1 - Data vs. Sensational Stories
As a pro self defense instructor, I'm happy to have so many ladies training with us. In our orientation classes, I'm going through some fast tools and give basic information which always counters the what girls have been told. Seek the reality about your personal safety through info. Stories are exciting, fascinating, scary - but stories are dissimilar from data. Stories can include data, but stories are the micro-view. We need the macro-view.
What's really happening where we live, work, or visit? Where can we get that? The media? The media tells stories that are specially picked, professionally produced, and edited.
The media offers a service, nonetheless it is not a public service. It's a non-public service driven by advertising. There is nothing wrong with this of course, it just skews reporting towards getting eyeballs on screens and paper - where they will also see the paid adverts.
2 - Not Hiding It, Just Not Talking about It...
Do you know that many entertainment districts with heaps of bars and diners are privately owned, and assertive reporting on crime trends is daunted? How is this done? With advertising dollars. Political influence. How many times have celebs and athletes gotten help "keeping it out of the papers?" The Net has definitely assisted in turning this around, there is however still picking and selecting going on.
Police reports are of course filed. They have to be. Whether a news desk does anything with a trend of several attacks against girls at the hot spots is another matter.
Know What's Truly Occuring.
3 - Personal Safety is about Information, Behaviour, and Tools.
The internet is an incredible source of info, which drives knowledge. Here are some great, free tools that we share with our clients. Note - The internet is incredible for info , but creates some problems with behavior - which I'll cover in a later article, with Social Networks.
3 FREE Information Tools that keep you safer:
www.crimereports.com - This database includes criminality in the U.S, UK, and Canada. A 30 day history of crimes are available on the map, with the addresses, names, and photos of registered sex offenders. This absolutely free resource encompasses a roll-up of real police reports, on a Google map-type format.
How often have you had to make an inquiry about the safety of an area you are going to or when considering a move? Just asking around can offer you an understanding of what is happening, but it's far better to understand what has happened.
Fast Background Check - Ever question whether a new friend, business associate, or neighbor has a record? Does something seem a bit "off" about somebody put in from of you? You can do a moderately good search on the web, for free. This may not include everything - but most politics, crime, and law-enforcement occurs at the local level. Many states have free court record searches available on the web. Your country's site may look different than the ones I show.
Be wary of sites that promise a free background probe hitting each criminal database worldwide , then send you to a sales page to get a membership. A comprehensive background probe will cost money (about $20) - but a fast check check takes 2 minutes and is free. The linke is viewable from our blog.
Amazon Home Services - At first, this one might appear unusual, but over time, one of the most typical questions we have had asked from women is the right way to find competent, non-creepy service professionals. We do not counsel paying for any type of list or referral, as the paid services often prioritise companies that pay to be on the list .
Amazon is moving forcefully into home services, and the female demographic is a massive part of their multi-billion greenback concern. Do not waste your time calling places trying to find someone that has a brain in his head and did not just get out of prison.
Source any service through an internet source that has reviews . Get a quote or flat rate for easier work. Let any provider know you can't wait to give a 5-star review for great work. (and they'll understand the flip side) Any visit should be planned, ideally earlier in the morning, and any service pro should have ID and present it before getting access to your house. ?
In the next article in this series, we'll have a video guide including one of our female team members installing a simple, no-fuss camera monitoring system, which anyone who can work a smartphone and laptop computer can do!
About the Author:
Eric. Scott is a Krav Maga Black Belt and creator of Self-defense Global. Self-defense Worldwide offers gear, training, and training missions for a safer life. He offers a free video orientation class which has more information than most paid programs including a week of video lessons, and a free electronic book.
