Domestic Violence “Spills-Over” Into The Workplace
Post Courtesy of Larry Kaminer, President, Personal Safety Group, Seattle, WA
Many companies may task their human resource departments with over-seeing security providers to keep employees as safe as possible while at work. Larger companies may have their own security teams. Small companies often implement their own internal safey policy with regard to authenticating visitors, access and perimeter control.
Complacency - Both HR and security experts are always concerned about the tendency of folks to become .jpg)
complacent and stray away from protocol. Some let people into the building without following all sign in and authentication procedures. Accepting an expired visitor’s badge is also not uncommon. Others, when carding in through a side entrance, will allow others to follow them into the building alson known as "tailgating."
A fast growing problem - One of the many threats such security breaches may result in is domestic violence "spillover" into the workplace. According to experts, this is the fastest growing category of workplace violence and is estimated to account for 6% of physical violence and 3% of homicide in the workplace.
Statistic - According to Cornell University’s ILR School, in 2003:
- "Batterers commit 13,000 violent acts against their partners in the workplace each year. Batterers also pose serious threats to the safety of their victims’ co-workers."
If a batterer no longer knows where his partner lives he will go to the only place he knows he can find her. Her place of work! Very often a battered woman does not let her co-workers know of her situation or that the situation is coming to a boiling point. These women have pride, put on a brave face and come to work and do the best they can.
Rather be safe than sorry - So we all owe it to one aother to follow the procedures and protocols put in place and to not make exceptions. If we start making exceptions to the rules, pretty soon all we are left with are a lot of exceptions and no rules!
Your security team and human resource departments are there for you -
- If you are unsure about policies and protocol, ask HR or security to review them with you.
- If you know of fellow employees who seem to be getting sloppy on procedure, remind them of policy, and if need be, bring this to security or HR’s attention.
- If you feel you are in a threatening situation of any type, it is always best to bring this to your human resource or security teams’ attention with whom you can communicate confidentially.
Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!
Courtesy of Larry Kaminer, The Personal Safety Training Group, larryk@personalsafetygroup.com
Dr. Phil To Profile 911 Emergency Disaster Calls
Make a note to watch the Dr. Phil show on Friday, 12-12-08 where he will be profiling 911 Emergency Disaster Calls. We have all seen and heard incompetent "911 operator" audios and how they totally botch being able to deliver life-saving help to a victim. It’s disgraceful! Yet we all believe by calling 911 our lives are going to be saved by the police.
The truth is the police are over-worked, underpaid, and their response time depends upon where they are when they receive the 911 call. You might want to have a backup plan for your self-defense and protection while you are waiting for the police to show up. Don’t rely totally upon the 911 operator getting the police there within minutes. Hopefully, they will arrive in time, but what do you do in the meantime?
Last week I did an article about a violent stalker in San Mateo, California who ended up killing his victim while the police were outside of her house. Luckily while gunfire was going on between the perpetrator and the police she had the fortitude and courage to hand her two little babies out a front window to the safety of the police. In the end, the stalker ended up killing her and turning the gun on himself. (Coward!)
Dr. Phil’s 911 Emergency Disaster Call will also discuss the botched call on someone I did an article on a few months back - Olidia Kerr Day. Our sympathy goes out to her entire family. This was such a sad story!!
(Courtesy of Dr. Phil’s Show) Check your local station for exact time and channel in your area.
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Friday - December 12, 2008 - Dr. Phil Profiles - 911 Nightmares!!
Imagine that you’ve fallen, had a terrible accident or been abducted, and your only lifeline is 911. What happens if you call and can’t get the help you need or emergency personnel are sent to the wrong address?America’s 911 system handles nearly 240 million calls per year, and the growing number of dispatch disasters can be a matter of life or death. Edward and Ada know about this pain firsthand. They lost their loved one, Olidia, to a murder-suicide in the parking lot of a police station after what they say was a botched 911 call. Edward says his mom’s death could have been prevented, and Ada believes the operator was rude to her sister in the final moments before her murder. Joining Dr. Phil to discuss the tragedy are Charlie Cullen from the National Emergency Number Association and Caroline Burau, a 911 dispatcher and author of Answering 911: Life in the Hot Seat. Find out the most important piece of information you need to know when calling for help. Then, Nathan’s wife, Denise Amber Lee, was abducted, and a series of 911 calls — even one placed by Denise herself — failed to save the young mom’s life. Jane, a witness to Denise’s abduction, was on the line with 911 for more than nine minutes … but police were never dispatched. Now Nathan says he’s angry with the system and has trouble explaining Denise’s death to their two young sons. What can the grieving father do to move past the pain? And, learn what constitutes a genuine emergency, and what to teach your kids about dialing those three important numbers.
What do you do in the interim while you have a crazed perpetrator trying to kill you and you’re waiting for 911 to arrive? When it may only take five minutes or so for the police to arrive, that can seem like an eternity for the woman who is being violently attacked.
If you are being stalked and are concerned for your life or you have had other personal security and safety issues that call for you to take dramatic measures, you may want to invest in and carry some type of non-lethal personal protection or a firearm. A firearm would be a drastic measure so be sure to make that decision carefully. Talk with others who know your situation and who can help you with your decision. You might even want to discuss this with your local police department. That will at least put them on notice in the event they should ever get a 911 call from you.
Ladies…(and men) make your personal security a priority. Have a solid plan of action and know what you will do to protect and defend yourself if confronted by a violent attacker. You may also want to consider having a backup plan and other options in place …just in case!
Remember, Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!!
Stalking Safety Tips For Women
Stalking is defined as the intentional, unlawful and repeated harassment and/or following of a person, which causes that person to be in reasonable fear that he/she may be injured. Stalking may start out with repeated unwanted contacts, including calls, visits, and gifts. Stalking may include harassment, threats, or obscenity – in person, by phone, via the internet, or in writing. Stalking may escalate quickly and without provocation or encouragement by the victim. A small percentage of stalkers follow celebrities or strangers, but the majority of perpetrators stalk someone with whom they have had a past or present relationship. If you think you are being stalked:- Report the activity to the police.
- Send a clear message to the person that the relationship is over. Do not be ambivalent.
- Attempt to avoid all contact with the stalker.
- Keep an accurate journal of all incidents such as sighting (include date and time), contacts, phone calls, written correspondence, and unusual incidents that may be connected.
- Keep all letters, packages, and taped phone messages.
- Trace all phone calls per telephone company instructions.
- Inform family, friends, neighbors, managements, co-workers and workplace security. Have them notify you or the police if they are contacted or followed by the stalker.
- Be careful about your surroundings when alone.
Deadly 911 Operator Error - Take Charge Of Your Self-Defense And Personal Security
The word is DON’T totally rely upon others for your personal safety. You must take charge of your self-defense, your personal security, and your protection. It’s your responsibility so make sure you fight to live another day - for yourself and for your family.
The links below are of an audio/transcript of a crime victim, Olidia Kerr Day, who was calling a 911 dispatch operator to send a police officer to help her. She was being violently pursued by a crazed stalker. She must have known he was going to murder her.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-0619plantation911.audio,0,2747111.wmafile (Audio of 911 Call)
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-dispatch-call-0511,0,5791702,print.story (Transcript of 911 Call)
This audio is a horrible reminder that there are MANY 911 operators who are totally incompetent. Don’t put your life completely in their hands and expect that the police will arrive and be able to save you from a violent crime. You should be proactive in your own personal safety and learn what options you have to protect and save your life. You don’t want to end up like Olidia Kerr Day!
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Are you are in a relationship of domestic violence? If so, seek help from the local authorities or domestic violence organizations. Take charge of your self-defense and personal protection by becoming educated, both physically and mentally, on how to protect and defend yourself.
By taking some type of self-defense training, you will gain the self-confidence and self-empowerment to know what to do in a dangerous assault situation. Remember to continually practice your self-defense techniques so they remain fresh over time. The RAD Self-Defense training offers former students refresher training anytime at no addtional cost.
If your attacker is truly a crazed, violent person, you may have to resort to carrying some kind of personal protection for the safety of yourself and your family. Many women carry non-lethal protection such as a stun gun, advanced Taser, a Taser C2, or pepper spray. Read more
FBI Says Violent Crimes On The Decline…Ask The Crime Victims What They Think!!
In our newspaper today there is a big article that starts out "Violent Crimes On The Decline", the FBI says murder, rapes, and robberies are down nationwide in ‘07. I’m not sure what planet the person who wrote the article is on but we continue to hear about women of all ages who are being attacked, sexually assaulted and murdered every week. I wonder sometimes if we are all becoming immune to this type of news coverage.
If, and that’s a big IF, crime is on the decline, maybe it is because women are starting to take charge of their personal safety and becoming trained in how to protect and defend themselves with self-defense training and personal security and safety awareness classes. Many women and young ladies are also carrying personal protection - from non-lethal devices like the awesome Taser C2 or pepper spray gun to carrying a firearm. Women are also becoming well-trained in how to use these weapons-knowing that it is their responsibility to only use these weapons if their life is truly in a life-threatening situation.
Check out this video and determine if her life was in danger.
Courtesy of www.brucemontague.ca
My specialty is in the personal security field. I regularly blog about self-defense strategies and safety awareness for women, personal security 911 awareness, home burglary prevention, and home security protection. I do a lot of research and talk with people in the crime prevention and security industry to learn about what strategies and tactics work to help women and men avoid becoming victims of crime - and live to tell about it. Read more
Non-Lethal Protection Devices - Does The Law Protect YOU Or The Criminal?
Would you rather carry a gun for protection or a non-lethal personal protection device? Many women do not want to carry a lethal weapon that could possibly kill someone, even if that person would kill you in a split second. A non-lethal device would be a stun gun, pepper spray, an advanced taser, or a C2 Taser. These devices are not meant to kill a perpetrator but only to disable him enough so the victim can get away to safety and call for help.
There are many state and city ordinances that have rules and regulations against individuals carrying non-lethal devices. Would these public officials rather women carry lethal weapons like guns or pistols in their pursue, briefcase, or jacket versus a non-lethal device that is not intended to kill a scumbag who is forcing his will upon an innocent person?
You must wonder sometimes who the law is trying to protect - the guilty or the innocent. It is for sure that the predator/perpetrator/attacker will carry whatever weapon he knows will inflict the most deadly harm on an innocent victim. And that victim is usually a women…although men are victims too!
Women and men need to stand up and voice their opinions about non-lethal weapons and how these weapons can be effective as the first level of defense against a crazed attacker. When carried by law-abiding citizens, these devices are primarily used only when a life-threatening situation takes place. The same can be said of a gun being used by law-abiding citizens. But a responsible person carrying a gun always holds the possibility that you could lose your life if not properly trained!
That is why I always recommend being trained on any weapon you carry - whether it be a lethal weapon like a gun or a non-lethal weapon. Being responsible is your responsibility!!
Here are the some of the top non-lethal devices that would help protect you in an attack situation. If you would like to purchase a non-lethal device for personal protection, click on the link next to the device:
The Taser C2 Ultimate Personal Protector
Stun Gun Cell Phone
Pepper Spray 
Be sure to check the local and state rules and regulations for carrying and purchasing these devices. Here is a link to check your state’s regulations. Read more
The Ultimate Personal Protector - TASER C2!!!
If you have followed my blog for any time, you know I recommend carrying some type of personal protection device - like pepper spray, mace, stun gun, or a TASER C2 - the ultimate personal protector!.
Unless you have been tazed…you may not realize that this little device can knock the socks off of a predator..an attacker..or person assaulting another. And guess what…they deserve it! The TASER C2 is a non-lethal device that is meant to stun and/or disable a predator or attacker enough for the victim to get away to safety and contact the police.
Here is a video of a young man who ran from the law and finally ended up feeling the full force of the TASER. This young man is being very truthful in letting other potential criminals know the full effect and full force of the TASER. Listen to his recommendation on whether to fight the law or fight the TASER….
Courtesy of Momatungba - TASER Man
If you already have a Personal Safety Plan then you know how important it is to be prepared and know what to do if confronted by an attacker. Having self-defense skills and knowledge are a great part of the plan, but if you are dealing with someone who is totally bent on doing you grave harm, you want that secondary backup - and that is where the TASER C2 can be your ultimate personal protector. If you decide to carry a TASER C2, be sure to become properly trained in knowing how to use the device. You will receive a training DVD from Taser which gives excellent instructions. Practice using your TASER. That way you know exactly what to do if a situation arises where you must use it. Also check with your local city/county/state to be sure it is legal to carry within your area.
NOTE: Isn’t it ironic that YOU are trying to keep yourself safe and protect yourself from the criminal element who wants to assault/rape/attack or kill you, and the only way to protect yourself is by self-defense measures or using personal protection devices…and the LAW in some states say that personal protection devices are illegal to use. I wonder who they are trying to protect!! The criminal or the innocent????
You can get all your non-lethal Personal Protection products @ www.ThePersonalSecurityStore.com
Remember, Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!
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