other issues that affect their quality of life.

Steve also discusses the critical effect of alcohol and other drugs (including party drugs) on the risk of sexual assault. He also discusses: setting up a safe residence hall room or apartment, dealing with stalkers, dating and domestic violence and how to get yourself safe in the event of a campus violence incident.

As part of the his visit, Steve is available to conduct a hands-on self-defense training for women only, called “Fight Like a Girl.” This add-on workshop can be conducted immediately following the main “Reduce the Odds” lecture keynote, at no additional cost. This option requires some additional set-up considerations. Please speak to your CAMPUSPEAK salesperson to discuss the requirements if you choose this option.

Reduce the Odds on Spring Break

In this Spring Break version of his keynote, Steve frames the issues of sexual assault prevention and safety within the framework of a typical college student’s trip to an unfamiliar vacation location, full of young people, parties, alcohol and opportunities for sexual activity. Steve helps women better understand that a vacation from their daily routine should not be a vacation from smart choices that prevent assault and other harm.

Perfect for February and March programs prior to break. Even if many of your students won’t be traveling to a vacation location, the messages about assault risk reduction will be applicable.

Steve's Bio

Steve has been lecturing on campus safety, campus issues and women’s safety for 25 years. Educators and prominent martial artists travel from across the nation and Europe to learn Steve’s Women’s Empowerment program. He has also been invited to lecture and teach his safety program to the Executive Division of the Governors office for the State of New York. Steve is one of a small group of Americans to hold the rank of Black Belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, the most prestigious and effective martial arts in the world today. He is called upon by the national media to offer solutions and answer questions on some of the nation’s most high profile cases. Steve was also recently appointed to the Victims Assistance advisory board where he will be able to further his efforts to keep our loved ones safe!