Documentary Casting Call - Woman and Guns

I am an independent documentary filmmaker and for several years I have been working on a documentary video on women and guns that explores the different reasons women become involved with guns and how they are impacted by guns.

I have interviewed women who hunt, who carry guns for self-defense, who shoot for recreation at gun clubs, who are interested in guns, who are scared of guns, who want to try shooting for the first time, who feel that they are a necessary part of their lives.  I have traveled around the country searching for different perspectives in different geographic areas.

The project also takes a hard look at the cultural icon of the armed woman and the history of women and guns.  A trailer can be seen at www.agirlandagunfilm.com.

Recreation is a part of the project and self-defense is a very strong aspect of the project. 

I am looking for a woman who is currently going through a situation in which they feel threatened - perhaps at a workplace, in a relationship, at home, etc.  It is not important if she owns a gun for protection or not, it would be ideal if she is contemplating buying a gun or a different object/weapon of self-defense.

I would want to produce a videotape with this woman and possibly record phone conversations, but it would not be important to disclose name, location, or any other vital information that would jeopardize one’s personal security.  I realize this is a very sensitive subject.  The most important thing that I am looking for is to capture the real feelings - fear, vulnerability, uncertainty, confusion, anxiety, etc. - of a woman dealing with a violent situation.

Thank you very much for your consideration and I look forward to speaking with you soon.  I can be contacted via email at catczu@gmail.com.  Thank you.

Cathryne Czubek

Remember, Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!!!

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I received this video today and it is pretty clear that criminals are all in favor of GunControl — FOR EVERYONE EXCEPT THEMSELVES.  This video will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. 

As a law-abiding citizen, if the Government took your gun(s) away, the only ones who would still have guns are the violent criminals.  And the last thing we need is to let these criminals take charge. 

Criminals will always have some kind of lethal firearm/weapon to do their dirty criminal deeds with.  Everyday citizens needs to be able to protect themselves, their family, and their homes. 

 Courtesy of EfEmDee-A Compassionate Plea For Gun Control

Protect your home and family by having an impenetrable home perimeter and security system, keep non-lethal personal protection like Taser C2, Stun Guns, Pepper Spray, or Mace in your home, in your purse, in your car, on your keychain, and maintain a strong self-defense attitude and awareness.  If circumstances warrant and you must have a firearm for protection - be sure to get thoroughly trained and be prepared to use it if attacked by some low-life punk as seen in this video.    

Remember, Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!!

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Courtesy of CBS

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For all woman (and men) who live alone, please make your home security and your personal safety a top priority.  I can’t say enough about how important a home security system can be in alerting the homeowner to an intrusion, making a tremendous amount of noise to scare off an intruder, and notifying the alarm company to immediately send the police. 

The alarm system is a perimeter barrier to keep the average criminal out of your home.  If they are intent on coming in anyway because they are on drugs or just plain whacked out, you need to consider what  personal protection you can use as a secondary layer of protection. There are some excellent non-lethal personal protection products to chose from.   Choose to protect yourself!!

Again, our condolenses to the Ann Pressly family.

Remember, Stay Aware….Stay Alert…Stay Alive!!!

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My hope now is that the authorities find this person, prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law, and give him exactly what he deserves!

We should all keep Ann Pressly, her memory, her family, and her friends in our hearts.  They are going to need all the support they can get in the coming days.

Cheryl Watterson, www.selfdefensewithanattitude.com 

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20081026/TV.Anchor.Attacked/

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Ladies, if you are living alone and don’t have a security system for protection you are being very naive.  In today’s world and in today’s economy it only makes sense to have a security system that protects your home, your family, and you. 

We just saw in the news this week a young anchorwoman, Ann Pressly, who was violently attacked - beaten, stabbed, and left for dead - after someone got inside her home.  This is a young 26-year old woman who lives alone and has a high visibility position.  People know her because she is seen on TV each day so they know a little about her schedule - when she is at home and when she is not.   If you are a high profile person like Ann Pressly, you may be more vulnerable to a predator attack than the average person.  Be proactive and install a security system for your protection!  

When you are alone at night, you can set your alarm while watching late night TV or right before you go to bed.  If there is a burglary or home invasion your alarm will alert you, make a tremendous amount of noise - also alerting the intruder, and will automatically notify your alarm company to immediately send the police.  If the perpetrator missed the alarm security sign in the front of your home (which is your first line of defense), then the high decibel alarm noise will be a big deterrant in scaring him away.

If you are in bed when the alarm goes off at 3:00 a.m. indicating there is a possible home intrusion, your first instinct may be to grab your personal protection, baseball bat, or your firearm. An intruder who breaks in at 3:00 a.m. is someone to be very wary of because he is more than likely a violent intruder.  You want to make sure you block any access the intruder may have to you.  As long as you are the only one home, immediately lock your door and place a door guard against the door to prevent the intruder from opening.  If you have a keypad or panic button in your bedroom,  press the panic button right away.  That way your alarm company will know you are in the home and need IMMEDIATE help!!  Your alarm siren should sound off for about 5-10 minutes.  The police should respond and be at your home well before then. 

In my Home Security 101 Workshops, I suggest that homeowners have a Home Safety Plan of Action so they specifically know what to do should they have a burglary or home invasion while at home.  With a well-thought out action plan, you know automatically what you will do ahead of time.  If you wait until the home invasion happens to decide what you should do, you may freeze up with fear and do nothing.  Don’t let that happen - be prepared, be proactive, and plan ahead.

If you are a young lady who lives alone, consider your security and safety as a top priority.  There are too many predators who will take advantage of young women thinking they are easy prey.  The first step to your protection is knowing you may be vulnerable and that you are going to do whatever it takes to reduce your vulnerability and avoid becoming a victim of a home invasion or burglary crime. 

Here are some steps to take to be proactive in your overall security protection:

1.  Install a quality security system in your home and include a panic button.  Keep the panic button or a second keypad in your bedroom.  Make sure all entry doors to your home are protected, windows that are especially vulnerable, and combine with interior motion detectors.  Your alarm rep can make recommendations on the best protection.  And always consider fire protection too.  (As a security consultant for 20 years, I know how valuable fire protection is).

2.  Make sure you have strong locks and updated deadbolts on your doors (with extra long bolts) and that the windows also have strong locks.  You can add some extra strength to your windows by placing dowel rods into the track of the windows.  Make sure you keep your doors and windows locked even while at home.

3.  Your perimeter doors should be solid core doors with reinforced frames.  Weak doorframes with high quality deadbolt locks can be kicked in with the frames giving way, but the door with the strong deadbolt is still intact.

4.  Look at putting a door guard at the front and back doors to your home in which the doors open in.  This again will add some extra strength to your doors.  Most burglars don’t want to have to exert a lot of effort breaking into homes.  If you have a strong and hardened perimeter, chances are the intruder will give up and go away.  HARDEN THE PERIMETER OF YOUR HOME.

5.  Because the master bedroom is definately where the intruder is going (at least at some point), have a good quality lock on that door as well.  Consider changing your door to a solid core door with reinforced frames.  You may want to have your master bedroom become your "Safe Room" as you wait for the police to arrive.

6.  Have a Safety Plan of Action on specifics you will do to maintain your safety and any family members’ safety.  The plan should include your taking a self-defense class to learn techniques and tactics to defend and protect yourself and carrying some kind of personal protection products like pepper spray, mace spray, Taser C2, Stun Gun or Pepper Gun that can be used to fend off an intruder.  These are all non-lethal devices only meant to throw off an attacker giving you a chance to escape to safety and call the police.  Many women who have been stalked or previously attacked are resorting to firearms for personal protection.  Lethal or non-lethal - make sure you follow the legal requirements and that you are properly trained in how to use the device.

7.  Develop a safety and security awareness about things around you, the people around you, and any gut feelings about social situations you may be in.  You will want to develop a more heightened sense of security and common sense about situations you may have ignored before.  My daughter, who is 28, has told me I am too paranoid about personal security and safety.  I tell her it’s not being paranoid, it’s been realistic and using common sense about safety, being aware of what is going on and knowing how to protect yourself so you don’t become a victim of crime.

For women who have experienced an assault, a violent attack, or a rape, their whole outlook on life has totally changed forever. Please consider the above recommendations and make sure you place your security and safety high on your priority list.

Again, put a security system in your home. Check this link on how to get a high quality, affordable security system monitored 24-hours a day by the #1 alarm company -  ADT Security.

Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!!

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Carjacking is an especially frightening crime, as it usually involves a direct confrontation with a car thief.  Carjacking usually occurs when criminals need to flee the scene of other crimes, as part of a gang initiation, or because some cars are easier to steal when the owner is there with the keys.

Stealing a car by force has captured headlines across the country. Statistically your chances of being a carjacking victim are very slim and prevention can reduce the risk even further. Carjacking can be an especially frightening crime as it usually involves a direct confrontation with a car thief.  It also usually occurs when criminals need to flee the scene of other crimes, as part of a gang initiation, or because some cars are easier to steal when the owner is there with the keys.

Why Is Carjacking A Problem?

No one knows for certain, but some explanations include:

• It’s a crime of opportunity – a thief searching for the most vulnerable prey.  Sometimes it’s the first step to another crime.
• For some young people, carjacking may be a rite of passage, a status symbol, or just a thrill.
• Cars, especially luxury ones, provide quick cash for drug users and other criminals.
• Sophisticated alarms and improved locking devices make it hard for thieves to seal unoccupied cars.
• It’s easy to buy, steal, or barter for guns in this country.  And a pointed gun makes a more powerful threat.
• More teens and adults commit crimes of violence than ever before.
• Intense media interest may have created “copycat” carjackers.

It Can Happen Anywhere And To Anyone

• Though carjackings can occur anytime, a sizeable share appear to take place during the late night hours.
• Carjacking isn’t just a problem in large cities – it happens in suburbs, small towns, and rural areas.
• Carjackers look for opportunity.  They don’t choose victims by sex, race, or age. 

Golden Opportunities:  What Do Carjackers Look For?

 Areas that carjackers target are:  intersections controlled by traffic lights or stops lights, parking garages, shopping malls, grocery stores, gas stations, car washes, ATM machines, residential driveways, highway exit and entry ramps.
 Be alert to your surroundings, even when you feel rushed.
 When approaching your car, have your key in your hand, and check the back seat before you get in.
• If someone is loitering near your unoccupied car as you approach it, keep walking until the person leaves.
• Be wary of people asking for directions or handing out flyers.  Trust your instincts – if something makes you feel uneasy, get into your car quickly, lock the doors and drive away.
• Avoid driving alone.  Have someone with you especially at night.
• When you come to a stop, leave enough space to maneuver around other cars.
• In extreme situations you might even consider going through a traffic light, as long as you can do so without causing an accident.
• Don’t stop to assist a stranger whose car has broken down.  Instead, drive to the nearest phone or use your cell phone to call the police for help.
• If you are driving home and notice someone you don’t recognize loitering, drive around the block and come back after the person has left.
• Avoid parking near anything that limits your visibility.
• Most importantly – If a carjacker threatens you with a gun or other weapon, give up your car.  Don’t’ argue.  Your life is worth far more than a car!
• If someone takes your car, get away from the areas as quickly as you can.  Try to remember what the carjacker looked like and report the crime immediately to the police.

The “Bump and Rob”

It works like this:  A car, usually with a driver and at least one passenger, rear-ends or “bumps” you in traffic.  You quickly get out to check the damage and exchange information.  Either the driver or one of the passengers jumps in your car and drives off.

• If you are bumped by another car, be sure to look around before you get out.
• Make sure there are other cars around, check out the car that rear-ended you and who is in it.  If the situation makes you uneasy, memorize or jot down the car’s tag number and description:  signal the other car to follow you.  Drive to the nearest police station or to a busy, well-lighted area.
• If you do get out of the car, take your keys (and purse or wallet if you have one) with you and stay alert.

For those individuals who spend a great deal of time in their vehicle traveling for their job, i.e., realtors, sales representatives, business people, you are at a greater risk than most.  It is very easy to become complacent as you travel through unknown areas and sometimes "zone out".  The secret is to maintain a level of alertness and be especially aware of the communities and areas that you travel in. 

If you are a victim of a carjacking crime, give the criminal your keys and get away as quickly as you can.  Your life is worth more than your vehicle.  You can replace your car but you can’t replace YOU!  If the carjacker forces you into the car and drives away, be very aware that going to a second location with a criminal is not in your best interest.  Remain calm and  determine that you are going to find a way to get out of the car before the prepetrator has a chance to do you ultimate harm.

Make sure you absorb these common sense safety tips as you travel in your vehicle and don’t become a victim of a carjacking crime.

Also, read the story about a young lady who was a carjacking victim in Indianapolis and what she did to save her life.

Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!!!

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Do you have a plan of action so you know what to do in the event you are broken into while at home?  I would venture to say that most people don’t!  However, it is a good idea to have a Home Security Defense Plan that includes a Safe Room in case someone forcibly enters your home while you and your family are there.  The general intent of a safe room is to provide short-term protection for the family members until the police arrive or the attackers leave your home.

It is a fact of life today that burglaries, home intrusions, home invasions, and kidnappings are happening at an alarming rate.  We are all encouraged to have a Personal Plan of Action in case we are attacked on the street but  we forget to have a well-thought out plan for some sort of attack in our home.

The very nature that someone would forcibly enter your home, especially while you and your family members are there, means the intruder is serious about burglarizing your home either for your possessions, valuables, money, or worse yet - kidnapping.   The fact that you are there and could identify the intruder means there is a good chance you may be harmed or even killed. 

Hopefully this situation will never happen to you, but in today’s violent crime ridden world my suggestion would be to take all necessary precautions to prevent it from ever happening to your family.  Don’t become a victim of this type of crime.  Be proactive in both your personal and home security plan of action.

To begin with take a look at your home for vulnerable places that a burglar or intruder might try entering.  If you think like a burglar, there’s a good chance you will see areas that you might have dismissed in the past as being secure, but now realize it could be easily accessed by a burglar.  Areas like doors, windows, locks, lighting, and shrubbery should be the main areas to consider reinforcing.  Update old locks with newer more durable locks that can give your door(s) the extra strength needed to endure a burglar’s kick or shoulder to bust it in.  

Your Home Security Defense Plan should include setting up a safe room, a defensive core area of your home and most likely the safest place for you and other family members to meet during a break-in or home invasion.  It is vital that you plan ahead of time what you and other family members will do in this situation.  If a break-in occurs while you and your family are home try to remain calm and retreat to your safe room, lock the door, and call the police for help.

The room you select may be the main bedroom in your home.  (Or it could be a main bathroom or closet location).  Whatever location you decide, check the doors to this room for strength and ability to withstand a major kick to bust open.  These doors, like your main entry door, should be solid hardwood or metal doors and have it hung so that it opens outward.  Replace the wooden doorjamb with a steel one or reinforce the door trim with steel angle iron to prevent the door from being kicked open.  On wood door jams, install three-inch screws in the door hinges and in the heavy-duty, four-screw, lock strike plates that cut deep into the doorframe studs.  The interior doors in most homes are flimsy, hollow-core wood doors so you will most likely need to upgrade these doors.  You will also want to install quality deadbolt locks on the doors to your safe room.

If you have young children, infants or toddlers you may want to make their room the safe room.  It will be easier for you or other adults to retreat to the children’s room rather than to get the children out of their room and into yours.  You should follow the same instructions on their doors if you select your child’s room as the safe room.

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Make sure the Safe Room is equipped with the following items: 

•  A telephone for calling the police.  If possible, use a cell phone in your safe room.  Criminals can totally disable    standard wired phones and cordless phones simply by cutting the phone line to your home or taking on extension off the hook.  When you call 911, your billing address is displayed on the 911 screen, so remember to give your home address just in case it’s different from your billing address.
•  Remember that a cordless phone requires the base unit to be plugged into the standard phone line in your home.  If the phone line is cut or unplugged, your cordless phone is dead.  However, a cell phone transmits and receives signals through the air and doesn’t require standard phone lines.  You will just need to make sure it is always charged and ready for use.
•  A flashlight.  You may need a flashlight if the intruder turns off the power to your house.  Also, if it’s late at night you may want to leave the lights off anyway.  Ensure you have extra batteries or a fully charged rechargeable flashlight.
•  If there is a window in your safe room, keep an extra set of house and car keys* in that room.  When the police arrive, you can throw your house keys to the police from the window of your safe room.  (You may even want to have a glow stick to attach to your keychain in case you have to toss the keys out a night).  These keys will allow the police to quickly enter your home while you remain secure in your safe room.  Additionally, if you are able to escape, you will have your car keys available.
•  Personal Protection device(s) of your choice (permitted by law).  Pepper or Mace Spray, C2 Taser, Advanced Taser, and Stun Guns are all non-lethal protection devices that can provide some take down power-possibly enough for you to escape to safety.  If an intruder has made it this far into your home and is coming after you, he is intent on doing you grave harm.  You may have to use everything in your arsenal to save your life.  Remember at this point your main concern is saving your life and the life of any family member with you.   You can deal with the other stuff later.
•  A small folding ladder to escape out of a window if your safe room is on the second or third level, first aid kit, food, and water.

* If your car keys have an alarm button, you could activate the car alarm from your safe room. Noise is a deterrent and an audible alarm may alert the intruder/s to the fact that the situation is known to others. 

After you have decided upon the location of your safe room and properly equipped it, finish developing your home security defense plan.   Discuss the actions you and other members of the family will take in the event of an intrusion or break-in. Make sure they understand what they are supposed to do and where they should go.   For example, one family member might be responsible for calling police while another person notifies the other family members to retreat to the safe room.  Have non-threatening practice sessions with family members and review it often.  Remind everyone that you are to refuse to come out of the safe room by the intruder and only when the police arrive.  Evaluate your plan from time to time and make any changes that are deemed appropriate.

One last suggestion to consider would be to install a good quality home security system that monitors your home 24/7 for any type of break-in or intrusion.   You’ll have a loud alarm going off inside your home as well as alerting the local police authorities.  You could have several remote panic buttons in various locations in your home to activate the alarm and notify authorities immediately if a threatening situation arises.  Keeping one in your bedroom near a nightstand means it is right there if you need it.

Having had a home security system for 22 years, I would never live in another home without one.  A 24 hour monitored security system can give you and your family a tremendous amount of peace of mind and fits perfectly into any Home Security Defense Plan.

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 Courtesy of Fight Like A Girl And Win

Over the past year I have written about how each of us needs to develop a written Personal Safety Plan of Action.  This plan should acknowledge that personal safety is one of our #1 priorities and by establishing specific rules and guidelines it can help us avoid dangerous pitfalls that could put us in harms way.                      .

Your plan should include some common-sense guidelines like "being aware of your surroundings, being alert to various situations, listening to your inner voice when things don’t seem quite right, safety on the road as you travel in your vehicle, and more."   These common-sense issues can get pushed aside as we become so overwhelmed with dealing with everyday issues, our jobs, our families, and life in general.

Attending a personal security and safety seminar can be a valuable part of your plan because it reiterates common-sense things you already know and brings back to the forefront the importance of personal safety in our everyday lives.  As you sit in one of these classes you may get an "Ah-ha" moment when you hear something that you know you should be doing but don’t - for whatever reason.  This is now the time to get back on track and incorporate these things back into your daily safety routine.  

Self-defense training should also be part of your plan of action.  If you take a good self-defense class and never attend another one, you have at least learned some very important techniques and tactics that can be used to defend and fight off an attacker.  The danger for the person who knows nothing about how to defend and protect themselves is freezing up if attacked.  Having the training, the confidence of knowing what to do, and the element of surprise to fight back against an attacker (unless he has a lethal weapon pointed at you), may give you the opportunity to throw off the attacker enough to get away to safety.  (Much of this will depend upon the specific situation at hand.  Use your best judgment if a firearm or lethal weapon is aimed at you). 

If attending a self-defense class is not an option due to your schedule or family life, at least consider purchasing quality self-defense videos/ DVDs.  You can watch at your leisure and still be able to learn and over time master the various self-defense techniques and tactics used to fend off an attacker.

I still believe attending a self-defense class is the best way to learn since you will have a lot of interaction with the instructor and your classmates.  You can let out a lot of aggressions when you feel yourself punching a "dummy" and you know you are doing it correctly.  At the end of your training class -(which usually lasts between 4-6 weeks,  one night a week for 2-3 hours) - you will have developed a lot of confidence in yourself and a feeling of self-empowerment. 

This will be a valuable investment in yourself and your safety!

Remember, Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!!!

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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, ex-boyfriend.  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! 

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.  

As a last resort, many women opt for a lethal weapon like a firearm.  Before you do that, talk with your family, local police department, or a quality gun dealer.  If you have children, there is always the possibility that a child might get hold of a weapon.  If you are not thoroughly trained, your weapon could be taken away from you and used against you.  Be sure to weigh the odds before making the decision to purchase a firearm.

In any event, know your specific situation and how extreme it is concerning your personal safety.  If you are like Olidia Kerr Day, whose situation must have been very extreme, you need to make sure you are consciously aware of your surroundings 24/7.  Make sure you have a way to defend and protect yourself and your family.

We as citizens need to have confidence that if we are in a life-threatening situation and call 911 for help, they will quickly dispatch the police to us.   The 911 operators have certain steps they must follow.   However, wasting 2-3 minutes on the phone asking the caller what seems to most of us like a meaningless list of stupid questions before dispatching the police, can lead to a deadly outcome for the victim. 

Do you want to take that risk for you and your family?  Be proactive and take charge of your own protection.  Get the necessary education, training, and personal protection that could ultimately save your life.

Remember, Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!!!

 .

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