| Protecting yourself in today's society is not a | | | | Many are forced to work late hours, a second |
| luxury IT IS A NECESSITY. Today's lifestyles and | | | | job, 2nd and 3rd shifts. Those who are older, |
| the social environment suggest that all of us could | | | | weaker, very young, disabled and smaller in |
| be a potential victim at some point and time in | | | | stature are easy prey for perpetrators and |
| our lives. All of the elements are present. | | | | predators. Often perpetrators and predators |
| Almost all of us have read about or heard on the | | | | know your surroundings equally or better than |
| news or personally know someone who has been | | | | you do. There are many self defense schools that |
| victimized. Missing is the element that most people | | | | offer short term self defense classes. |
| do not carry or possess even the simplest piece | | | | One of the best speakers to hit home about self |
| of equipment to protect themselves. This could | | | | defense and self preservation was at a womans |
| be a safety flasher, an audible tone, window | | | | conference in NE Indiana. One of the speakers |
| security, door braces, mace, stun guns, stun | | | | included a female black belt who provided one of |
| batons, tasers, animal repellents to name a few. | | | | the best speech presentations that I have heard |
| Too often we leave ourselves vulnerable. | | | | on survival and avoidance in personal attack |
| While I am set up at flea markets I am always | | | | situations. There are numerous videos and books |
| approached by someone with a story "If" my | | | | available on self defense and protecting yourself, |
| daughter, sister, aunt, mother, grandparents, | | | | family, and home. |
| brother, husband, or neighbor story had protection | | | | When my mother was still living at the ripe age of |
| products maybe whatever happened to them | | | | 78, she fell prey to may solicitors and predators. |
| would not have happened. "We didn't know these | | | | Had she been armed with a voice changer, most |
| products were available". A big concern of mine is | | | | of the callers thinking that they reached to wrong |
| that by the time I have heard these stories, it is | | | | number would have hung up. The same result |
| well after the fact of someone being victimized. | | | | would have been reached by changing her voice |
| People have told me they didn't know where to | | | | and talking through the door as opposed to |
| get personnel protection products. Some people | | | | opening it. Our elderly population is sought out and |
| didn't know personal protection products were | | | | targeted by predators. I would love the |
| available. I remember one woman telling me she | | | | opportunity to stand in their place and have a |
| called her local town police agency requesting | | | | chat with those callers and even those who are |
| where to get "dog spray", she was told they had | | | | at the door. |
| no idea. | | | | Our society would benefit from more proactive |
| In today's economic decline both parents for the | | | | approaches to crime prevention and alternative |
| average family, elderly, the single parent and the | | | | methods that many do not know exist. |
| one-person household are out in public to work. | | | | |