My heart goes out to the families of young people we see in the newspaper and TV news who are raped and murdered.  What can be done?  

Several weeks ago two college coeds had their lives snuffed out just one day apart.  One was an eighteen year old freshman at Auburn Universary and the other a 22 year old student body president at the Universary of North Carolina.  What tragedy!  Could anything have saved them? We don't know But...

The worst possible attitute one can have is:

"It won't happen to me."  Educate and be prepared!

Young women should consider whether they should go out alone especially during certain hours. 

You can lessen your chances of being a statistic by 

• having the right attitude,
• learning physical defense tactics
• learning how to use weapons to protect yourself.

Attitude

• Develop Security Awareness! Focus on a consciousness of your surroundings. Think of possible potential threats to your safety.
• Your mind is the greatest defensive weapon. "The more confident you appear, the better off you are." Look at people around you.
• Use common sense at all times, such as where you park your car. Trust your instincts.
• Good self-defense programs work to build  confidence instead of cowering  and succumbing to fear.

Weapons: Intuition and Voice

• Use your intuition.  Do you have a feeling something isn't right?
• Show you are confident and able to deal with the situation.
• Use your voice! "Leave me alone!" or "Get away from me!"
• Face a potential attacker. Don't turn your back. Back away from him. 
• From a young age, girls can be taught to use their voices.
• Children's classes often focus on prevention tactics that use words to avoid abduction.
• Talk to your child about what they would do if someone grabbed them.
• Teach them to scream the phrase, "I don't know you."

Three Types of Self-defense

If you chose to learn self defense you might check with the YMCA or the police department.

1. The Physical approach:

• Focuses on natural weapons of defense. 
• If you have a weapon it can be used against you.
• Despite the superior strength of men, they are not without vulnerable areas.
• Women learn to strike at the groin, Adam's apple, the eyes and ears.
• Learn effective blocking strategies.

2. Model mugging

• This nationwide program is unique as it uses men to act out situations such as mugging or assault. 
• The Idea behind this approach is to teach women how to react quickly and appropriately with their bodies and voices when they are in danger.
• Women are taught to fend off their mock attackers while they learn to stay calm. 

3. Learn to use a weapon

There are programs that teach the effective use of defensive weapons such as Pepper Spray or firearms.

AWARE (Arming Women Against Rape & Endangerment) offers courses at low rates 

AWARE believes that the best protection you can have is prevention.

Use of Pepper Spray

• When something tells you to act:  Time is of greatest importance.
• Don't pull out your spray until you are ready to use it!  The more unexpected - the more successful you will be.
• Make sure you will hit your attacker right in the face.
• What you want to do is surprise him and stop him before he can react.
• As you Shout "Stop," Raise your arm so his attention is on that hand, then bring the spray up, aim and shoot, back away!
• Get away, (far away) and call 911!

AWARE's motto, "Confidence Comes from Competence."  

Please click on "Facts About Your Safety" to learn about

• Crime Prevention Tips
• Vehicle Safety
• To Avoid Home Invasion  

Ladies walking or jogging

Each year thousands of individuals go hiking in our national parks.  We all grieve as we hear of the young vibrant Georgia woman who went hiking in the Dawson National Forest only to disappear.  Her body was found almost a week later.

She did so many things right.  She brought her dog.  She told her friends where she was going to jog and when to expect her back.  She was jogging in a high traffic area.  She carried identification.  She was athletic and had studied self defense.

A woman is no match for a grown man.

May we reiterate?

   ·        Hike with a friend

  ·        Trust your instincts, if you feel uncomfortable, move on.

  ·        Don’t talk to strangers

  ·        Don’t camp or spend time near road crossings.

  ·        Inform friends or officials where you are going & when you are expected back.

  ·        STAY ON THE TRAIL

  ·        Carry a map & a compass and know how to use it.

  ·        Carry a whistle

  ·        If a stranger asks if you are alone, say your friends are just behind or ahead of you.

  ·        Don’t depend on a cell phone, as they are unreliable in the woods

Consider carrying Pepper Spray for your Self Defense.    Firearms are prohibited in most State & National Parks.

Purse Snatching 

Purse snatching is becoming a more serious crime.  Two years ago in Greenville, SC,  an older lady was leaving the mall after Christmas shopping, when her purse was grabbed by someone who was in a car.       Because she would not let go of her purse, she was dragged and not only lost her purse but lost her life.

Here are some suggestions:

1. BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS.  Look people in the eye.  This gives you an air of confidence that crooks avoid as they know you would be able to identify them.

2. Don't go shopping alone if at all possible.

3. Don't go shopping after dark.

4. Try to park close to the store.  Avoid parking garages if possible.

5. If a purse snatching occurs, release your purse if the suspect attempts to force it from you.  It is not worth being injured as a basic ambulance visit is around $500.

6. Never carry your Social Security card as this information gives instant information for identity theft.

7. Limit the number of credit cards you carry thus giving the thief fewer options

8. Maintain a list of the credit cards with this information

•  Credit card Number
•  Type: Visa, Mastercard
•  Issuing Institution such as the name of the bank
•  Emergency contact # to cancel the card if it is stolen

9. If you cell phone is stolen or even lost  you will need this information

• The cell phone number
• Company providing the service
• The Brand of phone.
• The Serial # is most important
• Model number
• Some people scratch their DL number under the batteries.

A man told a police officer how his cell phone had been stolen and someone ran up a $2500. bill and the phone company wants him to pay it.

10. The type of purse you carry,  Consider a smaller purse  carried up under your arm with shorter straps or even a fanny pack.

11. Never leave your purse in your car where it is visable or put it in your trunk while people can see you place it there.  A crook can break into the car and open your trunk.

The Streetwise stun gun is a self defense device which disrupts the message the brain sends to the voluntary muscles.
* Simply touching an attacker with a stun gun for three to five seconds will deliver a high voltage shock causing loss of balance and muscle control, confusion, and disorientation bringing him to his knees and making him incapable of further aggressive activity.
* Full recovery takes about five to ten minutes and there is no permanent harm.
* Streetwise brand stun guns have MORE FEATURES than any other stun gun on the market.

STATES WHERE STUN GUNS ARE RESTRICTED:

HAWAII
MASSACHUSETTS
MICHIGAN
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK
RHODE ISLAND
WISCONSIN

Statistics about Sex Offenses & Sex Offenders

TheNurse wrote:
Sad facts about sex offenses and sex offenders. 
Taken from FamilyWatchdog.com

1. 1 of 5 girls will be sexually molested before her 18th birthday.
   
2. 1 of 6 boys will be sexually molested before his 18th birthday. 
   
3. 1 of 5 children have been propositioned for sex over the Internet.
   
4. 2 of 3 sexual abuses are perpetrated against teenagers or younger 
   children.
   
5. 90% of sexual assaults are committed against someone the perpetrator 
   knows.
   
6. The median age for female molestation victims under 18 is 9.8 years old.
   
7. The median age for female molestation victims under 18 is 9.6 years old.
   
8. There are new 400,000 victims of sexual assault every year.
   
9. There are over 550,000 registered sex offenders in the US.
   
10. There are over 100,000 sex offenders that fail to register in the US.
    
11. 76% of serial rapists claim they were molested as children.
    
12. Over 40% of male juvenile delinquents were molested as children
    

Are There Sex Offenders living in your Area?

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