November 2006 Newsletter

HOLIDAY TRAVEL THOUGHTS

November begins the holiday season and it also means Daylight Savings time for 48 states (the exceptions are Arizona and Indiana that do not set their clocks for Daylight Savings time). This means that for commuters leaving from work or for those doing late afternoon errands there is a dark ride home. During the holidays, retailers start offering sales and many of you will be out later at night or early in the morning before it gets light outside or running errands in preparation for company parties, social events, and family gatherings. Many of us will be traveling to spend time with family and friends. College Students will be heading home, or possibly, going to the mountains or the beach during school break. Families with children will be traveling as well, mostly on the highways.

The fact is, that as the end of the year rolls around, we become busier and busier with lots to do and more travel than usual. Many of us will leave our homes vacant for a few days during our travels and we need to make proper preparation to make sure our homes will be safe. Now more than ever, we need to crank up the volume on our own and our family’s personal safety.

I can never stress enough the fact that we need to be extra vigilant about our personal safety during the holidays. Remember, we are 100% responsible for our personal safety and also for those that are dependent on us, like our children and elders. To become better prepared we need to think in terms of "What If" scenarios and how we would react in an emergency. I frequently learn about tragic situations where if the individual(s) had been properly educated and properly prepared the situation might have been avoided or possibly never even happened.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

Our Trainer, Chris, in Cedar Falls, Iowa, shared a story about a recent incident where a 12-year-old school girl got on the wrong bus to go home and got off at an unfamiliar stop which was not hers. She must have felt confused, frightened and at a loss as to what to do since she apparently had never discussed this possibility with her parents. A grandfatherly-looking man, who appeared to offer no threat but in fact was a child predator, abducted her and unfortunately killed her. When questioned, the Bus Driver remarked that the girl looked confused, out of place, and unfamiliar, and he even had a funny feeling about her. Yet he never followed his gut feeling and asked the girl if she needed help. This is an example of a "What If" scenario that a parent should discuss with their child. If this girl had been told about "Don't No's" and to get to a place where there are people, such as a convenience store, seek out a Mom, or to be assertive and tell the Bus Driver she was on the wrong bus, she might be alive today.

If her parents had played the "What If" game with her, talking about a fictitious girl who got on the wrong school bus, they could have gotten her to think about what this little girl could do to be safe and get home safely, and this tragedy might have been avoided. By playing the game in the third person (a fictional child), your child does not have a personal and emotional connection to this proposed scenario, allowing him/her to feel something other than fearful. Your child is allowed to be creative in trying to help the fictional child in the story and learns strategic thinking. It gives them safety strategies and skill sets that can then be personally applied if necessary in similar situations. Without safety strategies, we find ourselves in uncharted waters in a boat without a rudder and this is not a good place to be.

What does this story have to do with holiday travel?

BEING PREPARED

Think about travels you may have this month with your family and the different scenarios that may occur. Have you prepared your children sufficiently for possible situations that may arise while you are traveling? For example, what if you are in an airport and your child needs to go to the bathroom or get a drink of water? What if you are traveling by car and stop at a rest area or a gas station and get separated from your child? Do you have action plans thought out and discussed with your child? If you do not, you are essentially no different than that rudderless boat in uncharted waters, purely at the mercy of the situation. This puts you and your family members in the category of potentially being a victim and also in a fear-based state of mind because you are totally unprepared for whatever might happen.

We need not live in a fear state of mind however. Are Boy Scouts living in a fear-based state of mind because their motto is "Be Prepared"? No, and I think we should all learn to live by the motto of "Always Be Prepared". Think about this for a moment: do you fear being in an accident every time you get in your vehicle because you put on your Seat Belt? After all, your seat belt is also referred to as a Safety Belt! For those of you who have been on a cruise, you experienced a safety drill, putting on a life preserver and listening to information about the life boats and what to do in an emergency. Having this information allowed you to enjoy yourself and have fun - it gave you peace of mind so you did not have to worry about what to do in case of an emergency. You already knew; you were prepared.

VIGILANCE AND PREVENTION

So, in your holiday travels, your holiday shopping, your holiday socializing, be more vigilant about your safety and your family's as crime rises during this time of year. Be more aware of your surroundings as you might very well be in unfamiliar places.

Think through various possible emergency situations that could happen; play out a few strategies of what you should do and how to react 'just in case.' Catalogue them away in your memory and know that if you had to respond that you can simply call them up like a reflex. I remember as a kid hearing the saying, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" and it is still great advice to follow every day.

TRAVEL TIPS AND HOLIDAY TRAVEL SPECIAL

Be sure to review the October 2005 Newsletter in our archives if you are traveling on the highways this year for important travel tips.

We are also offering a GREAT Holiday Travel Special for all of you. Check it out at http://www.wseg.org/holidaytravel.htm. Be sure to purchase one for yourself, your family members, friends and anyone you care about. They make wonderful gifts and let's those whom you care about know how much you care about their safety.

We are also extending our Campus Safety Kit Special (http://www.wseg.org/college.htm) for all of you who have a family member in college.

Have a safe and joyous Holiday Season from all of us at WSEG.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Make it a point to visit my new weekly safety podcast program, the "MR. SAFETY SHOW", at www.SafetyMattersRadio.com, committed to bringing you the best and latest safety information available. Learn effective, common-sense safety tips, everyday safety strategies, important 'need to know' safety information, enjoy interviews with a variety of safety experts and much more.


For more information or to book a WSEG program, call 1-800-318-8037 or email us at seminars@wseg.org.

Mark Spencer, M.A., S.A.F.E. © Copyright 2006 S.A.F.E. All rights reserved.

October 2006 Newsletter

MYTH BUSTING ABOUT PHYSICAL SELF-DEFENSE

Over the years what has been written and taught to women about what to do if physically attacked is sometimes confusing, contradictory, out-dated or just plain wrong. So this month I hope to ‘bust a few myths’.

Our world changed dramatically after 9-11, and as a nation we became acutely aware of our vulnerability. Although terrorism is a very real threat, most of us probably will never experience it firsthand. We do however need to close our vulnerability gap against potential threats to our personal safety as we are much more likely to be the victim of a personal crime on a local level. The potentialitly of being a crime victim means we should and need to become more vigilant and proactive with strategies and plans to put into action just in case an emergency does arise. Today’s criminals are more savvy, more ruthless, bolder, better equipped (internet, cell phones, etc.), less respective or fearful of authority, and much more violent than ever before. Now I do not believe we have to live a fear-based life --- quite the contrary. But neither can we live as if the Emperor is clothed when in fact he is not! I am here to tell you the Emperor (the real facts about crime in the USA) has no clothes and we must raise our safety consciousness and personally take action to be better prepared. Our schools practice safety drills in the event of a fire, and all of us having daily safety strategies is absolutely no different.

It is a fact that of the four major countries that report crime and rape statistics, the USA is last with the worst statistics. Our country has 4 x more rapes than Germany, 13 x more rapes than England and 20 x more rapes than Japan. Pretty sobering statistics, but very real hard facts nonetheless. So, this month’s Newsletter deals with the very real threats of physical self-defense and busting some long standing myths.

CHOOSING TO FIGHT BACK OR NOT

If you are in a situation where your last and only option is to fight back to defend yourself from an attack or a rape, the following is critically important to know. Fighting back is not an absolute option to an attack or rape, but it could possibly save your life! Here are a few things you need to know should you have to fight back an attacker or rapist:

1. Remember that any physical assault or rape is ALWAYS considered a life-threatening situation.
2. Never assume if you cooperate with an attacker, you won’t be hurt or even killed, regardless of what they say to you.
3. Physical trauma resulting from a rape is very devastating and professional help and medical attention should be sought as soon as possible.
4. Emotional trauma resulting from a rape has equally severe and even longer lasting affects, and necessitates seeking professional counseling to help in recovery.
5. Rape is NEVER a women’s fault under any circumstances.


MYTH #1: “Fighting back will make the attacker or rapist madder and possibly more violent, so it is always safer to simply submit and not do anything to defend yourself.”

THE TRUTH: Safety experts have determined you are TWICE as likely to prevent a rape if you take both immediate and forceful action. Having several good ‘what if’ strategies in your safety toolbox serves you much better than figuring out what to do as it is happening. Of course submitting without resisting is always a valid choice, and it is always up to the individual to decide the best course of action in their particular situation. Only can you decide for yourself the best course of action to take in any given situation as it presents itself to you individually . If a person feels that submission is the only way to survive the attack or rape, then it is the best option. The bottom line is this: Plan to fight back to defend yourself and be prepared to fight back because only you can decide which is the best course of action to take, but you must be prepared for either option.

Remember there are no silver bullets or absolute answers to any given situation, as each is a stand-alone scenario. Myth #1 however, is based on the erroneous assumption that you would lose the fight or be unsuccessful thwarting off the rape. It is easier to consider fighting back as an option and you would most likely be more successful defending yourself, especially if you have had some training, even a little bit (the physical self-defense techniques we teach in our S.A.F.E. programs are great techniques to know!).

MYTH #2: “You need to be an experienced martial artist to defeat an attacker. A physical self-defense class is simply not enough training to be effective against an attack or rape.”

THE TRUTH: “Self-defense” and “martial arts” training are very different and even though no one can expect a high level of skill in one class or two of self-defense training, the fact is a high level of skill isn’t necessary in most scenarios! I recently heard about an 80-year-old woman who actually choked her attacker to death. For centuries, people with no marital arts training have been successful in fighting off attackers. A strong will to survive, lots of adrenaline, strategies that you can implement immediately and perhaps a little bit of luck can be more valuable than years of training. You however stack the odds in your favor from taking a good self-defense training class.

MYTH #3: “No matter what I learn or what training I have, I’d be too scared, too weak, etc. to be effective in a fight. I am too out of shape to even take a self-defense class!”

THE TRUTH: Anything you have never tried before creates doubt, even fear, but if we never try we can never learn anything new. It is incredibly empowering to be able to do something new that we never thought we could do before or thought was impossible. Taking a self-defense class for example, can help us to break through existing physical and emotional barriers. Unlike martial arts training, self-defense classes are designed with a specific training that stresses ‘quick and dirty’ techniques aimed at vulnerable body areas with minimal force and maximum results. Techniques should also be able to be performed with little physical ability (or mobility), be simple and not even require a fully functioning body or years to master, as a marital art does. Most women discover that they are in fact more powerful (emotionally and physically) and better able to handle themselves in a threatening situation than they originally gave themselves credit for, even after just a little self-defense training. It can give a woman a sense of self-confidence and move them from being fear-based to feeling empowered, possibly even for the first time in their lives.

A good self-defense course should include:

1) Verbal and physical skills for avoiding and defusing confrontations.
2) Easy to learn and apply effective "quick and dirty" techniques.
3) Training to help you tap into your inner strength and your inner courage that enables you to overcome freezing in a panic situation.
4) A safe place and space where a woman who may have had experienced a previous attack or trauma can work out and feel safe in her training.

NOTE: You should consider taking a self-defense training annually to keep your skills fresh and your body reflexes sharp. This allows for your body to condition-in 'muscle memory' so if you have to react to physically defend yourself, you simply react in a ‘call-to-action’ mode without even thinking.

WSEG is considering creating an ‘On The Mat’ physical self-defense training class. If you would like us to offer self-defense training classes, please email us and let us know (contact: glenn@wseg.org). Your response is important to us, and we thank you for your input!

BOOKING A PROGRAM NOTE: If you would like to book a women's safety program for your organization, club, business, church, etc. please email us at seminars@WSEG.org or call us at 1-800-318-8037.

Mark Spencer, M.A., S.A.F.E.

© Copyright 2006 S.A.F.E. All rights reserved.

September 2006 Newsletter

NATIONAL SAFETY CAMPUS AWARENESS MONTH


September's newsletter deals with some very important safety issues and topics for all parents of college students, male and female alike. I have first hand experience being both the parent of a college student and having presented numerous safety programs during the past few years on college campuses in several states.

College, like most things in our lives, is much different for our children than it was for us. There is a prevailing myth that college campuses are safer than other areas, when in fact the truth is that campuses are actually less safe. Below I discuss some very real safety issues every parent and college-age child needs to know and address. The first few weeks of each new school year may be an exciting time for college students, but they can also be extremely dangerous. The first month of college has been nicknamed and is referred to as the “RED ZONE.” New female students are at very high personal risk during this month because more sexual assaults and rapes occur then than at any other time during the school year.

IMPORTANT STATISTICS

1 in 5 women will be the victim of rape in their lifetime, and less than 16% of these rapes will be reported! Even more alarming however, is that 1 in 4 college coeds will be the victim of rape or attempted rape during their 4-year college career, and less than 5% of these rapes will be reported! (“Rape and sexual assault is now a prominent factor in the typical college experience.” -Bonnie Fisher, The Sexual Victimization of College Women). On the average, only 3 out of 100 rapists will be convicted and go to prison.

A survey was conducted at UCLA a few years ago that asked male students one question: “If you could rape a female coed and get away with it with absolutely NO consequences, would you?” And 34% (1 in 3) of the males said “YES”. Pretty alarming to say the least and a very sad statement about some of our country's existing values and morals. “I thought he was too cute to rape me” is an all too typical response of college rape victims in post-rape interviews. 1 in 12 women in their lifetime will be stalked, and unfortunately the college campus environment makes it almost ‘too’ easy for a stalker (both student and non-student) because of the large and dense younger population.

The typical freshman student away from home for the first time is exposed to a completely new and unfamiliar environment, in addition to a wide variety and diversity of people. This is a very significant time in our sons’ and daughters’ lives, where they explore and experiment with new-found freedoms away from Mom and Dad, gaining maturity and learning independence. This is even more reason to educate and coach them with the very best and most effective safety strategies as they become more independent and less dependent on us.

MORE IMPORTANT INFORMATION

All college-age students, girls included, have a tendency to think of themselves as “10 Feet Tall and Bulletproof” and most, unfortunately, are both naïve and complacent about their personal safety. Even male students are at risk to be rape victims, and far more of these rapes are never reported because of feelings of shame and embarrassment. When a male is sexually assaulted, it is also more often by a heterosexual male as opposed to a homosexual male. Rape and sexual assault is about exerting power, not about sex!

Believe it or not, colleges do NOT require background checks on students and this means that on some campuses you have convicted felons, including even convicted rapists! Alcohol and drugs are readily available, as well as many easily obtainable illegal date rape drugs. Over 4 million doses of Rohypnol have been brought into the U.S. from Mexico. Over 1700 students die each year from unintentional alcohol related deaths. Additionally, there are fire related deaths and both personal and property crimes against students on campuses. I am not painting a pretty picture about college life, but this information is vitally important for every parent and student to know. You can only begin to insure a safer college experience when you become enlightened and aware.

Our safety program, S.A.F.E. (Safety Awareness For Empowerment) is about becoming empowered with important safety education, safety strategies and quality safety products. For example: if you had a detailed map showing you the location of all the mines in a landmine field, you could easily and confidently walk through the field without incident. Even though college campuses are not as safe as we think they are or we would like them to be, we can provide maps, and teach our sons and daughters to be vigilant about their safety. I encourage you to visit http://www.campussafetymonth.org, & http://www.securityoncampus.org for important “NEED TO KNOW” information that will help keep you up to date and informed about what is happening on campuses today.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Well, for starters, you and your college students need to know that you don’t have to live in a state of fear. You can raise your safety awareness level and consciousness with important strategies that help promote your daily safety. If you are in an area where we have speakers, you can book one of our safety programs. If booking a program is not an option, be sure to visit our newsletter archives on our website for general safety tips.

You can also provide your students with important, potentially life-saving safety products. Order a 'Campus Safety Kit' (see below) for each of your college students (I strongly recommend purchasing a kit for all your children who are 18 years or older as well!) and gift them with an important set of ‘tools’ for their ‘Safety Toolbox.’

EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE FOLLOWING:

DATE RAPE DRUGS: Common date rape drugs are GHB (gamma hydroxybuterate), Ketamine, Rohypnol (Ruffies), and other benzodiazepines that come in either liquid or tablet form. Most are either illegal, by prescription only and/or off the market. All are unfortunately easily obtainable throughout over 10,000 illegal internet pharmacies. They are fast acting (3-10 mins), sleep inducing, anxiety reducing, create loss of muscle control, tingly feelings, rubbery legs and total amnesia that lasts for anywhere from approximately 3-8 or more hours. (More deaths occur each year due to GHB overdose that crystal meth overdoses, and this from a drug that has been OFF the market legally since 1990!) Drinks are typically tainted by squirting the liquid date rape drug from an eye drop container (like a Visine dropper). So, never accept a drink from someone, never leave a drink unattended and make sure you are always operating within a ‘Buddy System’ with at least one other person. Make – and most importantly – KEEP a pact with your buddy/s to look out for one another and never let anyone out of the other’s sight until you all end up safely at home.

RAPE: Rape is NEVER a woman’s fault, regardless of the circumstances. All rapists are serial rapists. If you or any one you know is the victim of a rape, you should immediately call the Police and immediately seek medical attention. Seek help from a professional counselor experienced in rape counseling to assist you in dealing with the repercussions.

ALCOHOL: Alcohol reduces inhibitions, adversely affects your judgment, thinking processes, physical reaction times and makes you more vulnerable, to getting robbed or sexually assaulted and to even become a predator yourself.

INTERNET SAFETY: Websites like MySpace, etc. and chat-rooms put you at potential risk if you allow yourself to become too exposed, trackable or traceable by someone you would not want in your personal life. If you would not post certain private or proprietary information on your dorm, apartment or home door for every one to see, you should NOT post it on a website or disclose it via an on-line chat.

CELLPHONE USAGE: A cell phone is a necessity today and can be one of the most important emergency items we can carry. However, it is a common misconception that if we are walking some place alone we are safer if we are talking with someone. When using a cell phone nearly 40% of the visual cortex is active and our attention is severely compromised because our brain is more engaged in picturing what we are talking about rather than paying attention to our immediate surroundings. The person we are speaking to can never respond quickly or effectively enough to help us simply because we are talking with them. Keep your cell off, pay 100% attention to your surroundings and do not call anyone until you are either safely in a building or a vehicle.

CAMPUS LAW ENFORCEMENT: Know where and how to contact Campus Security in the case of an emergency. Campus Safety Officers are professional law enforcement personnel who have the same training and level of expertise as City, County and State Law Enforcement professionals.

SUMMARY:

One’s college career and experience is a unique and wonderful time for each and every one of us. Like all aspects in life, if we live mindfully and consciously we will always have more joy and a much more rewarding experience in all that we do. Our mission in WSEG is to share with those that we reach in live presentations and/or via the internet to impart, to the best of our ability, the latest and best safety information, strategies and products to help insure your and your family’s safety. Since so many of you currently have college-age children or are currently a college student yourself, we wanted to share this month’s important newsletter message. We want to help you insure a safe college experience. We are making a 'Campus Safety Kit' with a FREE Drink Detective available for purchase. We recommend that EVERY student own one of these.

SPECIAL CAMPUS SAFETY KIT PACKAGE: ORDER TODAY !!

What you will receive (see product descriptions below):

1 Pepper Spray $20.00 (instructions for usage included)
1 breakaway keychain $2.50
1 Highway Safety Sign $20.00

$42.50 +S/H (Receive a FREE Drink Detective with your purchase, a $5.00 value!)


Add additional product purchases with your order at reduced rates:

Each additional Pepper Spray includes a ‘FREE’ breakaway keychain, only $20.00
Each additional Highway Signs, only $18.00
Each additional Drink Detective, only $4.50 or 5 for $20.00


Product Descriptions:

Pepper Spray: Pepper Spray is recommended by all safety experts. Unlike Mace, it is effective against everyone because its effects are physiological. (Mace is tear gas based and may have no affect on someone who is high on drugs/alcohol or mentally crazed). Police stopped carrying Mace nearly 20 years ago and carry Pepper Spray exclusively because of its effectiveness. Pepper Spray will stop someone IMMEDIATELY because it makes the skin burn, inflames the mucous membranes, makes the eyes tear, burn and slam shut, causing temporary blindness in addition to severe coughing and gagging. It also contains a UV identifying dye that lasts 5-7 days. None of these effects are permanent, but it gives you the necessary minutes you need to escape a physically life threatening situation with minimum effort and maximum results. It empowers you because you know you, if you had to, could effectively defend yourself against a much larger person. It also acts as a deterrent letting a would be attacker know you are a ‘Tough Target’ and could defend yourself if you have to.

Highway Safety Sign: Our sign is easily seen in both directions, visible day or night (3M reflective tape), and alerts drivers to call 911 on your behalf assuring that the police are alerted to your emergency even if you are unable to use your cell phone.

Drink Detective: Tests for over 60 different types of date rape drugs. Indispensable during the “RED ZONE.”

If you or someone you know might be interested in becoming a Program Trainer and/or Program Coordinator for WSEG, please contact Glenn at glenn@wseg.org. We are always looking for passionate people who want to make a positive difference and be able to earn a great part-time income as well.

Mark Spencer, M.A., S.A.F.E.

© Copyright 2006 S.A.F.E. All rights reserved.

August 2006 Newsletter

SAFETY QUIZ

It is my experience that many people lack some basic common-sense safety knowledge. Often we, including our children, feel overwhelmed from our busy work, social and extra curricular actives and obligations. The question we all need to ask ourselves is, ‘Have we taken the time and necessary precautions and measures to insure our and our family’s personal safety?’ Even though the majority of people are decent law-abiding citizens, their still is and always will be that element in society that compromises our personal safety that we need to prepare against.

If we take a position of ‘THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME’, we are kidding ourselves and being very naïve. The fact is that a bad situation can happen to any one of us and we need to be prepared for any ‘What If’ scenarios. Now this doesn’t mean we live in a fear-based state of mind. Quite the contrary, because with education, safety strategies and safety products, we can better prepare ourselves for the unexpected. For example; although we don’t plan on having a flat tire, we are prepared just in case we do by carrying a spare in our trunk. Simply because we are carrying a spare tire, we need not live in a constant state of fear or dwell on having a flat each and every time we drive somewhere. A spare tire is simply a safety strategy for a ‘What If’ scenario if we get a flat. The spare tire analogy is a great example of the basis of our program's safety strategies. They are simply a 'tool' that we add to our 'Safety Toolbox' that empowers us and helps to stack the odds in our favor against unexpected emergencies.

I am frequently surprised at some basic safety strategies and safety information that people lack. So what I thought I would do this month is to give you all a Quiz. Yes, Safety School is now in session. We stress in our S.A.F.E. Program that 80% of the time ‘TOUGH TARGETS’ don’t get chosen, so lets test your safety IQ and see if you can score at least 80%. Get a piece of paper, number 1-10, choose your answer for each question and NO looking at the answers on the bottom of the page until you are finished!

SAFETY QUIZ

1) A Rape occurs every ________ in the U.S.

a. 20 mins.
b. 12 hours
c. 2 mins.
d. 2 hours

2) The most effective and most recommended safety weapon by safety experts to carry is _______.

a) a stun gun
b) mace
c) pepper spray
d) a gun
e) a knife

3) When approaching your car in a parking lot you should ______________.

a) scan the area around your car and make note of anything or anyone suspicious and do not approach it unless it is safe to do so
b) use your keyless entry/alarm to find your car by setting it off to flash your lights and beep
c) have your keys out and ready to unlock and get into your car ASAP
d) a & c only
e) all the above

4) Percentage of women who will be rape victims in their lifetime (based on FBI Statistics).

a) 1 in 20
b) 1 in 100
c) 1 in 2
d) 1 in 5
e) 1 in 10

5) When loading your vehicle with your child/ren and items you should ________.

a) Put your items in first and than your child/ren.
b) Put your child/ren in first and then your items.
c) Leave your child/ren in the store, load your vehicle, go back into the store and get your child/ren.
d) Leave your child/ren in the store, get car and drive up to the front door and load up with items and child/ren.

6) If you break down on the side of the road you should pull over to the side of the road, _______________.

a) lock your car, get out and stand in a safe area away from the road
b) lock your car, call 911 (if in working cell area), place a ‘Call Police’ * sign on your driver’s window and stay in the car until authorized emergency help arrives
c) wait for the Police to drive by and stop to help you
d) lock your car and walk to the nearest exit or where you can get help
e) hope a kind stranger/good Samaritan will stop and offer assistance

7) One of the best ways to become a ‘Tough Target’ is to ____________.

a) never go anywhere or do anything
b) have a ‘Tough Demeanor’ and project confidence instead of fear
c) always trust your intuition/gut feeling
d) continually educate yourself with the latest and best safety information, strategies and products for protection
e) b, c and d

8) The most common phrase/s an investigating police officer hears when filling out a police report at the scene is _____________.

a) 'I saw it coming'
b) 'I live in a high crime area'
c) 'I never thought it would happen to me'
d) 'I always expect the unexpected'
e) a and d

9) Most crimes occur __________.

a) outside a 5 mile radius of where I live, work, shop, etc.
b) within a 10 mile radius of where I live, work, shop, etc.
c) within a 1 mile radius of where I live, work, shop, etc.
d) within a 25 mile radius of where I live, work, shop, etc.
e) not anywhere where I live, work, shop, etc.

10) 1 out of ______ women are stalked in their lifetime.

a) 5
b) 12
c) 50
d) 100
e) 250

Let’s hope that you are a 'TOUGH TARGET' scoring at least 80% on this quiz. If not, then contact us to book a Safety Program near you ASAP! The fact is that we should always be adding the newest and latest safety information and products available to our ‘Safety Toolbox’. We can always learn something new to help make us and our family safer. Remember that the 'Bad Guys' are always looking for easy targets and the more informed and diligent we are about being safe, the less likely we will be chosen as a target.

Answers:

1-C, 2-C, 3-D, 4-D, 5-A, 6-B, 7-E, 8-C, 9-C, 10-B.

* Highway Safety Signs are available for purchase in our product section. Make sure you get a sign for every vehicle you own and for all your family members too!

If you or someone you know might be interested in becoming a Program Trainer and/or Program Coordinator for WSEG, please Contact Glenn at glenn@wseg.org. We are always looking for passionate people who want to make a positive difference and be able to earn a great part-time income as well.

Mark Spencer M.A. , S.A.F.E.

© Copyright 2006 S.A.F.E. All rights reserved.

July 2006 Newsletter

Understanding Body Language

An important segment of our S.A.F.E. program is Verbal Self-Defense. But being a ‘Tough Target’ and projecting a ‘Tough Demeanor’ consists of a combination of words, voice, facial expressions, body posture, positioning, and distance. Taken together, these express the message of the actual words or phrases we use, like ‘BACK OFF’ or ‘GET AWAY’. What is essential is to be congruent in the above-mentioned modalities. For example, your child will not take you seriously if you are laughing or smiling while reprimanding them. In maintaining your ‘Safety Bubble’ and using verbal self-defense strategies, you absolutely must be able to project this ‘Tough Demeanor’. No questions asked. Period!

If you have a quiet nature or a non-threatening personality type, to be convincing and effective, you MUST be dramatic to project a ‘Tough Demeanor’. A ‘Bad Guy’ needs to be clear about your intent. You want him to back off or leave you alone, and you want to leave absolutely no room for doubt as to that intention. But remember, you don’t have to actually BE a ‘Tough Target’, you only have to be perceived as one! Smaller animals when approached by larger predators in the wild ‘puff’ themselves up by posturing, movement, noise, etc. The Blowfish actually blows up it’s body and makes itself larger, less easy to attack. We too have strategies to implement to get the same effect, warding off our potentially ‘Bad Guy’ predators.

INTUITION

The flip side of this is reading other people and learning to pick up on their intent. We absolutely need to be aware of others and our surroundings at all times. And what I mean is to not only be alert to things or people that seem out of place or incongruent, but to learn to identify and respond to incongruent signals automatically. To avoid potholes in the road, we need to know what a pothole is, what to look for, and how to steer clear of it. We also need to react quickly to avoid tearing up the underside of our car.

Our greatest and most valuable safety gift is our intuition or ‘gut’ feeling. We must ALWAYS listen to a gut feeling, never trying to logic it out for any reason, no matter how contradictory our feeling may seem. Our intuition is always right. We need to become more adept at noticing details about someone that we get a bad feeling about and understand why we have that feeling by putting a face on it. Your gut tells you something is not right about a person. Next, you become conscious of the details: his posturing, his loitering behavior, the way he is sizing people up, his body tension, the way he clutches his fist, his stare, etc. You should never delay in employing a safety strategy for your protection, especially based on a gut feeling. When you honor it and carry out your safety strategy, your intuition will be confirmed about how and why you had this feeling.

If life were a Jerry Springer stage, we would see who was going to attack us and probably have a pretty good reason why too. But life is not that obvious or simple. There are NO guaranteed strategies to help us avoid absolutely all attacks. We can be the best and most defensive driver on the road, but still get t-boned by someone running a red light at an intersection. We can only prepare and stack the odds in our favor to the best of our abilities regarding our personal safety. Even the best-trained martial artist, fighter, soldier or law enforcement agents cannot protect themselves from an attack they didn’t see coming, or one they saw coming but too late.

TIME AND DISTANCE

Time and distance are either our friends or our foes depending on how much or how little of them we have. If we respond too late or have too little distance between us and a ‘Bad Guy’, we have severely compromised our safety. The time that elapses between an impending attack and executing a response is called ‘Survival Reaction Time’. So our goal is to have as much ‘Survival Reaction Time’ in a potentially threatening situation, which will position us most powerfully. Our intuition is our alarm and then we need to assess the situation based on the cues we pick up. These cues literally will telegraph a person’s intent to us. Business people, attorneys, police interpreters, martial artists, etc. study non-verbal cues to better read people. Meaning, intention, truthfulness, even deceit can be interpreted by body cues and signals.

INTENT

Meaning and intent are transmitted in three modalities:

1) Words (actual dialogue)
2) Voice (how something is said via tone, inflection, pitch, rate, volume, etc.)
3) Body language (movement, posturing, gestures, positioning, distance, etc.)

BODY LANGUAGE

Percentages vary from various studies and experts, but most agree that words account for approximately for 10%, voice 30% and body language 60% for one’s communication. So, most of our communication is non-verbal and conveyed through body language. Think about watching a Mime and how we know exactly what they are conveying with only body movements and facial expressions. The way we carry our body and project ourselves can either make us an easy target or a ‘Tough Target’. And remember, 80% of the time ‘Tough Targets’ don’t get chosen. Knowing what to look for and being attentive is a necessary shift one needs to make to lead a safer daily life. Examples of body language to be aware of in individuals preparing to attack or who aggressively approach you are:

Blading (placing the dominant foot to the rear and adopting a more solid stance from which to launch an attack)
Clenching or pumping the fists
Clenching the jaw
Extreme trembling
Looking around before moving in or closing distance
Distracting, aggressive, or even inappropriate dialogue
Rapid shallow breathing
Stoppage of movement
Thousand-mile stare
Shoulder shrugging or rolling

Notice people in your different surroundings and play a game where you observe their behaviors, body movements, posturing, facial expressions, etc. Become aware in movies and TV shows of the aggressive behaviors and posturing the actors exhibit before they make aggressive moves or attack someone. Make it your job to constantly increase your awareness of those around you to better position yourself outside the predator zone. Remember, you are 100% responsible for your safety and the more you educate yourself the better prepared you will be and the less likely you are inclined to have your personal safety compromised.

Mark Spencer, M.A. , S.A.F.E.

© Copyright 2006 S.A.F.E. All rights reserved.

June 2006 Newsletter

Becoming a "Tough Target"

Women’s Safety Education Group’s program is called S.A.F.E. (Safety Awareness For Empowerment). The key words SAFETY, AWARENESS and EMPOWERMENT clearly state our mission and the heart of our program. The simple fact is that we live in a world where there are people and things to fear regarding our personal safety. We however should not, nor do we need to live in a fear-based state of mind. Animals in the wild, for their day-to-day survival, are not taught to live fearfully, but rather fearlessly, and to be both aware and vigilant about their safety. What is both key and essential is that they are taught to acknowledge the very real threats to their lives and respond appropriately should they find themselves in a potentially threatening situation.

LAW OF ATTRACTION

I am a firm believer in the ‘Law of Attraction’, or the notion that what we think about we attract into our lives. If we are fear-based we will actually attract those things that we don’t want by giving them breath and life and bringing them into our lives. If we also refuse to acknowledge those things that we fear, it’s like the big white elephant out on the front lawn –- it is still there even though we refuse to believe it. Simply choosing not to acknowledge something will not make it go away or not exist. If you try not thinking about something, you are also actually putting energy into it and keeping it alive in your consciousness. So what I am saying is that to live safer daily lives, we first need to raise our awareness level, acknowledge those things we don’t want to, and plan for the possibility of something happening that might compromise our safety. We live in a society where bad things happen every day, and for that matter every few seconds or minutes. Statistics do not lie, and the fact is that crime in the USA is a very real threat to all of us.

TRANSITION FROM FEAR-BASED TO EMPOWERED

It is a simple and easy transition from being fear-based to being empowered. First, we raise our awareness and accept that real threats to our safety exist. Second, we educate ourselves with the very best safety information, strategies and tools available to us. All of our vehicles have spare tires, but do we dwell in constant fear that every time we get in our vehicle to go somewhere we’re going to have a flat? Certainly not, but having a spare tire is a safety strategy that both puts us at ease and keeps us at ease should we happen to have a flat. Just like the spare tire, we need to keep safety strategies catalogued away for those ‘What If’ or ‘Just in Case’ scenarios in all aspects of our lives.

A TOUGH TARGET

Becoming a ‘Tough Target’ helps to raise the odds in our favor that we will be less likely chosen as a target by a ‘Bad Guy’. It has been my experience over the years that many people simply do not want to accept and acknowledge the fact that we have to be prepared for some things that we wouldn’t want to have happen to us. We need to think about the things we don’t want to think about so that we can be the best prepared that we can possibly be. We need to do things like: discuss with our family members what to do to get out of our burning house including alternate escape routes; what to do if we breakdown on the side of the road; what to do if we are approached by a potential mugger, robber or rapist, etc. Our awareness becomes heightened when something happens to a family member, co-worker, neighbor or friend, or if we see something on the news about a rapist or burglar near to us. But typically, we are complacent and haven’t thought about safety strategies. But guess what? The ‘Bad Guys’ have already thought about their next victim and that does not keep us on an even playing field. Everyone actually does have strategies in place, but most of the time they are not good ones or the most effective ones we can implement. We cannot afford to live life with our heads in the sand and think, “I never thought it would happen to me”.

SAFETY STRATEGIES

So, when we create a catalogue of safety strategies, we are better prepared ‘just in case’ and just like the spare tire, we don’t give it a second thought unless we need to. (How different the legacy of the Titanic would have been if they had enough lifeboats and were prepared for the possibility of an unexpected tragedy, like hitting an iceberg.) The unexpected is now out of our everyday consciousness and we don’t dwell in fear. And since we are better prepared, we send out a different vibration and are less apt to attract the bad stuff or the bad guys. We need to remain vigilant every day and keep an acute awareness about our surroundings. We need to listen to our ‘gut’ feelings and always honor them. If something feels bad or wrong, IT IS! If a person feels creepy, THEY ARE CREEPY! And the great thing about being a tough target is that we only need to be PERCEIVED as a ‘tough target’.

ALWAYS BE PREPARED

The Boy Scout’s motto of “Be Prepared” is an excellent one and I’d like to take liberty and modify it a bit to read; “ALWAYS BE PREPARED”. So, learn as much as you can about personal safety, employ the latest and best strategies, buy the very best safety products available and develop a demeanor that makes you a ‘tough target.’ Stack the odds in your favor and live a life where you are attracting less of what you don’t want or fear, and attracting more of what you do want and empowers you.

BOOKING A PROGRAM

NOTE: If you would like to book a women's safety program for your organization, club, business, church, etc. please email us at seminars@WSEG.org or call us at 1-800-318-8037.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

We are also currently expanding nationally, looking for both Trainers to present our programs and Coordinators to book our programs. If you or someone you know would be interested in exploring an opportunity with either WSEG or KSEG, please email us: jobs@WSEG.org or jobs@KSEG.org, or call 1-800-318-8037.

Mark Spencer, MA, S.A.F.E.

© Copyright 2006 S.A.F.E. All rights reserved.

May 2006 Newsletter

Internet Identity Theft -- One of the fastest growing Crimes

For 5 years straight, the FTC has ranked Internet ID theft as one of the most reported types of fraud and there are NO signs of it slowing down. It’s responsible for over 40% of all fraud complaints and last year approached a cost of nearly $300 million dollars. Identity theft is a problem that goes far beyond simple credit-card fraud (against which consumers are fully protected, thanks to zero-liability laws and other regulations). True identity theft is when a person’s entire identity is taken over, and for that to happen a scammer needs more information than is found on a debit or credit card. All too often consumers unknowingly, naively and carelessly provide their vital proprietary information by surfing and using computers whose security is breached by virus and spyware infections.

One of the leading causes of ID theft is falling prey to ‘phishing’ attacks, in which a criminal employs a trick e-mail that directs a recipient to a phony website to divulge personal data (like a bank account numbers, social security numbers, credit card info, etc.). For a phishing scam to work you must click the link in a forged e-mail, which might look like it’s from your bank or another financial institution, and then enter your user information on the web page that your browser opens. ID thieves also use technical subterfuge through spyware and Trojans to capture user names and passwords allowing them to gain access to a person’s financial details. By adding antiphishing capabilities to your e-mail through McAfee’s Internet Security Suite, or any other popular integrated-security package that can protect against phishing, your e-mail program can screen the e-mail source code to help you determine whether the content is legitimate. Security software is not bulletproof and must be constantly updated as they are breached routinely.

Although it seems obvious, you need to be very cautious and suspicious about opening e-mail attachments, a common vehicle for Trojan horse programs. An e-mail from a friend, family member, or business associate does not necessarily mean it is safe to open as it might have been infected by a Trojan-bearing worm. (Note: Network worms are the most dangerous of all virus types as they jump from one computer to another leaving a wake of infected computers. And, they secretly scour the Internet for connected computers that don’t have current security updates or firewalls installed. Some of these worms are so sophisticated that they can commandeer your e-mail address book and send infected e-mail messages laden with Trojans to everyone listed.) So, unless you are expecting an e-mail attachment, NEVER assume it is safe to open. Although it might seem tedious, if you received an email that you are unsure about, email that person and ask if they did indeed send an e-mail with an attachment.

We all are receiving seemingly innocuous e-mails like jokes, must-read info, things to pass on to friends and we may be unwittingly either sending or receiving infected e-mails that are unleashing key logging programs or other malware designed to steal your identity. Also, it is extremely easy for someone to forge an e-mail message. If a message requests that you send your password or other private information, or asks you to run or install an attached file, it is very likely that the message is NOT legit. When in doubt, ALWAYS mark the message as ‘junk’ and DELETE it.

As a routine, safe-computing practice that can help you to avoid many ID-theft scams, you should ALWAYS enter a web site’s URL in a new browser window. For example, if an e-mail claiming to be from your bank asks you to log in to verify your password or account information, resist the temptation to simply ‘click’ on the link in the e-mail itself, regardless of how authentic the message might appear. Phishers commonly try to fool us by copying a website to look like they are actually from our bank, PayPal, Ebay, etc. A typical example is an e-mail from Ebay or PayPal that asks to please update your credit card or debit card information by ‘clicking’ here and submitting our form. PayPal will never send an e-mail addressed to “Dear PayPal User.” They will ALWAYS use your first and last names and 2 pieces of information that Identity thieves would not know (until you unwittingly tell them). In many cases the actual link in the HTML code will be different from the URL displayed. So, NEVER go to a site via a provided link. ALWAYS either copy/paste or type the URL into the window yourself.

Educate yourself about online threats and follow your intuition. If something feels wrong or seems suspicious about an email, link or website, assume it is! Constantly update your anti-spyware and anti-virus and use the latest and best protection available to you. You can also contact your bank, as they will provide you with valuable information on protecting yourself against ID theft and hints on how to maintain your privacy. Additionally, some important sites you can visit for information to help educate yourself about phishing attacks and other online scams are:

www.antiphishing.org
www.consumer.gov/idtheft
http://safety.msn.com/phishing

And remember, if you receive this Newsletter via e-mail, either copy and paste or type these links into a new browser window, or be sure not to fill out any forms, or otherwise submit confidential information once you get there!

Ultimately, while technology (anti-virus software, firewalls, etc.) can help protect you, you must use common sense, and be just as vigilant on the internet as you would walking down the street regarding your personal safety.

Mark Spencer, M.A. S.A.F.E.

© Copyright 2006 S.A.F.E. All rights reserved.