Stopping Sexual Predators - True Story

Today, I was told a story about a man who took his two daughters, aged 8 and 10, to a mall in Chicago recently. 


As he was shopping with them he witnessed an older man on an escalator, holding a cellphone underneath the skirt of a young girl standing above him on the escalator. As "Jim" saw this, he shouted at the perp, but he was about 100 yards away in a really busy mall. He went to the escalator and tried to find the man, but by the time he reached the next level the perp was gone and was no where to be found. 


Jim just learned about SOS LINK this past Thursday and said that he could have used SOS LINK to take photos of the man (with the GPS location, plus a time and date stamp to provide to authorities) and have him identified. Because photos taken with SOS LINK are sent through a secure server, they cannot be tampered with (eg. photoshop) and can be used as evidence in a court of law. 


This is a true story. And it's happened before -- a "Man caught taking photos under girl's skirt". 


The sad reality is that technology continues to be used to abuse - but the good news is that we can also use the same technology to catch those in the act and stop them. 

Options for Back-Up

Just a quick entry today... 

Occasionally people will ask me why they need SOS LINK if they could just call 911.  Let me be clear - there is absolutely a role for 911 - but just not in every situation. 

Recently, a friend was involved in an altercation with a driver with road rage. He followed her, was swearing at her, threatening her.... so she called 911. This gentleman lived on her street and she was fearful. What did they say at 911? Nothing. They told her this was not an emergency. He actually had to cause some harm first. 

This really got me thinking about our idea of "emergency response" and what "help" looks like. 

 

Now, not to put down those who man the phones at our 911 response centers, but here are a few questions...When was the last time you called them? If you can remember - let me ask you this:

1. How many questions did you need to answer before you were connected to the help you were looking for?
2. Have you ever been told that the reason you were calling was not an emergency?

Well, I have called before, and told that my situation was not emergent enough. I have called and been told that police would be right over - when it took over 8 hours to respond. But sometimes I just feel like I need a little extra help - like, my Dad, for example. Hence, the need for SOS LINK.

My 31 year old friend claimed that she just wanted a little back up with that driver with road rage - maybe not police - but she felt she needed someone.  Would that driver have backed down if he knew that his picture was being taken? Possibly. Deterrents are powerful tools....

All I am saying is that it is nice to have options - even in an uncomfortable situation. Police? Friends? Family? Both? Well, you can have both. Yay for that.

Realtors & Working Alone

I will admit that there have been times, in the past, when I thought being a realtor was a pretty cushy gig. In the housing explosion over the past few years it was not uncommon for realtors to make $40,000 commissions on properties that sold in a number of days. "What a great gig!', I thought.

But as many realtors will probably tell you, that's the exception and not the rule. As a buyer's agent, you are required to: see multiple properties, arrange viewings that work for the seller and potential buyers, drive all over town, work long hours, and spend lots of time away from your family. So yes, there is some work there that we don't always think about. But here's the kicker: what about safety? 


When people are thinking about changing careers and they think about real estate, they don't necessarily think "oh, but that's a dangerous profession." That kind of statement is generally limited to police officers, fire fighters, crab fisherman (know the show "Deadliest Catch"?), and miners. Well, guess what? Real Estate is a dangerous business, too. 


This week, a man was convicted for sexually assaulting a real estate agent (read about it here) back in March. He acted like he was looking to buy property, and assaulted her when they were alone. This was not an isolated incident... he had been trying to set up other agents, too.  


Other sources confirm this alarming trend about violence against realtors. From Impact Safety:


"Violence in High Risk Professions:


An alarming trend of violence against real estate agents has emerged throughout the country in the last decade. Agent safety was cited as an important issue by nearly 90 percent of respondents in a 2003 Ohio Association of Realtors member survey. By comparison, safety concerns received no mention in a 1997 survey."

The bottom line is that we all, regardless of the 'perception' of safety (or lack thereof), need to do what we can to stay safe and think about prevention. Have a strategy/back up plan wherever you are -- and, maybe get SOS LINK, too. 


Cheers, 


Jill

Cutbacks and Consequences

One of things everyone has had to do in these challenging economic times is make choices about where to spend their money. I’m not just talking about whether or not one should go out to dinner, or buy a new pair of shoes, or go on a nice vacation… Employees have been laid off, company budgets have been slashed, and services have been discontinued.  We all know about this, and have heard the stories – but in a way I didn’t realize how far some cuts had gone. These choices have impacted many business practices – not just the bottom line.

This past week I was out with two friends – one is a nurse at hospital and the other is a domestic violence crisis counselor. I was talking to them about SOS LINK and explaining the many uses to them. My friend the nurse said, “Man, we need that on the floor.” I asked her why she thought that she would need something like that at work and she explained that due to budget cuts there was only one security office working at night at their hospital. That security guard was responsible for patrolling all of the floors AND driving around parking lots and checking on other work sites. One person for all of that.

She explained that they often ran into situations where they felt unsafe but security was unable to respond. She said that her work-life is often a series of ‘close calls.’ (To read a recent story about violence against nurses, click here.) I was shocked to hear that staff safety was not taken more seriously, but she explained that it was all about cutbacks and that patient care was (understandably) given the highest priority. Staff safety? Well, it would be nice, but…. She told me she was going to get SOS LINK and encourage her coworkers to do the same “since everyone keeps their phone on them anyway.”

The same went for my friend who works at the Domestic Violence shelter. She told me of a few stories of being trapped in uncomfortable situations – including the time when someone had broken in to the facility’s donation shed and she needed to be able to alert staff who would be coming on shift and walking right past the shed. She is going to get SOS LINK Team so that they are all connected. Again, having on site security would be nice, but it’s not a possibility for her organization. It’s company policy that workers keep their cell phones on them at all times – but having the ability to instantly take a photo of the situation and get that information to those who need it is really important. And as they say, a picture really is worth 1,000 words, isn’t it?

Be safe this weekend, everyone!

Jill

Practice What You Preach....

It’s always easier to work for a business or organization when you believe in the cause. When buying my first car from a dealership, I remember asking the salesman what he drove and he sheepishly answered (truthfully, I am sure) “not this make.” That answer made me think twice, albeit very briefly, about my impending purchase. There really is something to be said about believing and using the products you claim to represent... and I am no exception.

I was at a nightclub this past weekend in a large metropolitan city. The club was on a well-lit street and there was visible police presence at major intersections. I was with two friends (a male and a female) and we had our wits about us. I didn’t feel unsafe leaving or walking the two blocks I needed to in order to catch a taxi… until we were approached by an individual who appeared to be in some kind of distress.

The young man looked to be in his early twenties. He was telling us that he was angry that “they” had already taken him to the hospital tonight, and that he “hates hospitals.” He clearly wanted to talk about the events of the evening and about those he believed were out to get him. He followed us for a few blocks and we did what we could to remove ourselves from the situation, but he was persistent. He eventually started swearing at a car in traffic, and he lost interest in us.

In terms of staying safe, we did everything ‘right’ for a night out: no one was intoxicated; we were in an area where there were lots of people (including police); it was well-lit; we were in a group of three (one of whom was a tall, somewhat intimidating man); and we weren’t engaging in any activities that would attract unwanted attention. But when we were approached I felt uneasy, and I had my hand on my Blackberry and was ready to use SOS LINK if I needed to.  I felt better knowing that I had another tool to draw on if things did go sideways with the individual who was following us.

So, how does this tie in with the story about buying my first car? Well, I blog about SOS LINK because it’s something that I believe in, and clearly, something that I use. This isn’t a “schpeel” about some product – it’s a testament to my belief in the personal security options that my company develops and delivers. And that’s why we’re different – we’ve developed a product that everyone in the office, and our families, use. And I don’t think that anything speaks louder than that.

Until next time…. Jill 

Business Travel - Safety with Smartphones

Today I was researching women and business travel (I've been travelling a lot lately). 

I came across an article about the rising influence of female business travellers, and in it they discuss the sharp increase over the last generation in the number of women who travel for business. It has been estimated that women make up 40-50% of all business travellers in North America today, up from 1% thirty years ago. The authors reported that this increase is related to both societal and economic changes, 


"'Now, close to half of all business travelers are women.' The trend is attributable not only to the changing role of women in the economy, but also, in no small way, to changes in the economy itself.


The New York Times recently reported that 82 percent of all jobs cut since the outset of the current recession belonged to men, who are disproportionately represented in distressed industries such as manufacturing and construction." 

So, what does this mean? Well, according to the writers it means offering more spa services, yoga mats, and bathtubs... but also an increasing attention to hotel security. They note,


"Women are particularly concerned about personal safety, for instance, so the Renaissance installed brighter lighting in hallways and other common areas where guests might find themselves alone, Dobis said. Guests can even arrange to have the lights in their rooms turned on before they return from dinner or a night meeting.


'We want to make them feel safe,' she said. 'We want to make them feel secure.'" 


A blog featured on the The Economist's website was engaging in a little eyeball-rolling over the article, particularly over the reported offerings of trivial services such as personal concierges who could run out to get that perfect shade of lipstick, having additional in-room accessories such as curling irons, and supplying their females guests 'fashion tape' to "keep that blouse in place." The blogger noted,


"There's an element of silliness to this story. Women have been travelling for business for years, and both sexes need the basic things a hotel provides. Everyone wants a safe, comfortable place to sleep, wash up, and maybe get some work done."


Interesting to note that both pieces touched on safety... and I have to agree that every business traveller, regardless of gender, probably wants - and expects a "safe, comfortable place." 


It's good to know that there appears to be a conscious effort to improve hotel security. But improving security need not be limited to hotels... For example, what about:

• Parkades? 
• Airports? 
• Cab rides? 
• New cities? 
• Unknown neighborhoods?  

It's not just about improving hotel security - it's about protecting everyone's personal security, period. The use of SOS LINK products (SOS LINK Personal 2, SOS LINK Personal Plus, SOS LINK Team) will give any business traveller an additional layer of personal security when they are travelling - so spread the word!


In the words of Zahara Heckscher, "Stay Safe But Don't Stay Home!"

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April has been designated as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) by the National Sexual Violence Resource Centre. Sexual assaults are one of the most difficult crimes to wrap one's mind around - at least it is for me. A few shocking stats:

       In the US:

• It is estimated that for every 1,000 women attending a college or university, there are 35 incidents of rape each academic year.1
• 1 Fisher, B.S., Cullen, F.T., & Turner, M.G. (2000), The Sexual Victimization of College Women, National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

     
      In Canada:

• Over half (59%) of all victims of police-reported sexual assault were children and youth under the age of 18. The rate of sexual assaults against children and youth was over 1.5 times higher than the rate for young adults aged 18 to 24.
• Child and Youth Victims of Police-reported Violent Crime, 2008
  So what can we do? The National Crime Prevention Council has a few tips to reduce your chances of being sexually assaulted. Follow these tips from the National Crime Prevention Council:
  
  • Be aware of your surroundings — who’s out there and what’s going on.
  • Walk with confidence. The more confident you look, the stronger you appear.
  • Know your limits when it comes to using alcohol.
  • Be assertive — don’t let anyone violate your space.
  • Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable in your surroundings, leave.
  • Don’t prop open self-locking doors.
  • Lock your door and your windows, even if you leave for just a few minutes.
  • Watch your keys. Don’t lend them. Don’t leave them. Don’t lose them. And don’t put your name and address on the key ring.
  • Watch out for unwanted visitors. Know who’s on the other side of the door before you open it.
  • Be wary of isolated spots, like underground garages, offices after business hours, and apartment laundry rooms.
  • Avoid walking or jogging alone, especially at night. Vary your route. Stay in well-traveled, well-lit areas.
  • Have your key ready to use before you reach the door — home, car, or work.
  • Park in well-lit areas and lock the car, even if you’ll only be gone a few minutes.
  • Drive on well-traveled streets, with doors and windows locked.
  • Never hitchhike or pick up a hitchhiker.
  • Keep your car in good shape with plenty of gas in the tank.
  • In case of car trouble, call for help on your cellular phone. If you don’t have a phone, put the hood up, lock the doors, and put a banner in the rear mirror that says, “Help. Call police.”
  And I'll add one here: Get a smartphone and install the SOS LINK app so that you (or your loved ones) can alert your/their friends and family in case of an emergency.