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Holiday Safety Tips

Jingle bells, Christmas lights and Eggnog helps bring the holiday season to life. This is also the season for high crime rates and unsafe conditions, we want you to enjoy the holidays safely with your family and friends.

Here are a few tips to stay safe this holiday.

1. Make sure your car is prepared for the winter by checking your spark plugs, tires, brakes and batteries.

2. Keep a “safety survival kit” available in your car that includes a flashlight, jumper cables, ice scraper, first aid kit and non perishable, high energy food.

3. When shopping at night, park in a well lit area.

4. Do not leave visible packages in your car.

5. Try to schedule shopping trips with friends.

6. Avoid overloading yourself with packages when walking to your car.

7. ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings.

8. ALWAYS carry your self defense products. {Click here to purchase yours today}

9. Do not post your travel itinerary on social media sites.

10. Do not use the ATM at night.

Have a safe and fun Holiday Season!

Halloween Safety

Halloween is an exciting holiday for many families. Unfortunately, with all the fun comes the responsibility of making sure our children are safe. Here are a few safety tips to help make sure this Halloween season is a fun and safe one for your family.

1. Use glow sticks or flashlights to provide light for your children to while walking. This will also make them more visible to everyone else.

2. Adult supervision is important during Trick or Treat hours. Children under 12 should not trick or treat without an adult present.

3. Tell children not to enter a stranger’s house.

4. Make sure children wait to eat any candy collected until a parent or guardian is able to examine the candy collected.

5. The Halloween season provides families the opportunity to revisit the “stranger danger” talk.

6. Tell your children to avoid cutting through alleys and any unoccupied areas.

7. Stay on sidewalks or walk facing the traffic as far from the road as possible.

Have a safe and fun Halloween from the Divas in Defense Team!

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. This is a time for us to come together as a community to promote awareness of Domestic Violence. This is not a problem for one woman but for many women in our communities. Domestic Violence does not discriminate but affects every socioeconomic status and culture and is the leading cause of injury for women. Take this opportunity to stand up for those that have lost their lives in preventing Domestic Violence from happening to others. Here are a few ways that you can join the movement and take a stand.

1. Empower yourself. Empower yourself and your loved ones with the facts about Domestic Violence and how they can help. Click here for more information.

2. Participate in local Domestic Violence Awareness events. Check local listings for Domestic Violence Awareness events in your area and volunteer for these events.

3. Purple ribbon campaign. The purple ribbon is the recognized ribbon for Domestic Violence. Wear and distribute purple ribbons to friends, family and leaders in your community.

4. Purple Purse Campaign. Join AllState and YWCA Purple Purse Campaign.

5. Conduct a cell phone drive. Join Verizon by joining their HopeLine campaign. Donate your no longer used phone to a Verizon Wireless Store or through the mail. Click here to learn more.

6. Donate. Donate monetary gifts, gift cards or hygiene items to a local Domestic Violence shelters in your area. Many victims of domestic violence leave their homes without proper funding, hygiene and clothes for their family.

Divas In Defense + Universal Pictures = One Kick Ass Event!

Divas In Defense Joins Forces With Kick-Ass 2 Movie For The Sake Of Women’s Safety

Roll With Divas In Defense And Kick Ass

Nope, it’s not Halloween, but you’ll need your costume to kick some butt!

On August 12, Divas in Defense joins forces with Universal Pictures in the name of your favorite superheroes from Kick-Ass, the hit movie franchise. Kick-Ass 2 and Divas in Defense invites you to learn no-fear based, situational self-defense—and you got it, in your superhero costume. Held at Gotta Dance Atlanta as part of a “bring out your inner superhero” and women’s safety campaign—all participants will receive invaluable instruction and guidance from DID certified professional trainers. As an added bonus, all paying attendees will receive complimentary passes to the advance screening, branded t-shirts, watches and more!

Admission is $15 for costumed participants, $35 for non-costumed. Class starts at 5:30pm at 1778 Ellsworth Industrial Drive NW, Atlanta, 30318.

Divas in Defense on the Fantastic Voyage

In celebration of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, Divas in Defense had the opportunity to attend the Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage Cruise. We met many women from all across the nation sharing their stories and promoting the need to discuss issues of sexual assault and violence against women. We had the opportunity to instruct 3 self defense classes to the women in attendance and loved every minute of it.

The fun didn’t stop there. Our COO, Cole Parker, was a panelist for the Health and Wellness Seminar sponsored by Wal-Mart. He shared the stage with Dr. Ro, award winning health journalist and nutrition coach, Dr. Robin Smith New York Times best-selling author and comedian Myra J. This seminar focused on living a healthier life by keeping stress down and eating healthier.

We had a great time and want to thank the entire Tom Joyner Staff for supporting us and providing us the opportunity to help save someone’s life.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, also known as SAAM. The month of April is dedicated to providing events and opportunities to promote awareness of rape and sexual violence prevention. Sexual Assault Awareness Month was first observed in 2001 under the direction of the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCASA).

The theme for the 2013 National Sexual Assault Awareness Month is “It’s Time . . . To Talk About It.” This year’s focus is on healthy sexuality and it’s connection to child sexual abuse prevention. We are asking you to join the conversation and help us promote the awareness of sexual assault in your communities.

Want to get involved but do not know where to start? Here are a few event ideas to get you started:

1. Start the conversation.

Plan a dinner, coffee meeting or lunch with people in your organizations or network to discuss sexual assault prevention and resources in your area.

2. Promote a teal ribbon campaign.

Teal is the color associated with sexual assault. Distribute teal ribbons to your co-workers, family members and friends to promote sexual assault awareness.

3. Walk, March, Unite.

Register for local walks or runs in your area focused on sexual assault awareness this month.

4. Participate in Denim Day.

Join the movement of wearing jeans on Denim Day, April 24. Wearing jeans on denim day is an international social statement and fashion statement as a visible means of protest against negative attitudes towards sexual assault. Click here to learn more about Denim Day.

Need more ideas and resources? Visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.

4 Tips to Protect Your Children Online

Social media is a major concern for parents everywhere. After news of the students involved in the Steubenville rape last week, parents are outraged and looking for understanding of the incident turned social media event. The students were convicted based on explicit text messages, videos and Facebook posts that were made.

It is important that as a parent, you are taking a stand on control of social media within your households. Here a few quick tips to make sure your children are not engaging in inappropriate online communication:

1. What is Inappropriate?

Do not assume your child understands what is inappropriate social media communication. Take a minute to speak with your child about what they can and cannot engage in online. It is important that you have a discussion about the good, bad and ugly of social media.

2. Get Online.

Technology is changing each and everyday. It is important that you are familiar with the types of social media that your child is engaged in. Create a Facebook page and friend your daughter/son. Take an interest in what technology they are currently using so you are not in the dark.

3. Set Rules.

Set some ground rules for your child. Make sure they understand what your rules are for using social media on cell phones, social media websites and computers. Make sure you have passwords to access their accounts at anytime. (Remember the legal age to have a Facebook account is 13)

4. Educate Your Child.

Sexual assault and topics about sex will not go away if you ignore them. If your children are not learning about these topics from you, they are learning incorrect information from their friends. It is important to have these discussions with your children. Make your children feel comfortable coming to you with issues they have heard about or experienced. Need a little help starting the conversation? Click here to visit the Planned Parenthood website for resources to start the conversation.

Divas in Defense Partners with The Call

We were excited to partner with Gofobo and Sony Pictures to promote the new movie, The Call, that opens in theaters today. The Call is a thriller starring Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin about a 911 operator (Berry) that receives a call from a girl (Breslin) that has just been abducted. We had the privilege to partner with local organizations at Oglethorpe University and Georgia State University to promote the movie and teach students self defense techniques. We discussed ways to avoid abduction and other violent crimes.

Students were then given safety flashlights and movie passes to attend a movie screening of The Call prior to opening day. This movie is why we are passionate about what we do here at Divas in Defense. Bringing awareness to these types of issues may save your life one day.

Interested in hosting a class at your school? Contact us today.

You Need A Man???

A teenage girl said to me, “I need a man.”

“Need a man?” I responded. “Well, what type of man do you need?”

Her reply was typical, “Tall, dark and handsome! Oh yeah, and no kids.”

I asked, “Are those your only qualifications?”

She said, “Of course not, he needs to have money.”

Flabbergasted, I questioned, “Is that all?”

Her reply was just as shocking. “No, he has to have his own money, a car and dress nice.”

Reaching my limit of tolerance to this superficial take on finding love, my response was simple:

“I can tell you what kind of man you need…

One that trusts in God despite hardship

One that will love you more than himself

One that educates you and not berates you

One that won’t use or abuse you

One that you can grow with, not apart from

One that can make you smile when you frown

One that needs you just the same

One that apologizes when he’s to blame

One that comforts you when you’re sad

One that does something romantic just because you are feeling bad

One that motivates you to be a better person

One that uplifts you when things worsen

One that compliments your shortcomings with achievement

One that your Father would call Son in agreement

One that would sacrifice his happiness for yours

One that provides til sweat bleeds from his pores

One that encourages you when you fail

One that each kiss feels like a fairy tale.”

Remember, the way one looks today can easily change tomorrow.

20 Things Everyone Should Know About Bullying

Everyone knows bullying happens. But did you know that bullying hurts everyone – even the bully? Here are 20 important things to know about bullying and what you can do to stop it from happening.

1. Bullying is when someone says or does things to hurt another person.

2. Hurting someone one time by mistake is not bullying. But doing it over and over on purpose is.

3. Kids who bully may tease other people or call them names. Kids who bully might put others down or leave them out of activities.

4. Kids who bully can hurt others by hitting, kicking, shoving or chasing them.

5. Kids who bully may send hurtful text messages, email or photos, or post them online.

6. Both boys and girls can be victims of bullies.

7. There are lots of reasons people might bully others. Kids who bully may think bullying will make them more popular.

8. Scaring or hurting others may make kids who bully feel powerful.

9. A kid who bullies others might be getting bullied by someone else.

10. Someone who is bullied may feel scared, sad, depressed, worried, lonely or angry.

11. Someone who is bullied may not want to go outside or to school.

12. If you are being bullied, stay with others. Bullies usually don’t pick on people who are in a group.

13. Stand up to the person who is bullying by telling them to stop. Then walk away.

14. If you are being bullied, tell an adult you trust – a teacher, parent, principal or friend.

15. If you tell an adult and they don’t help tell someone else. Sometimes adults don’t realize how serious bullying can be.

16. If you see someone else being bullied, don’t ignore it.

17. Help the person being bullied and get them away from the bully. Then help them tell an adult.

18. It is not tattling when telling an adult keeps you or someone else from being hurt or helps you feel safe.

19. Someone who bullies another person may lose his or her friends. Many kids don’t want to hank out with a bully.

20. Kids who bully can get into serious trouble for hurting others.