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.
   
  

90 seconds... is all the time you need to LEARN about SOS LINK!

Hello Friends,

I apologize - it has been awhile since my last post. We've been busy here at SOS LINK, getting ready to launch new products and working on all sorts of new things to show you. It has been a really exciting spring!

Our mission here at SOS LINK is to promote personal safety. We believe in our products and know that our apps will have an incredible impact in the community. We are confident that our range of SOS LINK apps will not only be able to identify perpetrators, but will ultimately work to PREVENT acts of violence or aggression. So, of course, we want to spread the news!

And thus a BIG update for you... 

We've got some new videos about our product up on YouTube! Actually, we have our own channel now! Check out www.youtube.com/soslinkcom to see our videos and learn a little more about us. In 90 seconds, you will learn more about how you, and your loved ones, can use SOS LINK to stay safe. 

When you have watched our videos, I hope that you will send the link to the videos to all of your friends, your friends' parents, your colleagues, your family, the parents of your children's friends, your child's school teacher... you get the drift. We want to do what we can to let people know about these smart, simple and safe apps that people can use to help keep themselves safe.

As always, be sure to keep checking www.soslink.com for product updates and for information about how to get our apps.

From the headlines today:

"A Canadian court was to hear a tape recording Tuesday of a former immigration judge who is alleged to have sought sex from a South Korean woman in exchange for granting her asylum, court officials said."

"...Prosecutors allege Ellis told Ji-Hye Kim he would deny her refugee claim in September 2006 unless the then 25-year-old slept with him."

The above sentences could be a lead-in to many a rant. But essentially, this is an example of exploitation at it's finest.

• young woman & older man? check
• language & cultural issues? check
• major power differential? check
• asylum seeker who would have a lot to lose if she was to be sent back? check
• agressor who is well known and widely respected in the community? check

So, who is going to believe the young asylum seeker who, theoretically, would have nothing to lose by pulling out all the stops to stay in Canada?  

"...At the start of the trial on Monday, the prosecution read excerpts of their conversation, which was secretly recorded by Kim and her boyfriend. The audio and video recordings were to be played for the court on Tuesday, said court officials."

What if she hadn't taped the conversation? Really, who would have believed her?

The Implications...

Technology isn't always the mean "big brother" we tend to fear and whine about. Maybe we should consider that it may just be more like an older brother that will be there to intervene ...if anyone decides to mess with his little sister.

And this, my friends, can be a very good thing.

Here's to our society's increasing ability to be better able to catch aggressors in the act - be they school yard bullies, thieves, or immigration judges.

Youth, Cellphones and "Freedom"

We've all heard the musings about how technology is changing our culture - for better or for worse.

The Standard Talking Points

The Cons:

• Distracted drivers (legislation is already in place, or on the way, in many jurisdictions in N. America)
• The rudeness of people talking loudly on their phones in public places (no, I don't want to hear about your sister's divorce issues while on public transit)
• The health impacts of extended cell phone use (our brains as super-antennas?)
• Environmental impact (phones become passe faster than any other technology out there - meaning more waste in e-recycling facilities or in regular old landfills)

The Pros:

• I can check my email anywhere!
• I can be reached in case of emergency
• I can reach you in the event of a castastrophe
• I can play cool games on my phone when I am waiting (commuting, car broken down, doctor is running 40 minutes late again...)

And the other cons - often specific to teens:

• Parents who don't understand how their kid manages to send 5,000 texts a month - yet they have the bills to prove it
• Frustration with teenagers who send instant messages - to the person sitting beside them
• Obnoxious ringtones with the most recent Top 40 (pop, alt, hip-hop or other)

The mobile phone has come to be seen, by some, as little more than an "entertainment box" for youth. But some are challenging this assessment. A comment from a telecom union states that "cellular telephony has brought great and new freedoms for youngsters – and increased security and peace of mind for their parents. It is now possible for young people equipped with cellphones to stay in touch with their parents and for parents to stay in touch with their children. This can help reduce or eliminate the need for meaningless restrictions on young people that were only in place because of parents’ anxiety as to their childrens’ activities or whereabouts." (http://bit.ly/aZ7cmO).

The 'stay in touch' part of the above argument isn't new or particularly engaging but, prior to reading that article, I had never thought of restrictions on youth as "meaningless." Overboard, maybe. Ridiculous, perhaps. This is the new twist. 

The suggestion that restrictions are meaningless today could actually give a little weight to the arguments that tweens and teens use when protesting things like curfews, being denied permission to go to new areas, and the suspicion around the introduction of new friends. (Come on, who hasn't cried, "but mommmmmm, that's so unfair!" ?)

And the Implications...
If freedom, then, is the argument how do parents ensure that their kids are well-equipped to handle the risky situations that come with this new-found freedom?

Well, a couple of tips:

1. A cell phone is only helpful if it is turned on
2. If you only have it on you sometimes, it may not be so handy.
3. It actually becomes a tool to use in case of emergency when it's properly programmed (eg. have 1-touch emergency programming in place)

SOS LINK can help with item #3. In fact, we can do more than that. In a compromising situation, users simply push the “START” button on their smartphone. Then, automatically:

1. An optional audio alert starts warning the aggressor that their photo is being taken and sent;
2.  Images are then captured and instantly emailed through our secure server to individuals that have been pre-registered as ‘helpers’; and
3. The designated helper(s) receive the images, plus the time, date and GPS location of the individual on a Google Map. The software takes approximately 60 images in 60 seconds, helpers usually receive these alert emails within 15 seconds, and they can respond.

Check out www.soslink.com to learn more. The smartphone isn't just about cool ringtones, games and incessant messaging. It can actually be one-touch lifeline.

Who knew that that this is where we would end up when the 8 pound cell phone was first introduced?