Domestic Violence Shelter Receives Pepper Spray from Women On Guard™

Women On Guard™ donated pepper spray to the Crisis Center of Northern New Mexico, in Espanola, New Mexico.

Pompano Beach, FL, August 2, 2010. Women On Guard™ is an e-commerce website that sells self defense products such as pepper spray, mace, tasers, stun guns and personal alarms. The owners of WomenOnGuard.com, Susan Eaton and Martha Z. Martinez, regularly make pepper spray donations to women’s crisis centers or similar causes around the country. The website which was started in 2006, also offers Hotlines and Safety Tips, among other information regarding self defense.

The mission of the Crisis Center of Northern New Mexico is to impact the cycle of domestic violence by providing crisis intervention with short and long-term programs in the service areas of Rio Arriba, Los Alamos and Northern Santa Fe counties of New Mexico. They provide a safe haven (shelter) for persons who have sustained physical, sexual, psychological violence or a combination thereof without prejudice to age, race, creed, gender, color or sexual preference. The Crisis Center also provides counseling, advocacy, education and other services as needed to accomplish the mission. It also provides public education and information relating to the nature of physical, sexual and psychological domestic violence.

Susan Eaton, one of the owners of Women On Guard, expressed her concerns about violence during the summer months. She mentioned, “The rate of sexual assaults unfortunately increases when many people take time off from work or school. This is mostly due to more social interaction, be it at parties, walking down city streets while enjoying the weather or just at a barbecue in a park. Many times there is alcohol involved that result in people making silly decisions, like leaving a party with a complete stranger or accepting a drink that contains a date rape drug.”

Women On Guard also wanted to make sure that people, especially women, take precautions during this summer. Below is a short list of some of their safety tips:

• Always be aware of your surroundings.
• Never walk alone at night, no matter how safe it may seem. Ask someone to go w/you.
• Exercise routines such as walking or running outdoors, should have a variable schedule, don’t be too predictable for a potential attacker.
• Always get your own drink at parties or bars. Watch it being poured, keep an eye on it and never leave your drink unattended. Don’t drink out of a punch bowl. When ordering beer, it’s best to get it in a sealed bottle. 
• Never accept to leave a nightclub or party with a stranger. If you are intoxicated, have the barkeeper or host of the party, call for a taxi.
• Keep in mind that intoxicated individuals are potential victims for attackers. Criminals take advantage of people who have their guard down.