Know the Facts About Who IS Lurking On the Internet…for Your Kids Sake

We are learning every day of more and more kids who are on Facebook and other social media sites are ideal prey for predators. Every parent, adult and child must be educated about internet safety. Please read, digest and share the following information with your loved ones and others. You never know how many lives you may touch today.

After tossing her books on the sofa, she decided to grab a snack and get on-line. She logged on under her screen name ByAngel213. She checked her Buddy List and saw GoTo123 was on. She sent him an instant message:

ByAngel213:

Hi. I’m glad you are on! I thought someone was following me home today. It was really weird!

GoTo123:

LOL You watch too much TV. Why would someone be following you? Don’t you live in a safe neighborhood?

ByAngel213:

Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my imagination cuz’ I didn’t see anybody when I looked out.

GoTo123:

Unless you gave your name out on-line. You haven’t done that have you?

ByAngel213:

Of course not. I’m not stupid you know.

GoTo123:

Did you have a softball game after school today?

ByAngel213:

Yes, and we won!!

GoTo123:

That’s great! Who did you play?

ByAngel213:

We played the Hornets. LOL. Their uniforms are so gross! They look like bees. LOL

GoTo123:

What is your team called?

ByAngel213:

We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our uniforms. They are really cool.

GoTo123:

Did you pitch?

ByAngel213:

No, I play second base. I got to go. My homework has to be done before my parents get home. I don’t want them mad at me. Bye!

GoTo123:

Catch you later. Bye

Meanwhile, GoTo123 went to the member menu and began to search for her profile. When it came up, he highlighted it and printed it out. He took out a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far.

Her name: Shannon

Birthday: Jan. 3, 1985

Age: 13

State where she lived: North Carolina

Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall. Besides this information, he knew she lived in Canton because she had just told him. He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 p.m. every afternoon until her parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on Thursday afternoons on the school team, and the team was named the Canton Cats. Her favorite number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she was in the eighth grade at the Canton Junior High School. She had told him all this in the conversations they had on-line. He had enough information to find her now.

Shannon didn’t tell her parents about the incident on the way home from the ballpark that day. She didn’t want them to make a scene and stop her from walking home from the softball games. Parents were always overreacting and hers were the worst. It made her wish she was not an only child. Maybe if she had brothers and sisters, her parents wouldn’t be so overprotective.

By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following her.

Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone staring at her. It was then that the memory came back. She glanced up from her second base position to see a man watching her closely.

He was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when she looked at him. He didn’t look scary and she quickly dismissed the sudden fear she had felt.

After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach. She noticed his smile once again as she walked past him.. He nodded and she smiled back. He noticed her name on the back of her shirt. He knew he had found her.

Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her. It was only a few blocks to Shannon’s home, and once he saw where she lived he quickly returned to the park to get his car.

Now he had to wait. He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to Shannon’s house. He drove to a fast food restaurant and sat there until time to make his move.

Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in the living room.

“Shannon, come here,” her father called. He sounded upset and she couldn’t imagine why. She went into the room to see the man from the ballpark sitting on the sofa.

“Sit down,” her father began, “this man has just told us a most interesting story about you.”

Shannon sat back. How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen him before today!

“Do you know who I am, Shannon?” the man asked.

“No,” Shannon answered.

“I am a police officer and your online friend, GoTo123.”

Shannon was stunned. “That’s impossible! GoTo123 is a kid my age! He’s 14. And he lives in Michigan!”

The man smiled. “I know I told you all that, but it wasn’t true. You see, Shannon, there are people on-line who pretend to be kids; I was one of them. But while others do it to injure kids and hurt them, I belong to a group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators. I came here to find you to teach you how dangerous it is to talk to people on-line. You told me enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you. You named the school you went to, the name of your ball team and the position you played. The number and name on your jersey just made finding you a breeze.”

Shannon was stunned. “You mean you don’t live in Michigan?”

He shook his head. “No, I live in Raleigh. It made you feel safe to think I was so far away, didn’t it?”

She nodded.

“I had a friend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn’t as lucky. The guy found her, did bad things to her and then murdered her while she was home alone. Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it all the time on-line. The wrong people trick you into giving out information a little here and there on-line. Before you know it, you have told them enough for them to find you without even realizing you have done it. I hope you’ve learned a lesson from this and won’t do it again. And, please tell others about this so they will be safe too, okay?”

“It’s a promise!”

That night Shannon and her Dad and Mom thanked God for protecting Shannon from what could have been a tragic situation.

Take care and STAY SAFE!

Personal Safety Expert and Child Abuse Prevention Specialist
Anny is the President of The Realistic Female Self-Defense Company and Project Safe Girls

Anny received her PDR (Personal Defense Readiness) Instructor Certification in 2008. Anny is also a Child Abuse Authorized Facilitator and Prevention Specialist who trains adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibility to child sexual abuse through Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children certification program.

A Tearful Plea

By Gaetane Borders 

Granted it does not often happen, sometimes I am at a loss for words.  I was rendered speechless a few days ago when meeting with a student.  He was a handsome 10-year-old youngster who appeared shy and slightly awkward.  I met with him to complete an evaluation in order to determine if he has a learning disability. In his file I read that he has a history of behaving aggressively in school, and has been frequently suspended.

One task that I asked him to complete as part of my assessment was to finish a series of incomplete sentences.  One of the sentences was “I wish my parents…”  He completed the sentence with “were nicer.”  This is what sparked our conversation.  I asked him why he thought his parents were not nice, and he replied that his step-father calls him a “loser.” He rocked back and forth in his chair as he told me that his mother was aware of this, and frequently told him to “shut the f*#@k up.”  He also whispered that both of them tell him that he will not pass the 5^th grade because he is “stupid.” He avoided my eye contact and instead stared at the ground as he shared his story.  Luckily for me because there was a pool of tears welling up in my eyes and I was clearly unable to keep my composure.  The thing that saddened me the most was that he recounted the instances of abuse nonchalantly…as if he felt that he deserved to be treated in that way.  Since his abuse was not physical, it could have easily gone undetected. Fortunately, he felt comfortable enough with me to share what was happening to him.  However, this is not the case for millions of children around the world because they suffer in silence.  

Bruises and broken bones are easy to spot, but you may never know that a child is told on a daily basis that they were a mistake or that they are ugly and fat. While physical abuse might be the most visible, other types of abuse, such as emotional abuse also leave devastating scars.  It severely damages a child’s emotional health and social development, and has profound psychological consequences. The following are examples of emotional child abuse:

• Constant belittling, shaming, and humiliating a child
• Calling names and making negative comparisons to others
• Telling a child he or she is “no good," "worthless," "bad," or "a mistake."
• Frequent yelling, threatening, or bullying.
• Ignoring or rejecting a child as punishment, giving him/ her the “silent treatment.”
• Limited physical contact with the child—no hugs, kisses, or other signs of affection.
• Exposing the child to violence or the abuse of others, whether it is the abuse of a parent, a sibling, or even a pet.

Since abuse typically happens behind close doors, you may not ever witness any of these acts.  However, there are some warning signs that a child might be experiencing abuse.  Knowing the possible signs will enable an early intervention.  Here is a short list which demonstrates how some emotionally abused children may act:

Warning signs of emotional abuse in children

• Excessively withdrawn, fearful, or anxious about doing something wrong.
• Shows extremes in behavior (extremely compliant or extremely demanding; extremely passive or extremely aggressive).
• Doesn’t seem to be attached to the parent or caregiver.
• Acts either inappropriately adult (taking care of other children) or inappropriately infantile (rocking, thumb-sucking, tantruming).

Keep in mind that emotional abuse happens in all types of families, regardless of race or economic background. Experts say that some parents may emotionally and psychologically harm their children because of stress, poor parenting skills, social isolation, or lack of available resources. In addition, reports indicate that parents may be abusive because they, too, were abused as a child. 

After nearly 20 years of working as a School Psychologist, I continue to get emotional when I become aware of acts of abuse.  How anyone could harm a child in any way baffles me because there is simply no justification.  PLEASE, please…please learn the warning signs of emotional abuse.  Moreover, intervene by reporting the abuse to the officials.  Sometimes people are reluctant to do so because they are worried that the abusive parent will find out.  However, most states allow you to make an anonymous report.  Lastly, if a child tells you that they are being mistreated, reassure them that they did nothing to deserve the abuse…and believe them.

Sincerely,

Gaétane F. Borders, MA, ABD

To get help or report abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453).

The Empowerment Of Understanding Fear - Don't Allow It To Steal Your Dreams

By Anny Jacoby

Whether you get stung by a bee or simply watch as a friend gets stung, you might start to run and hide every time a bee buzzes across your path. Why do you do this? It turns out that your brain areas that respond when fear is learned through personal experience are also triggered when we see someone else afraid. This definitely explains why some people are afraid of things like spiders and snakes despite little contact with them.

You learn fear by observing other people's emotional expressions that can be as effective as having direct experiences yourself. This certainly explains one of the reasons why a lot of people have phobias of certain kinds of stimuli, such as rape, assault, abuse, stalking, abduction and much more. Just the thought of the aforementioned makes individuals extremely uncomfortable and justly so.

Fear is defined as an emotional response to an unknown or impending danger or as in expectation of harm or evil. Fear can create feelings of apprehension, anxiety, alarm, dread, fright or terror. When you are in fear, you are scared of someone, something or a potential outcome.

We all experience fear at one point in time or another. Actually, fear is a great way to keep us from hurting ourselves. Fear keeps us from putting our hand on the hot burner of the stove. It keeps us from jumping from high places, or leaves us tentative when going into a darkened room. These types of fears are good. They keep us safe. They make us think before we do, knowing full well the potential outcome and repercussions of our actions.

We can experience fear of closed in spaces such as elevators, afraid of the water or flying in airplanes. Fear is a reaction or response to some previous life experience or trauma or even the thought of any potential dangerous situation. Fear can impact us in many ways and it can steal our dreams. The bottom line is.......fear takes away our choices. It can keep us from doing the things we want or need to do for ourselves. It limits us, constrains us and can end up ruling our lives. It can consume our energy and enjoyment of life, leaving us experiencing additional unexplainable stress, frustration or feeling just plain stuck in the mud.

Being in or living in fear is all about choices. You can choose to move forward, or you can choose to stand still marking time.

Fear does not have to be a "freeze" mechanism that prevents a beneficial reaction. One must decide what frightens you more - being dominated, injured or killed by an assailant/batterer, or taking a risk and fighting back. You may hurt yourself somehow by protecting yourself against your assailant, his knife might nick your ear, a bullet from his gun may graze your head, or you might end up with bruises and your body sore; but you're chance of being alive is much greater than not. Learning personal safety (realistic self-defense) mentally and physically is a means to escape and ultimate survival. If you are too scared to react defensively and decide to remain under an assailant's control - he will have his way with you. Your mind can be more dangerous than your assailant. You must turn your fear into an effective reaction thus allowing yourself to be empowered.

Psychological fear leads to doubt and hesitation. Unchecked it can result in anxiety and/or panic. When you begin to doubt yourself you start to think, "What if I lose?", "What if I get hurt?". Thoughts of this sort must be eliminated from your vocabulary. You must remain positive, assertive and focus on the ability to motivate yourself=empowerment.

Miraculous things happen to those who consciously choose to overcome your fears and embrace them. You gain certainty in your safety skills, abilities and downfalls.

What do you fear? Perhaps it's time to turn on the light and step through the door of empowerment.

"Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out."

-----Karl A. Menninger

Take care and STAY SAFE!

WILL THE TRAGEDY IN FORT HOOD FINALLY SEND A S.O.S. (SAVE OUR SOLDIERS)?

By Michelle Simonsen, True Crime Writer and Victim's Rights Advocate

In the spirit of Veteran’s Day, and in the unfortunate tragedy of Fort Hood; I felt it necessary to address the obvious refusal of the military and the government to appropriately address the mounting numbers of Veterans living with untreated mental illnesses.

Fort Hood may have been dealt with a massive blow of tragedy last week, but just a year ago in Fort Hood, on September 8, 2008, an altercation between a soldier and his commanding officer ended in a murder suicide.

Do you remember hearing about that case? I don’t.

The next day on September 9, 2008, a VA report acknowledged that suicide rates for young male Iraq and Afghanistan veterans hit a record high in 2006. (Cite)

Marine suicides have doubled between 2006 and 2007, and Army suicides are at the highest level since records were first kept in 1980. Reported suicide attempts jumped 500% between 2002 and 2007. “The Defense Department says the numbers may be partly attributable to better compliance with reporting requirements.” (Cite)

Reporting requirements? Better compliance? Better than what? Has the military lacked its duty in the past? Has the government been feeding us with false information and statistics that aren’t even the tip of the real iceberg?

What am I getting at? What’s my point? The government has failed our Veterans in a big way.

On November 6, 2008, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health Report stated, “Recent research indicates that an estimated 25 to 30 percent of the Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have reported symptoms of a mental disorder or cognitive condition. Untreated mental health problems can result in long-term negative consequences for the affected individuals, their families, their communities, and our Nation as a whole.”

Once a Soldier returns home, there is no “checks and balances list” on how to cope with regular civilian life. Specifically, no one checks or receives updates on a returning Soldier’s mental health status unless that Soldier specifically requests help. This is a huge barrier since the majority of returning Soldiers are men, and historically men avoid mental health care, therapy and medication.

Kyle Bahrs, a 29-year-old Midwest native was married to a two tour Army Sergeant who served in Iraq from 2005 to 2008. "Tim" currently suffers from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in addition to a traumatic brain disorder that left him 70% disabled.

Kyle knew "Tim" before he joined the Army and served in Iraq. “He was ‘normal’. Trivial things didn’t bother him, he was fun.” After returning "Tim" went from a fun loving guy to “a cruel, mean and abusive man.”

"Tim's" life became crippled by his untreated Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and received no mental health care until Kyle insisted, threatening their marriage. Kyle stated “the health care system was completely overbooked, he was rushed, and there were never enough people working.” She continued, “It was completely bureaucratic. It took "Tim" at least two months just to get in to see someone. And when he did they acted like they didn’t give a shit. It was so disheartening because he put his life on the line and didn’t receive any gratitude and the most basic need once a solider returns. Psychological health care.”

While Kyle was married to "Tim", he started drinking excessively and was becoming violent. “He got real paranoid. He wouldn’t answer the door unless he had a gun in his hand.” Then there were the nightmares, “He would wake up screaming…he had dreams and visions of the faces of the people that he killed. I felt helpless. What do you say to that?”

According to the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine on Combat Stress there is a list of mental and physical symptoms before, during and after deployment. I showed Kyle this list and she said that "Tim" displayed practically every single symptom.

Common Stressors to the Deployment Cycle:

Pre-Deployment (from notification to departure)

• Anger and protest
• Emotional detachment
• Family stress
• Marital disagreements

Deployment (from departure to return)

• Emotional destabilization and disorganization
• Sadness, depression, disorientation, anxiety, loneliness
• Sleep disturbances
• Health complaints
• Financial problems
• Some find the midpoint of deployment as the time of greatest stress
• Fear for safety of deployed service member

Reunion

• Apprehension over redefined roles and power dynamics

Post Deployment

• Honeymoon period
• Resentment over loss of independence
• Insecurity about place in reconfigured system
• Service member may have difficulty disengaging from combat mission orientation.
• Domestic violence

Soldier Combat Stress Reaction

Physical

• Trouble falling asleep
• Oversleeping
• Waking up in the middle of the night
• Difficulty with sexual and non sexual intimacy
• Fatigue
• Feeling jumpy
• Being easily started

Emotional

• Feeling overwhelmed
• Depression
• Irritability
• Feeling numb
• Difficulty readjusting to family routines
• Difficulty reconnecting with family
• Discomfort being around other people or in crowds
• Frustration
• Guilt
• Crying

Cognitive

• Difficulty with memory
• Loss of interest/motivation
• Concentration problems
• Difficult talking about deployment experiences
• Loss of trust

(Source: U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine on Combat Stress, Soldier Combat Stress Reaction Brochure)

Steffan, a 40-year old African American Gulf War Veteran, stated that there was no “mental health” process after he returned to the United States. He stated, “mental health wasn’t even an issue that people thought about.” He added that a lot of guys he knew who had problems started drinking to “dull it away”. If someone needed mental health services, they had to initiate it.

It’s easier to ignore a bad situation by depending on alcohol or drugs, especially when that person doesn’t have strong family support.

As a Country that boasts the best military in the world, we have a lot to learn about humans themselves. These issues need be taken seriously by the military, and our government needs to consciously implement statistic-changing policies before we start to see a change in this downward spiral of unnecessary human demise that affects us all.

Send your concerns to the following:

Department of Defense

http://www.defenselink.mil

Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health

5205 Leesburg Pike

Falls Church, Virginia 22041-3258

Read their 2007 Annual Report:

http://www.health.mil/dhb/mhtf/MHTF-Report-Final.pdf

Michelle Simonsen is a victim's rights advocate, crime analyst and blogger for "Michelle Says So", founder of the grassroots consumer boycott, "Boycott Aruba--Justice for Natalee Holloway", an advisory board member of "Survivors in Action", and is a contributing writer for "Now Public", and "True Crime Talk".

Regrets, Remorse and Redirection— Now Is Your Time To Live!

 By Pamela Chapman

 

Have you made some choices lately that you’ve regretted? How about some choices in your lifetime? I don’t know about you, but I have.  Is there any guilt or shame for your choices?

I was born to Robert and Louise who came from dysfunctional families. In turn, every weekend my mother and I ran for our lives. I promised that no one would ever put their hands on me. If they did, I was going to jail and they were going to the hospital if not the morgue. I swore no one would ever physically abuse me and they did not! Instead, I met, what appeared to be at first, a wonderful man who was very good to me from a material point of view. I lived in a lovely home, in an affluent neighborhood with my son going to fine schools. However, I was being abused emotionally and what’s even sadder, I was clueless.

Really, all the signs were there from the very beginning. I was treated like a queen but, everything I attempted to do was belittled. I was the brunt of my husband’s jokes. Gradually, I stopped believing in myself, stopped having my own opinion, and literally lost who I was. It all seemed so innocent at first. I thought it was even cute. However, when I decided to improve myself, when I decided to go after my college degree, that is when my husband came home telling me that he needed to find himself and that me and my eight-year-old child needed to leave. I refused. I wanted to “work it out.” My self-esteem as well as my child’s self-esteem suffered terribly. My son has paid a large price for my remaining in my unhealthy situation.

I started out asking if you had made some choices in your lifetime that you regret. Trust me; we’ve all made some choices that we wish we hadn’t.  But, if there is any remorse, may I gently suggest that you begin to discover how to forgive. Now, I know that’s easier said than done, but in order to go forth with your life not just existing but living a purpose-filled abundant life—in order to be free and to fly you’ve got to forgive starting with yourself. Not forgiving disallows the healing that must begin for your redirection. I believe it is the first step and is vital.

You can reconsider, re-chart and redirect your path. Absolutely! It’s never, ever impossible or too late. Only when you take the last breath will it be too late. It’s not necessarily easy but reach out and get the help and assistance you so deserve.

Here are three simple steps to start you along your way:

1. Every morning be grateful that you are yet alive and give thanks. This doesn’t have to be some long, eloquent prayer—just a simple, “thank you for this day,” will do. You may not be able to articulate what you feel, but the All Powerful Creator knows your heart.

2. Say this affirmation:

“Even though I have made some bad choices, I completely and fully love myself. I forgive myself and those who have sought to hurt me.”

This is an affirmation we use with Emotional Freedom Technique® coaching. Remember, forgiving others does not mean allowing them back into your life or giving them permission to hurt you and your precious family again. Forgiveness empowers You.

3. Begin to journal.

Journaling is an excellent tool for releasing penned up emotion such as anger, guilt, shame, and unforgiveness.

Write it, release it and be free!

There is no limit in you. You are the amazement and wonder of God! Be healed. Now is your time to live!

Warmly,

Pamela Chapman, CTACC, CDVS

Self-Esteem and Life-Transition Expert, Teacher, Author

What Is Personal Safety and Why Do "I" Need It?

By Anny Jacoby





In the recent past there have been numerous media reports of victims of various ages (Dawn Fraser, Megan Onorato and Jordan Ward) of different types of assaults that have warded off their assailant(s). It is heart breaking as we read or hear daily of the epidemic of assaults on females. But when I hear the news that a victim survived by fighting back it instills in me once again that it is better to do something rather than nothing. Sadly there are reports and evidence indicating that a victim did fight back (Annie Le, Denise Amber Lee) but was overpowered and succumbed at the hands of her assailant.

Years ago I can remember that females were advised not to fight back if assaulted as it would make matters worse. Still today there are many people that believe this. From my own personal experience - YOU MUST FIGHT BACK! Reflecting back to my assault, if I had not fought back breaking free from the grip of my assailant's hands around my throat, I would not be alive today. I was never taught anything about intuition, awareness, warning signs, how to use my mind, body or spirit to "defend myself". All I knew at that moment in time and deep inside was that I had to escape. I had to survive. I had to fight back! "INSTINCTIVELY" I FOUGHT BACK WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING! Yes, I was hurt physically, emotionally and mentally; I was bruised and sore and I had a journey ahead of myself that would impact the rest of my life.

Today it is imperative for every female of all ages including those disabled and those with special needs to acquire and retain "life skills" beyond those to assist us in making our dreams comes true. No one likes the words "self-defense, personal safety, safety skills" and why is that?

Personal safety is not all warm and fuzzy. Learning life saving skills of any kind is uncomfortable for many. The thought of being assaulted is gut wrenching and the fear that it brings to the surface is real. You have to be taught how to embrace your fear, making it your best friend. You have to understand what intuition is. You must learn how to escape effectively. And, yes.....you have to learn how to physically defend yourself if you need to. You have to be taught and experience the "warrior mentality and spirit". You do have every right to protect and defend yourself if you are in fear for your life.

First and foremost, "personal safety" is not martial arts training. It is not fighting, it is not a sport, it IS about obtaining physical skills or taking a course to learn how you can protect and defend yourself. Personal safety is part of "life skills". Many feel that learning personal safety is empowering - in actuality it's about how to effectively and quickly end an attack with minimum damage to you. In personal safety training you are not trained to stay in there for ten rounds, females do not fight with strength - we fight with knowledge. Learning skills to mentally and verbally deescalate a situation can be life saving in itself.

Females are seeking information on how to stay safe by being proactive and/or how to effectively fight back physically. We do not have years to study and to train in order to feel more secure. Personal safety is a conscious, proactive approach to life. It is comprised of a series of both learned and inherent behavioral and cognitive options, awareness and intuition that can be used to avoid an altercation/attack. Training should include boundary setting information, verbal communication, safety tips and a series of physical personal safety options which could be used as a last resort if you were to encounter a physical altercation. The physical techniques taught should be geared to the age group and the ability to learn easily and effectively. Instructors (males and females) should be certified in a specific system. Only male instructors should use "realistic" padded gear for "true life" scenario physical training; hence you can feel the impact of your defense as well as the instructor. Instructors must have the ability to physically feel your defense so that if you need further assistance or instruction it can be addressed at that moment. Training should also offer "realistic or real life" situations using what is readily available to you (your mind and body).

Keep in mind that there is not one type of personal safety training that can give you a 100% guarantee - there are no guarantees. Anyone can be victimized. Once you have completed a course it's up to you to put the information you obtained and trained with to work for you in your day-to-day life.

Your ability to effectively use the physical defense training options that you learn will be dependent upon your ability to remember what you learned and your willingness to practice. You must practice with intensity and regularity what you have learned.

Perhaps now you have a better understanding why it is imperative for females to obtain personal safety training and how to go about seeking a program for you, your loved ones, friends, and colleagues.

Those of us that have either lived through an assault, witnessed a family member or friend assaulted or worked as a certified advocate can tell you that the emotional, mental and physical damage that is a direct result of abuse or an assault just may have been spared if perhaps personal safety had been incorporated into her daily life.

How much is your life worth?

Take care and STAY SAFE!

Anny Jacoby is a Survivor of Domestic Violence, taking the steps to turn the negatives into positives and following her passion to help victims into her life's work. After many years as a certified Advocate she founded her company, The Realistic Female Self-Defense Company which is based on a realistic approach for females to protect themselves in all respects. Anny is a firm believer that EVERY female has the absolute right to protect and defend herself mentality, emotionally, spiritually and ultimately physically.

Anny's experience and achievements have been featured through many media outlets. She has been a featured guest on many BlogTalkRadio shows as well as co-hosting. She is an active member in the National and North Carolina Coalitions Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, AWSDA (American Women's Self-Defense Association), The National Center for Victims of Crime and NAPW (National Association of Professional Women). Anny has also served on the Board of Directors and held an executive position in her county domestic violence agency.

Anny and her team of male Instructors are Certified PDR (Personal Defense Readiness) Instructors through Blauer Tactical Systems, Inc.

"Raising female awareness and skills to reduce susceptibility in response to violence."
www.annyjacoby.com