Categorized as: california

Street Harassment the Uncomfortable Walk

Before reading those stories, and posting, I accepted it as the norm to get harassed all the time.” (Hollaback participant, 2012) –

Now we all can admit that hearing “That I Notice You” whistle or look might actually brighten up your day, but what can you do if it progresses into an uncomfortable situation: whistle blowing, hisses and the stares. Many do not understand what is the ‘Big Deal”. Non-contact unwanted sexual experiences were the most common form of sexual violence experienced by both women and men.

Event though the assailant is not being physical public harassment is still pretty close to your Personal Safety Zone. The assailant might not even notice they are speaking the language of Sexual Terrorism. It could all be apart of their Social Anxiety Defense Mechanism stemming from low self-esteem.

Street Harassment on College Campuses
Recently the company behind the Hollaback! App collected 282 undergraduate, graduate and part-time college students and 44 college administrators on campuses from the urban, suburban and rural U.S. to find out how harassment exists in spaces of higher education.
• Students are being harassed on their college campuses (67% of students experienced harassment),
• Harassment is limiting student’s ability to benefit from education,
• Current campus systems and processes are insufficient.
• Over 99 percent of women report facing some form of street harassment.
• 95 percent of women report being the target of leering or excessive staring at least once.
• More than 37 percent of women have had a stranger masturbate at or in front of them at least once in public.
• Nearly 57 percent of women reported being touched or grabbed in a sexual way by a stranger in public.
• Over 77 percent of women said they were the targets of kissing noises from men.
• About 62 percent of women say a man has purposely blocked their path at least once.
• About 27 percent of women report being assaulted at least once in public by a stranger.

“But I found myself forcing myself to bring it up and to tell people about it and to, even like, people I wouldn’t normally tell this to, like my Dad… Hollaback cultured my feeling that this should be shared.”
The only way we can become a fighting voice for all of those who cannot.

Sources: http://www.ihollaback.org/
SOURCES: Stop Street Harassment, Feministe/Patrick McNeil, Center for American Progress

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Like many of our Divas and especially our Atlanta Divas; who attended our Kicks & Flicks for this movie, I could not stop hearing about ‘No Good Deed’ and its plot.
As I sat with my mom in the theatre the question – Can this really happen? Popped up scene after scene.
We’ve all done it: answered the door, when we know we are not expecting anyone. Thank goodness for most of us, it is usually your friend, neighbor or postman. But what if they are not
In the first 10 minutes I saw a billion steps the main character played by Taraji P. Henson did absolutely wrong:

Here is a brief list just incase you missed the signs:
Open door for someone she wasn’t expecting.
Continue conversation with stranger then informed stranger that she was home alone
Left door unattended.
Invited stranger into the home.
Alarm pad not in use!!

The Divas In Defense team has put together a few hints so we can all avoid being caught on the wrong side of home invasions.

Know Thy Neighbor
The reason behind this is three-fold. Firstly, if you know the people who live around you, then you can tell much more easily if someone there is out of place. Also, in the event of an emergency, it’s a good idea to have at least one of your neighbor’s phone numbers (if not more) to reach out for help.

Stay Secure
There are many levels of prevention. There are the simpler measures (get a dog, which make for great deterrents; make sure doors have peep holes, and use them; make sure all locks are functional and that any outside fences are in good condition) to the larger ones (get an alarm that actually alerts a security service; install security cameras–even ones that are visible to any possible perps) to the really big guns (panic room, anyone?). Which of these you should employ ultimately depends on your personal circumstances, but all (or nearly all) of them are worth investigating.

When Precautions Fail

There are further measures you can take in the event someone does breach your home.

Have a pre-meditated escape plan: Know how you will quickly and safely evacuate you and your family from the house. Make a Meet Up Place!

Learn self-defense: This is not only from a physical stand point from the self confidence you gain from becoming Empowered over your own body. Attackers play on a victim’s vulnerability.

Let them take your stuff: They’re only there for your girl’s jewelry and expensive electronics…let them have at it! All of that stuff—ALL of it—is replaceable. You and your loved ones are not.

Don’t let them take you: As bleak as it sounds, whatever may happen to you wherever they take you will be far worse than what happens in the house. Be it by negotiation or by force, do not let home invaders take you or your loved ones.

Was this movie extreme, ehhhh I say yes but it was done correctly. It gained attention of everyone. The roles played by all characters can easily be reverse. Man home alone with his kids then a stranger knocks…

Play It Safe On Spring Break

It’s that time of year again; time to shop for the perfect bikini and work toward a perfectly toned beach body.  Why? Spring break 2014, of course. Majority of college spring-breakers will choose a destination near the beach.  While this is a great opportunity to relieve the stress of school work, safety should remain a top priority.  Whether your destination of choice is in the United States or abroad, something could happen in the blink of an eye that could change your life forever.  Safespringbreak.org has some excellent tips for spring breakers, even some that are not so obvious:

  • When reserving a hotel room, opt for a room above the 1st floor and below the 6th floor.

  • Drink alcohol in moderation while on the beach, as sun maximizes effects of alcohol.

  • Avoid drinking while in a hot tub, as the effects can be felt much quicker and cause you to pass out.

Don’t become another statistic among the spring break world. Many of the horrible incidents that make headlines could have easily been avoided with a little bit of common sense.  Taking a self-defense class is a great way to be even more prepared for anything.  View our calender to see the list of classes that we offer, and reserve your spot today!

Ex-detective accused of rape to blame antidepressant for attack

According to the Los Angeles Times, a former Westminster, CA, police detective accused of kidnapping a woman from Ontario Mills mall in 2010 and raping her at gunpoint will try to convince a jury Monday that he was under the influence of an antidepressant and therefore not responsible for his actions.  Anthony Nicholas Orban faces kidnapping and rape charges in the attack on a 25-year-old-waitress who was abducted while leaving work. Prosecutors and investigators believe, Orban kidnapped the woman in the parking lot and then forced her to drive to a commercial location in Fontana, CA, where he raped her. Thankfully, the woman managed to escape during the attack and alert authorities.

To continue reading, please visit:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/

 

Stop The Pain: 2nd Annual Teen Summit on Dating Violence & Bully Prevention

The Positive Results Corporation
and Unity One

Presents

Stop The Pain: 2nd Annual Teen Summit on Dating Violence & Bully Prevention

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Los Angeles Convention Center

West Hall, 500 Series Meeting Room

10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Calling Middle & High School & 1st Year College Students
Earn 10 Community Service Hour Credits
In an effort to bring reliable, relevant and up-to-date information & tools to our youth, their families and our communities regarding Teen Dating Violence (TDV), Bullies, Alcohol Awareness and Sexual Assault Awareness, The Positive Results presents our 2nd Annual Summit, for a Day of Information and Dialogue.

Join Us For:

  • Panel Discussion facilitated by Chenese Lewis with Industry Experts, Workshops, Resource Tables, Continental Breakfast, Lunch & Gift Bags
  • Workshops For Young Men
  • Man Up, What it Means to Be a Man (Part 1)
  • Man Up, The Importance of Staying in School (Part 2)
  • No Father – No Excuse,
  • Gang Prevention
  • The Power of Language (Hosted By WinForever)
  • Workshops For Young Ladies
  • Self Defense Training (How to get attacker off of you, so you can get away safely)
  • Self Esteem
  • Finding the Beauty In You – Understanding MakeUp & You
  • Workshops For Young Ladies & Young Men Only
  • Teen Dating Violence Prevention
  • Sexting , Texting & Social Internet Sites
  • Workshops For Young For Everyone
  • Bully Prevention
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Workshops For Young For Parents/Adults
  • Understanding the Signs of Abuse

Bring your good attitude and lean tool and tips to stay safe!
Feel free to contact us at www.prc123.org to learn more about The Positive Results Corporation, to Sponsor or provide donations for gift bags.
Contact Kandee Lewis @

ka******@ao*.com











or (323) 787-9252