Sex offender Rickey Robbins on the loose

Ladies beware of this sex offender that had served time back in 1983 for raping a woman in Oregon. He served time for that offense and was arrested again in 2007 when he fled from his parole supervision. During that time, he managed to break into two other women's homes in upstate New York. But his record did not stop there. Rickey Robbins served time again for those crimes and in 2008 he was apprehended when authorities found him viewing child pornography in a university library in New Orleans!

As you can see, this guy gets around too. He has committed crimes in 3 different states! He is not only interested in women, but also in children!

Scott Berkowitz who is president and founder of RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), mentioned that he was discouraged. He mentioned that there are hundreds of thousands of missing sex offenders in the U.S. and that all of these offenders should have received longer prison sentences. He also stated that rapists are usually repeat offenders and that they should be kept behind bars for a longer period of time.

A reminder, previously mentioned on a blog post; rapists attack more during the holidays due to the fact that there are more intoxicated and less careful people walking around. This gives them the upper hand on raping women and men and they know it!

Workplace Helps w/Domestic Violence

There has been some branching out from some domestic violence organizations to include information of this problem to Corporate America. Organizations such as Safe Horizon have members of their organization, teaching companies about the impact of domestic violence in their workplaces. Not only does it increase health care expenses, but it also adds to employee absenteeism and productivity. Corporate America is learning how to distinguish between employees that are victims of domestic violence and employees that are not. They are taught to be aware of signs such as employees wearing long sleeves on hot days, sunglasses indoors, etc. They also are suggesting companies post domestic violence hotline phone numbers on signs everywhere in their offices. The signs around the office literally make victims stop and think when they see it written on a wall.

Presently there are 21 states with laws that require employers to assist victims of domestic violence by allowing them to take extra days off. The law also bans discrimination against employees that are in domestic violence situations.

This is very important now, especially with the financial crisis in our country. Victims have reported more violence from their partners due to painful economic conditions.

Below are links and phone numbers for more information:
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Safe Horizon's Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-621-HOPE (4673)
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233)
Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence

Safety Tips for The Holidays

Shopping Safety Tips

• Even though you are rushing and thinking about a thousand things, stay alert to your surroundings and the people around you. If possible, park your car in an area of high pedestrian activity. Avoid remote areas.
• Lock your car and close the windows, even if you are only gone for a few minutes.
• Lock your packages out-of-sight in the trunk. Place your valuables in the trunk before you get to your destination, not after, a thief may be watching.
• Be sure and lock your car, many opportunists simply look for unlocked cars.
• Always report a theft to the police.
• Teach your children to go to the store clerk and ask for help if you become separated while shopping. They should never go to the parking lot or the car alone.
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Pay for purchases with a check or credit card when possible; and if the credit card receipt has carbons, ask for these too. Notify issuers immediately if your credit card is lost, stolen, or misused.
• Be extra careful with purses and wallets. They may become targets for crime in crowded shopping areas, at bus stops, and on public transportation.
• Avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion to avoid mishaps.

Home Safety Tips

• At home, be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave the house, even for a few minutes. Leave lights and a radio or television on so the house looks occupied. Do not put large displays of holiday gifts in view of your windows or doors.
• If you go away for the holidays, try to keep your home appearing "lived in": Get an automatic timer for your lights. Have a neighbor watch your home and pick-up your newspapers and mail.
• If you use lights on your tree, make sure that they are in good working order.
• And lastly, when hosting a party, find alternative transportation for intoxicated guests; and when going out drinking, please remember: Don't Drink and Drive!

Party Safety Tips

• Always get your own drink. Watch it being poured.
• Don't leave it unattended.
• Don't drink or taste anybody else's drink.
• Don't accept drinks from anyone else.
• When in bars or clubs always get your drink directly from the bartender and do not take your eyes off the bartender or your order; don't use the waitress or let somebody go to the bar for you.
• At parties, only accept drinks in closed containers: bottles, cans or tetra packs.
• Never leave your drink unattended or turn your back on your table.
• Do not drink from open beverage sources like punch bowls, pitchers or tubs.
• Drugs used to spike drinks can be colorless and tasteless so you might not realize that anything has been added.
• Keep your eyes and ears open; if there is talk of date rape drugs or if friends seem "too intoxicated" for what they have taken, leave the party or club immediately and don't go back.
• Be aware of the behavior of your friends. Is their behavior out of character? Do they seem too "out of it" for what they've had? See the section on Drink Spiking to find out what to do.
• Watch out for your friends. Are they binge drinking or taking drugs? Are they making safe decisions? Are they OK?
• If your friend needs to sober up or straighten out, check to see that they are OK. Are they alone? Who is with them? Are they safe?
• Encourage people who are drunk to drink water or eat something. Keep an eye on them, if you can.
• Do you really trust whom you are going home with? Are you sure they won't make you do anything you don't want to do? Will they take "NO" for an answer?
• If you are going home with someone different, let someone know. Introduce them to your friends.
• If you still want to be even more cautious, consider purchasing drink testing strips. Test your drink by simply dipping it in your glass. These strips will change color if any drug is detected

No Stampede Here!

Retailers seek customers during the holidays, but not necessarily unruly shoppers that break down doors to get in and trample an employee to death, like they did at Walmart! Was this necessary? What ever happened to being civilized and curtious towards others? Holidays are for caring about others but this incident certainly did not reflect that. Fortunately this type of thing does not happen often.

This leads me to Internet shopping. One good thing about shopping on the Internet, you don't have to deal with people pushing you around! Just sit back in your comfy chair next to your computer with a warm cup of coffee or tea and shop away... Ahhh, the pleasure of calmly selecting what you want to shop for and taking your time about it. Why make this pleasant giving to others opportunity an unpleasant one? The Internet is the ultimate shoppers paradise. You stay at home, no need to spend gas money or deal with the crowds or lines and no need to take a chill pill.

I hope you enjoy your holiday shopping and I wish you have a wonderful and safe holiday season!

Press Release: Northwest Serial Rapist Has Columbus, Ohio Women On Guard

The self defense products website, www.WomenOnGuard.com, made its monthly product donation to the Hilliard Police Department in Hilliard, Ohio.

Indian Beach, NC November 21, 2008. WomenOnGuard.com donates self defense products to a different cause around the country each month. Due to a serial rapist in the Columbus, Ohio area still on the loose, WomenOnGuard.com decided to donate pepper spray products to the Hilliard Police Department in Hilliard (HPD), Ohio. According to Officer Suzy Muraco, the HPD has partnered with Crime Stoppers of Central Ohio and is now providing training classes on crime prevention. This partnership decision was made in response to the overwhelming concern of the citizens of the Columbus areas and especially in Hilliard, where the serial rapist has been known to attack. The pepper spray donated by WomenOnGuard.com will be distributed throughout these classes.

There has been a serial rapist on the loose in the Columbus, Ohio area. He first struck in June of this year. He has raped and attacked seven young women on the West and North sides of Columbus. The seventh victim was attacked on November 2nd in West Columbus. The serial rapist has a pattern of raping single women in their early twenties. He carries a weapon most of the time. Police mentioned that this rapist, first figures out his victim's daily patterns and then breaks into their homes and attacks them while they are asleep. He usually attacks in the early morning hours. From the nearly 300 tips received, investigators have narrowed down a list of 50-75 suspects.

Susan Eaton of WomenOnGuard.com stated that, “Personal and home safety should be taken very serious. There are many precautions that you and your family need to implement immediately for crime prevention. This includes your personal safety when you are not at home as well as safety precautions that need to be taken when you are at home.” Susan goes on to say, “When you are away from your home environment, always be aware of your surroundings and stay in well lit areas. Walk confidently at a steady pace because a rapist looks for someone who appears vulnerable. Avoid doorways, bushes and alleys where rapist can hide. When someone tries to enter your home, they will look for the path of least resistance because this is the best chance for them to get away without being caught. Get rid of these paths. If you have any shrubs in front of your windows, prune them low. Make sure that all doors and windows are locked and make sure that you have a deadbolt lock on all exterior doors. Keep your doors locked during the day as you would at night. You should also carry a self-defense product when you are away from home and you should always have something in your home for crime prevention.”

WomenOnGuard.com was launched in October of 2006 by two determined women who set out to provide other women with much needed tools to defend themselves against crime. Susan Eaton and Martha Z. Martinez, the owners of the website www.WomenOnGuard.com, wanted to spread the word and let women know that it is easy to purchase self defense products such as Mace, pepper spray, stun guns, Taser products and personal alarms on their website. “Most women are unsure of where to purchase self defense products”, Martha mentioned, “Your local department stores usually do not carry crime prevention items such as these and gun shops can be intimidating to some women.” WomenOnGuard.com only sells non-lethal, self-defense products. Susan states, “We don’t carry guns or knives on our website. We realize that it is possible that if you are carrying a lethal weapon, it could be turned against you. In this case, it is better to be pepper sprayed or Tasered, than to be shot with a bullet from your own gun or stabbed with the knife you were carrying to protect yourself.”

Safety Gifts For The Holidays

There is nothing better than a safety gift that will protect the life of a loved one or your own.

There are many safety gifts you can choose from that are reasonably priced and great for stocking stuffers. You can also choose more pricier ones that are sure to impress and surprise anyone! Among the reasonably priced gifts are pepper sprays or Mace pepper spray. Some pepper sprays come disguised as lipstick containers or pens. These are convenient because no one suspects you are carrying a self defense product. Most pepper spray products have key rings that make them handy to carry around with your house or car keys. You can get a great deal purchasing them in a package of 6. Personal alarms are also a favorite, reasonably priced self defense product, especially among women. Personal alarms can come with key chains, flashlights and some can even be attached to a door and used as a door alarm. You can also give higher priced gifts such as a Taser C2 or a medium priced gift such as a stun gun.

Giving a self defense product as a gift for the holidays is unexpected and the person you give it to will appreciate it and probably carry it with them all the time! It is a gift that shows you care.

Columbus Ohio's 'Northwest Serial Rapist' still on the loose

We were told this morning by a friend that lives in Columbus, Ohio, that there is a serial rapist in that neck of the woods. Apparently he has raped several women since June of this year. This rapist is male and 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall, race unknown. He has a stalky build and is in his late 30s to early 40s. That pretty much describes many male's... But he has a pattern of raping single women in their early twenties. He carries a weapon most of the time. Police mentioned that this serial rapist, first figures out his victim's daily patterns and then breaks into their homes and attacks them while they are asleep.

There is concern amongst parents of young women who attend Ohio State University since most of their daughters are in their early 20s. OSU spreads several city blocks and it is within an urban area. This makes these students especially at risk.

The Columbus Police Department is offering a reward for any information leading to the arrest of this serial rapist. They have also posted a photo of the rapist at a teller machine, using one of several credit cards he has stolen. Call the police at (614) 645-2437 if you have any information regarding this rapist.

Trash Buddy Dogs

I bet you are wondering what the title of this post means. What do dogs and trash dumpsters have in common? Well in my home, my dogs take turns escorting me out to the trash dumpster every night. What better way for them to relieve themselves before bedtime and at the same time protect me from strangers!

Photo by DBduo Photography

If you live in an apartment complex or a condo and you have a dog, try taking him or her with you when taking out your waste to the trash dumpster. It doesn't matter if they are a large or small breed, either way they will attack or make a lot of noise! Small dogs are often the most fearless and most vocal! Most people like to take their trash out at night and people that live in buildings are more likely to be assaulted when walking through their complexes in the dark. I also carry pepper spray with me. You never know if a stranger with bad intentions will show up or a mean Rocky the Raccoon might want to defend it's delicious trashy meal! Your dog and pepper spray also come in handy when checking your mail at one of those mail box booths most complexes have.

This routine is an opportunity to bond more with your pet and feel safer at the same time!

Leaving Your Home in the Dark?

The holidays are just around the corner and many people plan to spend time with family, away from home. When we leave our home for the holidays, many of us think about the movie "Home Alone". The movie showed how empty houses are more prone to be robbed while people take off on vacation. We also know that a totally dark house is a sure sign for burglars to know that no one is home. When leaving for just a few hours in the evening, most of us will leave a couple of lights or the TV on, just to make it seem like someone is home. This is fine when it is only for a couple of hours, but when you are away for a few days, you don't want your TV or lights constantly on, even during the daytime. This is not economically sound and it's also a green light to let burglars or intruders know that you are not around. Having the lights constantly on is just as inviting to burglars, as having the lights constantly off!

There is a solution to this dilemma. It is the Digital Timer. What is a Digital Timer? This is a handy little item that you can connect to a wall outlet and have a lamp or other appliance connected to it. You then program it to have a lamp turn on around 6 PM and turn off by 11 PM. If you have a Digital Timer with Random Feature, it can turn the lamp on and off throughout several hours of the evening. The times will be different for each day of the week therefore lights will not have a predictable pattern of turning on and off. There are Digital Timers that can handle up to 15 amps, for heavy duty appliances or for more than one lamp at a time. You can purchase Digital Timers that easily record up to 20 on/off programs over 7 and 8 day groupings and have a pre-installed battery backup. Some Digital Timers have 3 wire grounded plugs and even an LCD that shows the time and day.

Digital Timers are not only for security against burglars or intruders, but for other applications as well. I personally used one for my aquarium. I timed it so that the light in the aquarium would turn on in the early evening and turn off late at night so that my fish could sleep! Some people use them for their Christmas trees or holiday decoration lights. Many people put their backyard lights on Digital Timers. There really are no limits to what you can use Digital Timers for. If it uses electricity, you can have it on a timer!

So, remember to prepare your home with not just decorations for the holidays, but also with Digital Timers. These security items not only prevent your home from being robbed, but are convenient and reasonably priced. Some people are happy with just purchasing one for the bedroom and one for the living room. Others get creative and use them for various tasks.

Domestic violence victims may be eligible for scholarships, grants & cosmetic surgery

Domestic violence victims go through physical and emotional pain. Most of these women and sometimes men too, need medical attention and counseling. But what happens once they leave their violent past and move on their own into society? One huge problem confronted by these victims is a monetary one. Most of these women depended financially on their abusive spouses. Out on their own, these victims have a hard time finding work and sometimes end up in another dominating abusive relationship.

There are a few organizations or companies that pitch in and offer help for domestic violence victims. The Allstate Foundation and The R.O.S.E Fund (Regaining One's Self Esteem), are just a couple of the organizations that offer services for victims. These organizations offer victims the tools to rebuild their lives, achieve self-sufficiency and regain their self-esteem. They do this by educating victims on how to manage their finances, offering grants and scholarship monies. The R.O.S.E Fund also offers facial reconstructive surgery.

To learn more about these particular organizations click on the links above. You can also search on the web for other organizations that can help you or someone you know that has lived through this horrible ordeal.