THE ORIGINAL TASER PARTY GIRL

Child safety education should be mandatory in the Scottsdale Unified School District for every grade

2010-03-29T11:32:00.001-07:00

When visiting Lake Hodges in Escondido, CA where 17-year-old Chelsea King was murdered in February 2010, the heart in one’s chest just aches while the body shows physical manifestation of horror as a person contemplates just how something so tragic occurred at such a beautiful, serene place. Shock then turns to rage when realizing that nobody’s safe, nobody’s privileged and everyone’s vulnerable regardless of age, where they reside or their economic classification. After a quick perusal of Scottsdale Unified School District’s website, there is no evidence of child safety anywhere, which prompts one to ask, “Why is there not education for our children in school on how to stay safe and alive?”

In an effort to prevent something similar from happening to the youth in the Scottsdale community, the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) should make child safety education mandatory for every grade level. In an unofficial survey of some parents in Scottsdale, safety education is nearly non-existent in schools other than the dreadful, flawed “Stranger Danger” instruction. Parents are not experts in safety education and most don’t know or practice good safety behavior themselves further clouding the issue; they rely on the schools to educate their children on all pertinent subject matter, including safety.

On the home page of the SUSD’s website, there are quick links for “Students Helping Haiti” and the “Census” but where is the link to child self defense classes in Scottsdale or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s educational resources for child safety? The time is NOW for schools to adopt child safety education and to teach the youth of Scottsdale on how to be safe!

Here are 5 key safety tips for parents to reinforce with children (provided by the NCMEC):

Always TAKE A FRIEND with you when running, walking, biking, or standing at the bus stop. Make sure you know your bus number and which bus to ride.
Say NO if anyone you don’t know or a person who makes you feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused offers a ride unless I have told you it is OKAY to do so in each instance.
Quickly get away and yell, “THIS PERSON IS NOT MY MOTHER/FATHER/GUARDIAN” if anyone tries to take you somewhere or is following you. If anyone tries to grab you, make a scene and every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting.
NEVER LEAVE SCHOOL GROUNDS before the regular school day ends. Always check with the office and me before leaving school early.
NEVER take shortcuts or walk through alleys to get to or from school. Remember to call me once you have arrived home.

Click here for more safety information from the NCMEC or contact Shieldher. Be safe!

How to attack the most vulnerable body part of an attacker, the eye

2010-03-25T17:08:00.001-07:00

Whether you live in Scottsdale, Jacksonville or Philadelphia, the odds of a female getting sexually assaulted are still 1 in 6; in fact, a girl within the age range of 18-24 has a 1 in 4 chance of being a victim of sexual assault. Therefore, it is not only imperative to have mental self defense tools in your hypothetical self defense tool bag, a woman must also know how to attack the most vulnerable body parts of a attacker. After all, awareness will not help a sleeping woman against the middle of the night home invasion threat. Remember that self defense does not warrant a single solution, it is about having an arsenal of tools and options to utilize.

Many self defense instructors become obsessed with the technique in which to perform self defense maneuvers but in actuality, the key is to remember that it’s the targets on the body that are most important and not which technique you use. The eye is the most vulnerable area on a person’s body and there is a plethora of ways to attack it. The eye can be jabbed, pushed, blinded, dusted and sprayed to name a few. Let’s explore the eye jab.

The most common manner in which to attack an eye is to jab or poke it. To maximize the benefits of jabbing an eye, one should use the 3 middle fingers together. The fingers should be slightly bent to avoid them breaking if the target is missed and the aim should be for either a single eye or the bridge of the nose (you’re likely to hit one eye or the other by aiming for the bridge of the nose). The motion should be swift and undetectable like that of a Gaboon Viper Snake strike. When the eye is jabbed, the optical nerve hits the skull and causes immediate pain, temporarily blinding the attacker.

It is possible that, by utilizing this technique, a person could have permanent damage but it is more likely that the cornea of the attacker’s eye would be scratched without permanent injury. All civilians have the right to engage in violence for the sake of defending one's own life or the lives of others, including the use of deadly force. By understanding basic human anatomy, it is fairly easy to identify vulnerable targets on a body in order to safely escape most any situation.

Click on this link to learn more about unarmed self defense tactics or contact Shieldher. Be safe!

Do you know which sex offenders are living in your Scottsdale neighborhood?

2010-03-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

This morning, the parents of Chelsea King announced that they are backing a proposed California state law to toughen restrictions on sexual predators after their 17-year-old daughter allegedly was kidnapped and killed by a convicted sex offender, John Albert Gardner III. The suspect in the case, John Albert Gardner III, 30, was arrested on suspicion of murder and rape after investigators found several pieces of unspecified evidence. The Kings said if the laws had been smarter and bolder, Chelsea might still be alive.

Although this horrific incident occurred in California, it absolutely pertains to Scottsdale residents in a multitude of ways. First, many Scottsdale residents are not aware of the convicted sex offenders living in Scottsdale; therefore, one could be living next to a resident with a small child and the parents are oblivious. Additionally, many Scottsdale teens attend college and vacation in San Diego where over 2,700 sex offenders reside and most do not know how to protect themselves nor have they taken a self defense class to learn. Lastly, many Scottsdale residents do not know the laws that pertain to sexual offenders until someone inflicts harm on one of their own children or community members.

The time is now to get educated about who is living in our Scottsdale communities and how to protect our children from becoming a victim or worse, a statistic. Scottsdale parents need to teach their children, or find someone qualified to do so, about the dangers lurking in our communities and beyond. Furthermore, all children should have a basic understanding of who to avoid and how to avoid potential dangers. Parents need to stop using the “Stranger Danger” lexicon without delay as it is no longer an appropriate manner in which to safeguard a child. In fact, parents need to immediately adopt a CODE WORD so that their children can identify safe people in their lives given that roughly 73% of assaults were perpetrated by non-strangers. Don’t let Chelsea King be just another statistic, learn from her and educate your children now.

Click on these links to learn more about Scottsdale sex offenders, to get statistics, to find resources for parents to teach their child about personal safety, or contact Shieldher. Be Safe!

Why women in Scottsdale should purchase a Taser C2 for personal protection

2010-03-23T15:57:00.002-07:00

Scottsdale-based Taser International has been under fire for years due to the alleged excessive force use by law enforcement of Taser International’s electronic control devices like the Taser X26. Even though many civilians are aware of the negative exposure as a result of the alleged abuse, they are unaware that Taser has a product geared towards the female civilian market and legal to carry in Scottsdale, the Taser C2.

Yes, the Taser C2 is an expensive self defense weapon at around $350, but the ability to protect oneself with the touch of a button, a laser sight and without having to practice is certainly worth more than $350 to many female Scottsdale residents, especially if she can defend from a safe distance of 15 feet. For some, there is a fear of not being able to defend oneself if faced with an attacker, especially at night in the event of a home invasion, which lead to the question, “Why is this happening to me?” The Taser C2 is extremely easy to use and there is no question as to the effectiveness of the device, just ask Amnesty International.

Many women may question the need to purchase anything if they possess a basic knowledge of self defense, which is a fair argument; however, if a woman is not 100% confident in her ability to protect herself physically against a man twice her size then it is imperative that she look into self defense tools. After all, self defense does not warrant a single solution and one cannot rely on anyone else coming to their aid like law enforcement or a spouse. Consider the situation that a Scottsdale couple found themselves in back in November 2008 when 3 men broke into their North Scottsdale home without warning…they still haven’t been caught!

The bottom line is that most females are conditioned to believe that “it won’t happen to me” and unfortunately if it does, they find themselves unprepared both mentally and physically. In fact, Shieldher has an entire website dedicated to victim stories for that reason. Although Scottsdale is normally a safe place to live, chances are that most Scottsdale residents leave the confines of “safe Scottsdale” routinely and one can never be too safe. By simply carrying a Taser C2, a Scottsdale woman actually decreases the likelihood of being attacked due to increased confidence, even if she never has to use it.

Click on the links here more information on the Taser C2 or contact Shieldher. Be safe!

Self defense must be practiced every day, start with awareness

2010-03-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

On any given day in Scottsdale, there is no shortage of residents exhibiting poor self defense behavior like running with headphones or walking through a parking garage, distracted on a cell phone. Given that 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, self defense should be as routine as wearing a seat belt in a car and MUST BE practiced every day.

The most common misconception about self defense is that it is predominantly physical in nature. The truth is that self defense is predominantly mental, but it must become second nature to a person to practice it effectively. The number one self defense mental technique is awareness and if a person is aware of their surroundings then they will likely spot danger approaching prior to becoming a victim.

Running with headphones is the single most dangerous behavior that a walker or runner can exhibit because it diminishes the most important of the five senses, hearing. Without the full ability to hear, awareness of a person's surrounding is severely crippled. Not only can headphones prevent a person from detecting a car following closely behind, but it also prevents a prospective victim from hearing noises associated with danger from a distance thus reducing escape time.

By removing distractions while in public places like headphones and cell phones, it forces a person to look around and take in a deep breath of life...call it a self defense benefit. If Scottsdale residents want to practice safe behavior in an effort to reduce the chance of becoming a victim, then awareness is the first self defense criterion that must be adopted immediately and daily. Not only will awareness of one's surroundings help keep the entire community safe, but it will also help to remind everyone to "stop and smell the roses" because all other distractions are removed.

To learn more on how to avoid dangerous situations, please visit the RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) website or contact Shieldher. Be safe!

TASER PARTY CREATOR TRANSFORMS VICTIM TO VICTOR WITH FIRE

2010-02-09T15:08:00.001-07:00

TASER PARTY CREATOR TRANSFORMS VICTIM TO VICTOR WITH FIRE

FREE “Just Yell Fire” Training Offered on Valentine’s Day at Lion’s Den in Exchange for Charitable Diapers

Scottsdale, AZ – Dana Shafman, TASER Party creator and owner of Shieldher Inc, reinvents women's self defense by launching Shieldher self defense training classes in 2010. Shieldher, with the help of Lion’s Den in Scottsdale, will launch the first self defense class this month named “Just Yell Fire” at Lion’s Den’s premiere mixed martial arts facility. Shafman will teach “Just Yell Fire”, which has helped keep more than 1 million girls safe in 44 countries since 2006.

In addition to self defense training classes, Shafman revamped the Shieldher WebStore to include a plethora of new products and services like SPIbelts and Background Checks for dating women. "My main objective has always been to pacify the daily fears we face as women", Shafman explains. "Although the TASER Party was a great way to launch the business, I am relentlessly looking for new products and services to protect women from becoming victims. Being that 1 in 6 women and 1 in 4 college girls will be victims of sexual assault, it is the right time to launch self defense training for all females regardless of age!" Shafman undoubtedly has a passion to protect women.

Dana Shafman refuses to stop there as she has already added 20 Shieldher Regional Managers nationwide from California to Mississippi to Pennsylvania and is seeking an additional 80 plus representatives by year’s end. Shafman is developing firearms training classes specifically geared towards women and children; and she is also putting the finishing touches on her first entrepreneurial memoir detailing her TASER Party journey titled “Stunned By Success”.

This Saturday, February 6^th, Lion’s Den and Shieldher will team up to educate the women and children of The Thunderbirds Family Village of Homeward Bound on personal safety and self defense techniques to further empower them to flourish. Shafman has made a commitment this year to get more involved in charity and has already donated to Susan G. Komen and American Heart Association as part of her Shieldher Against…Charity Campaign.

In support of Homeward Bound’s Diaper Drive, a FREE “Just Yell Fire” training class will be offered from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm on February 14^th, Valentine’s Day, in exchange for a diaper donation at Lion’s Den located at 2954 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. Shieldher will offer “Just Yell Fire” self defense training every week at Lion’s Den’s premiere mixed martial arts facility and classes can be located and purchased in person or online at www.Shieldher.com.

About Shieldher

Shieldher Inc was started in February 2007 by Dana Shafman with a mission to pacify the daily fears women face and to increase the overall quality of women’s lives. To get her message out to women, she invented Tupperware-style TASER Parties across the US to educate women about the benefits of personal protection with a TASER C2. Shieldher has expanded and now has a "stunning" product and service suite with an even broader focus to protect all life, not just the lives of women. To learn more about Shieldher, please visit www.Shieldher.com or contact Shieldher at (602) 881-0802.

About Lion’s Den

Lion’s Den Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) training center is the only training facility of its kind in Arizona and is one of the Premier MMA training facilities in the Nation. Some of the amenities include Competition Boxing Ring, Cage for Mixed Martial Arts Training, 4000 square feet of striking space and a large Jiu Jitsu and Grappling area. Lion’s Den is proud to offer the best in kids training with their nationally recognized Lion’s Cubs youth programs. Lion’s Den is located at 2954 North Hayden Road in Scottsdale, AZ; for more information call (480) 941-LION or visit www.lionsdenaz.com.

About Just Yell Fire

There is a community out there, girls 11 to 19, who according to the YWCA face a 1 in 4 risk of sexual assault and could be one of the 114,000 attempted non-family abductions each year in the US. Just Yell Fire, a non-profit based in Portland, Oregon with offices in Vancouver, Washington, has taken on this problem and has the sole mission of keeping teenage girls safe from assault, abduction, and even death. They are teaching girls they have the right to fight back and giving them the skills to put a stop to date rape as well as to put predators out of business.

About Homeward Bound

Founded in 1990 by a grassroots committee of community activists, Homeward Bound is a transitional housing program for homeless and domestic violence families with children in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona. Homeward Bound is recognized as the largest provider of transitional housing in Arizona. Their mission is to assist families achieve economic independence, secure long-term, safe, decent, affordable housing and break multi-generational cycles of homelessness and domestic violence.

The statements made herein are independent statements of Shieldher Inc. The inclusion of any third parties does not represent an endorsement of any Shieldher products or services by any such third parties.

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Woman Shoots Intruder During 911 Call

2009-12-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

Woman Shoots Intruder During 911 Call

The headline reads "Woman Shoots Intruder During 911 Call" and she did employing her "Right to Defend" then she apologized for her actions! Home alone and armed with a shotgun, 57-year-old Jackson called 911 & begged for help, police couldnt get there before the man broke thru glass door.

There are a few really important things that occurred during this situation as follows:

Donna Jackson dialed 911 to provide a self defense option for all involved; her only options were to wait for the police to arrive or to shoot the intruder dead herself (whichever came first)
She remained on the phone with 911 operator so she had an account of what happened to prevent lengthy court trial & mounting legal fees (they quote $10k per round)
When the man got into her house, she SHOT TO KILL! Jackson stated, "I don't want to have to kill this man, but I'll kill him graveyard dead..."!

The only thing that disturbs me is that Donna Jackson felt she had to apologize for shooting a man dead that was breaking into her home! Donna Jackson was completely justified in shooting the intruder DEAD, in fact, she did everything RIGHT & should never apologize for [practicing good self defense!

This situation really highlights a topic that I find all too common or familiar with women in society today. Many women tell me that they do not want to kill someone even if their life is being threatened. I know, it sounds pretty crazy to me as well but like I said, it is the norm. Even with that hesitation, every person should practice good self defense practices both mentally and physically. There are many non-lethal tools out there to assist anyone with any fear or hesitation!

Call me anytime to learn more at Shieldher at (602) 881-0802 or email me at dana@shieldher.com.

Shaniya's Mom Trafficked Her Daughter to Settle Drug Debt

2009-12-10T15:14:00.003-07:00

Shaniya's Mom Trafficked Her to Settle Drug Debt

Where do I even begin with this situation? Is it for real that a mother could sell her child to settle a drug debt even if it meant her rape and eventual death? Are there really people out there in this world that could be so cruel and narcissistic? Did she consider simply selling her daughter, Shaniya Davis, to her father instead to safeguard her child?

"Antoinette Davis,

Charged With Child Prostitution,

Is Pregnant Again"

When I read the headline above my stomach sours at the thought of putting the life of a child back in this woman's hands. I feel that the death penalty should be reserved for people only that do the unthinkable and I will stand up and be the first to say that this woman should be put to death for what she did to her child. This reality is simply unreal, much like a horror film where campers are gutted. I feel gutted!

Shaniya's aunt, Carey Lockhart-Davis told Winfrey, "I am disgusted, but yet in so much pain at this point. She was such a vibrant child and such an important part of my life. And it's hard at this point to understand why someone would take this sweet blessing away from me."

Preliminary autopsy reports indicate Shaniya died from asphyxiation, according to the Fayetteville Police Department, though authorities are still waiting on a series of tests results before making a final conclusion

Without intimate knowledge of the details of the situation, please know that there are resources out there for any situation whether drug related, assault related, domestic violence or homelessness. I have listed a few resources for individuals stuck in an insufferable and dire situation looking for a way out:

Please also know that I will personally make myself available to help or find help for anything that you fear including success! Just email me dana@shieldher.com!

Celebrities Bring Awareness to Rape, Abuse & Incest...AND DON'T YOU DARE JUDGE THEM!

2009-11-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

Not sure if anyone is actually reading or has already read any of my blog but I wanted to pay tribute to a few of our well known celebrities for sharing their personal tragedies; hopefully, resulting in personal triumphs (or at least a work in progress)!

Thank you to all of the celebrities that have come out to speak about their personal triumphs with Rape (Mary Murphy), Abuse (Tyler Perry) and Incest (Mackenzie Phillips)! It is very brave of these celebrities (as well as others) to speak out about their abuse in order for other victims to get the help and rehabilitation they require by removing the negative stigma associated with victims of sexual and abuse crimes.

Rather than judging or questioning the validity of their claims, we should ALL (and I mean ALL) stand up to support and applaud these brave individuals so that their personal tragedies/triumphs prevent you or a loved one from experiencing the same horrific abuse.

THANK YOU TO MARY MURPHY, TYLER PERRY & MACKENZIE PHILLIPS...YOU ARE ALL HEROES!

Telling someone about the sexual assault may be a difficult thing to do. However, telling is an important part of healing. Here are some thoughts and suggestions that might help you (click this sentence to learn more).

Stranger Danger: Child Safety Is More Than A Slogan!

2009-10-29T10:40:00.002-07:00

Since the inception of my company, Shieldher Inc, I have employed the term "Stranger Danger" as this was the idiom my parents and teachers used to caution me against speaking to "strangers" in an effort to keep me safe. Unfortunately, that specific teaching did not prevent me from encountering danger nor has it prevented others from danger as the abduction and kidnapping incidents have become more prevalent in recent years or so it seems.

I pride myself on educating others about the personal dangers that exist and spend countless hours researching personal safety mental and physical techniques and teachings. Due to the nature of my business, I also watch the news diligently to seek out opportunities to educate through the experiences of others (call it a "what not to do" showcase if you will).

Recently, I came across a TODAY Show segment that utilized the "Stranger Danger" idiom to bring awareness to the lack of education for children about the dangers that are lurking everywhere. In fact, this type of segment generally airs at least four times per year yet the message never changes nor does the level of safety for our children. Therefore, it brings me to the modern definition of insanity by Rita Mae Brown: “Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.”

As I began to dig deeper into this urgent issue of protecting our children, I came across the The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children website, which further shed some light on this issue. Nancy A. McBride, National Safety Director for NCMEC, writes:

“Stranger danger” - the phrase is so pervasive in our culture that it has become part of the lexicon. Well-intentioned adults perpetuate this misguided message, and the media often uses it as a slogan. A recent case illustrates how literal children may be when given a specific message. The child in this case may have evaded his rescuers, because he had been taught “not to talk to strangers.”

This case and many others clearly illustrate how literal children may be when given a specific message. That’s why the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has never supported the “stranger-danger” message, especially because experience has shown us that most children are actually taken by someone they know or are familiar with.

So what does “stranger danger” really mean, and do children benefit from an outdated and incomplete message? Here’s what we have learned about the “stranger-danger” concept

· Children don’t get it.
· Adults don’t practice it.
· It doesn’t go far enough in protecting children from potential danger.

When questioned, children will often describe a “stranger” as someone who is “ugly or mean.” They don’t perceive nice -looking or friendly people as “strangers.” And if someone talks to a child or is even around a child more than once, that person loses his or her “stranger” status. The child then thinks he or she “knows” the person. Children also want to be helpful, thrive on adult approval, and respond to adult authority. So, if someone with ill intent asks them to perform a task or tells them something has happened to a loved one, chances are good the child can be tricked.

The “stranger-danger” message becomes even more confusing for children since they can’t tell by looking at someone whether or not the person is “good” or “bad.” Wouldn’t it be great if we could point out the “bad” people to our children and be done with it? Whether it’s in a grocery store or at a baseball game, adults break the rule of “don’t talk to strangers” all the time. But adults have the benefit of experience, judgment, and decision-making skills; children do not. And sometimes adults are wrong. So, if we can’t identify “bad” people, we certainly can’t expect our children to.

Today, kids need to be empowered with positive messages and safety skills that will build their self esteem and self confidence while helping to keep them safer. Kids don’t need to be told the world is a scary place. They watch the news, hear adults talking, and may even experience violence firsthand. Rather, they need to know their parent, guardian, or another trusted adult is there for them if they are in trouble; and most adults they encounter in their lives are basically good people.

When we tell children to “never talk to strangers,” we have effectively eliminated a key source of help for them if they are in trouble. If they’re lost they may be surrounded by many “strangers” who could conceivably help them if they would only ask for it. Since we know parents and guardians can’t be with their children every second of the day, we need to give children “safety nets” of people they can go to if they need help. Those individuals may include uniformed law-enforcement or security officers; a store salesperson with a nametag; the person in an information booth at a mall or other public venue; or a mother with children.

In specific situations such as being lost outside, the safety messages need to be tailored to
those circumstances.

· A child should never wander away from where they first became lost. If they stay put,
chances are bette r that they will be found more quickly
· If that place becomes too dangerous because of severe weather or another
threatening situation, children should go to the nearest safe spot and wait for rescuers
· Children should make noise either by yelling, blowing a whistle, or just attracting
attention. This will help in bringing someone to their rescue.

Parents and guardians can make child safety part of a child’s everyday life in a nonthreatening way by practicing some of these skills. Whether it’s checking first with a trusted adult, taking a friend, or avoiding and getting out of dangerous situations, there are easy “what if” scenarios to practice with your children to make sure they “get it.” Make outings to a mall or park an opportunity to reinforce these skills. That way they won’t have to wonder what to do if lost or in danger. Do this on a regular basis to make sure it becomes second nature. At the same time reassure them you are there for them, and remind them there are other people who can help.

NCMEC believes the time is now for our society to retire the “stranger-danger” message;
realize child safety is much more important than a slogan; and make sure we are arming our children with relevant, age-appropriate messages that will empower them. Remember, there is nothing on earth that beats our parental, guardian, and caregiver supervision and attention in helping to keep our children safer.

Wow! What an exceptional article and I could not agree more with both Nancy and the NCMEC with regards to the "Stranger Danger" lexicon. In fact, I agree to such an extent (being aware of the dangers of such a lexicon prior to reading this article) that I have already begun putting together a joint parent/child safety class that utilizes awareness and avoidance techniques as well as whistle training for any scary situations regardless of the present danger.

The most telling aspect of this article beyond the "Stranger Danger" retirement message is that we, as adults in an innovative society, are not practicing good self defense techniques even knowing the dangers that exist. This brings me to a very important and poignant question "How can we expect our children to protect themselves if we are not protecting ourselves as adults?"!

CCW (Carrying a Concealed Weapon) Certification...CHECK!

2009-10-14T10:22:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, I was certified to Carry a Concealed Weapon (CCW) through my friends over at Bulletproof Securities as my first step in owning a firearm (education is key)...and I also learned that I am an excellent shot! Now, I realize that I am the TASER PARTY GIRL but I do also see the value in expanding my knowledge to include alternative weapons regardless of their deadly distinction. With that said, I am going to maintain that I protect myself with a Taser first and foremost but also that I am open to other options like Firearms, OC Spray, Flashlights, Knives, Etc.

Truth be told, I have been thinking a lot lately about owning a firearm (I do not yet own a firearm but have gone out with friends to shoot theirs) but I am still not quite sure that I am comfortable carrying a firearm with me as part of my EDC (every day carry). I can truly say that I would carry a firearm with me for travel purposes in the event that "help" is far, far away but I would keep it locked up at home most other times. As for sport shooting (no animals, just targets), it's on!!!

It was absolutely fascinating to learn about the firearm laws here in AZ during the CCW class and many of them actually apply to any protection method, including assault with your own hand whether intentional or not. I plan on continuing my firearm education and training with Bulletproof Securities and beyond in an effort to provide quality advice and resources to my Shieldher clientele; I aspire to be a safety expert in all aspects of safety including firearms!

I understand that personal protection is just that, personal, and there is no 1 solution for all. Therefore, education is key and it is my goal to educate every woman about the personal protection devices and classes that exist (as well as to create educational tools and classes for specific demographics). My advice to all is to "KNOW YOUR WEAPON" whether you protect with OC Spray or a Taser or a Firearm or your fist. We should ALL understand the capabilities and the limitations to any weapon or safety tool and plan accordingly. The best defense is a step defense of escalating tools and associated levels of threat (check out the Combat Mindset: Cooper Color Code...it is fascinating)!

Please join me as I journey into the world of firearms and chronicle my firearm training and acquisition while maintaining my love for the Taser C2 as my daily protection device!

Background Check Anyone?

2009-10-07T21:21:00.001-07:00

More often than not when I turn on my local and/or national news it seems like everyday there is another report of violence amongst boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives and every other term used for significant others. I am just plain sick of the irresponsibility of my fellow Americans when it comes to researching who we are spending our time with and living with in our private lives. With 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experiencing domestic violence at some point in their lives, don't we owe it to ourselves not to become a statistics; especially when there are children involved?

Let's examine the case that made national headlines involving a Canadian man, Ryan Alexander Jenkins, that brutally murdered his ex-wife, Jasmine Fiore:

Fiore's body was discovered, but not identified, on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at about 7 a.m. Her badly beaten and crushed body was discovered inside a suitcase inside a dumpster in an alley in Buena Park, California. According to Buena Park police, Fiore's teeth and fingers had been removed before her nude body was stuffed into the suitcase. She had also been strangled. Authorities believe the mutilation was an attempt to impede identification. On August 18, 2009 her remains were identified using the serial numbers from her breast implants. The Orange County coroner’s office reported Fiore had died a couple of hours before her body was found.

Jenkins had a violent criminal past! In 2005, he assaulted a woman and was convicted for the attack in 2007. The incident took place on Jenkins’ home turf in Calgary, Canada and the woman, Faern Jewell, was his girlfriend at the time. As punishment, Jenkins was sentenced to mandatory counseling and 15-months probation. Jenkins was ordered to attend outpatient treatment for sex addiction.

This case is a prime example of why we should all know more than we do about who we choose to allow into our lives intimately (boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses, etc). This is not just a male or femail issuye...it affects EVERYONE! After all, I presume that Jasmine Fiore would have paid a lot more than $125 for a Background Check on Jenkins now.

Here is a coupon code for 25% off a Shieldher Background Check: BCS251009 and here is the link Shieldher Background Check. Please love yourself enough to do a Background Check..above all, be smart and be safe!

Why I Started This Blog!

2009-10-06T11:24:00.001-07:00

Good morning world!

Before I begin to blog daily and/or hourly about anything and everything on my mind, I thought it would be cool to convey to all of you out there in cyberspace why I chose to blog in the first place.

As you all know by finding this blog, I created the Taser Party back in October 2007 (yes, the 2 year anniversary of the Taser Party is this month) to bring awareness to the horrific issue of sexual assault and domestic violence. For all of you out there that do not know the stats, they are as follows (courtesy of RAINN and NDVH):

1 out of 6 women will be victims of sexual assault in her lifetime
1 out of 33 men will be victims of sexual assault in his lifetime
1 in 4 college females will be victims of sexual assault during their college tenure
7% of girls in grades 5-8 and 12% of girls in grades 9-12 said they had been sexually assaulted
1 in 4 women will be victims of domestic violence at somepoint in their lives
1 in 9 men will be victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives
In 2007, there were 248,300 victims of sexual assault in the US
Every 2 minutes someone in the US is sexually assaulted

I know...really makes you wonder why we do not have more awareness programs in schools and universities to combat this huge issue. Furthermore, the statistics are constant year to year which means we all, collectively, are not doing enough! In fact, breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women and is curable whereas sexual assault affects 1 in 6 women and is not curable; would love to see the same efforts as breast cancer committed to the issue of sexual abuse and domestic violence!

So basically, I blog to help reduce the number of victims of both sexual abuse and domestic violence by educating the American population about the issue to encourage getting educated about self defense awareness and tools to keep us safe!

Be smart...be safe!!!

Dana

A Letter from Dana Leigh Shafman

2009-09-09T07:49:00.013-07:00

As a young girl, I can remember my parents and teachers warning me about a man they called “stranger danger” but the education stopped there with no solution for the situation. This man terrorized small children in and around the Scottsdale, Arizona area. We were taught to steer clear of any person that we did not know and open our door to only our parents and close family friends. Thankfully, I never encountered “stranger danger” but the message stayed with me.

As I grew older and left home for college, my parents once again reminded me of “stranger danger” by identifying the boys I did and would date as the new face of “stranger danger”. I continued to be cautious and even armed my bedroom with a wood bat in the event “stranger danger” made it into my college apartment. He never did but I became more aware of the nameless, faceless “stranger danger” through watching television and learning of all the assaults, rapes and murders that occurred in my state and the country as a whole.

As an adult, I was less concerned with my personal safety because I had more important things to worry about like earning a living and paying taxes. I became complacent because I thought that my alarm system and law enforcement would protect me. I believed that there was no need to worry!

At age 31, I experienced being stalked by a man that I had recently dated. My personal safety was in jeopardy and I began looking for something to make me feel safe inside and outside my home. My stalker left me alone after a while but I still felt vulnerable. That is when I decided to keep my sharp, barbecue knife under my pillow at night. I realize that this may seem like a crazy idea, but it was the only way I could feel safe at night alone in my home.

Three years later, I found a device that would not only make me feel safe inside and outside my home; but it would increase the quality of my life by pacifying my daily fears. The device that I found is the Taser C2! I take my Taser with me to the grocery store, the gym, my business meetings and definitely secure it on my nightstand every night! I felt that if my Taser could do that for me, I should share it with the women in my life. In fact, I decided to share it with ALL women. Shieldher Inc was born as a result of my mission!

Our featured product at Shieldher for the last couple of years has been the Taser C2 and I invented the Taser Party to help educate women as to the benefits of owning a device such as a Taser. Since Shieldher Inc began as a Taser Dealership and I sold the Taser C2 primarily through our innovatory Taser Parties, I are thrilled to keep the Taser Party tradition alive as Shieldher continues to grow. In fact, the Taser has truly increased the quality of my life as well as many of our Shieldher staff, family and friends so the Taser C2 will continue to be essential in our product suite.

This year, I am so energized about our new Shieldher Against… charity campaign and I am anxious to donate my time and money to many worthy causes. Each Taser C2 color will be associated with an established, reputable charity so that a percentage of each sale will support a particular cause. I have also chosen a few other products and services to designate to this campaign and I am always looking for additional ways to get involved in our communities in an effort to give back.

Talk about exciting...I am ecstatic to broaden our product suite this year to include environmentally and economically conscious products and services because of the ever-changing economic and environmental climates. I continue to seek out products and services that keep us safe while staying within monetary and personal constraints. There are also new "Lipstick Defense" classes coming in 2009, thanks to my strategic business partners, as well as additional safety services like background checks and private investigation services. I am committed to providing the necessary personal safety products, services and resources to enable us to feel safe everyday!

Although I feel that I have made some huge strides in protecting people, women in particular, I realize that there is so much more to achieve and I am committed to increasing awareness and protecting people globally. I am thankful to all of my friends, family and supporters who have championed Shieldher and my passion to protect.

I would love to hear from each of you and will make every effort to respond to all questions, inquiries and comments as warranted. I truly understand that people are the lifeline to our business and a huge "Thank You" to those who share in my mission and passion!

I challenge each and every one of you to ask yourself the following question until you can come up with a suitable answer: HOW WILL YOU DEFEND YOURSELF IF FACED WITH AN ASSAULTER OR ATTACKER? My answer is easy…I took my personal safety into my own hands by adopting awareness principles, learning basic self defense and by purchasing a Taser C2. Don’t you owe it to yourself to love yourself enough to protect you? I do!

Dana Leigh Shafman

CONTACT SHIELDHER INC
Shieldher Inc
Post Office Box 28907
Scottsdale, Arizona 85255-0165
Phone (602) 881-0802
Email Shieldher@Shieldher.com
Website www.Shieldher.com
WebStore www.ShieldherStore.com

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