We don't just educate women on the early warning signs for violence, we've lived it...
Let’s be honest, women are faced with never ending ‘what if’s’, when it comes to the threat of violence.
For most of us, these nagging ‘what if’s’, have become an almost unconscious part of how we run our lives.
We intuitively weigh up:
- Who we talk to,
- Where the safest place is to meet on a first date,
- What time of night we walk our dogs,
- Where we park our cars,
- Whether we can meet a new client alone,
- Or even if we should take the elevator vs the stairs in our new office building.
On top of this, far too many women worldwide wake up each morning to a question that no woman on the planet should ever have to consider:
- What if my intimate partner, boyfriend, or husband (the person I’m in love with), harms me today?
- How do I know if his abuse will lead to violence? And if he is already violent, how do I know if he might kill me?
Our research showed that although there are ‘Pre Incident Indicators’ that can predict the likelihood of a partner becoming violent, most women are unaware of the early warning signs.
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By the time violence does occur in their relationship, it’s usually after an extended period of emotional abuse, which has already ‘dulled’ the woman’s intuition and ability to assess danger.
As the violence continues, her ability to see the escalation and threat to her life deteriorates. What was once a devastating shock, has now become a part of her life.
By this stage, if and when a women does find the strength to seek help, she is usually given the same option as the woman before her – get a court order.
Yet while court rooms overflow with women that have been directed to obtain restraining orders, their cases are rarely assessed by anyone qualified to predict whether a court order is enough to keep them safe.
It’s a bullshit blanket approach that doesn’t take into account that all offenders are not created equal.
Whilst we respect and commend the work that law enforcement do, this ‘one size fits all’ approach to intimate partner violence can leave many women in an increasingly dangerous situation:
When is the last time anyone ever heard of a sociopath or psychopath being deterred by a piece of (legal) paper?
Or someone with a cluster B personality disorder being reformed by an anger management or domestic abuse program?
They’re not!
Why do many parole boards now require a qualified psychologist to be present before a prisoner is accessed for release, yet nobody with any such qualifications is present when a woman facing domestic violence is advised by a ‘lay person’ to get a court order?
The legal system has for some time been smart enough to recognize that psychopaths and other cluster B personality disorders can pass lie detectors, and charm their way through parole hearings.
But not intelligent enough to realize that the very same (cluster B personality disorder traits) her partner has, may trigger her partner to escalate, because she sought legal help.
As we wait for the bureaucracy and red tape to catch up, millions of women each year are being left vulnerable, by a legal system that is failing them.
Resulting in women being left completely unaware, of how dangerous following ‘one size fits all’ safety advice, can be.
So we set out on a mission to educate women on the early warning signs for both violence that occurs in relationships, as well as ‘pre incident indicators’ that occur when it comes to violence that’s perpetrated by strangers.
And as for smart safety jewelry devices?
Well, we look forward to the day when they’re only being used for other purposes, unrelated to violence.
But meanwhile, they do offer extra peace of mind and an extra layer of security, while we go about our daily lives. And importantly, for women who’ve escaped a violent or controlling relationship.
Smart Safety Jewelry With Hidden GPS Location Enabled Panic Buttons
Whilst wearable, smart safety jewelry devices are still in their infancy, we’re reviewing every startup as they come to market. And if they meet our stringent criteria, you will find them on our website.
Our aim is to be at the forefront of wearable, discreet, innovative safety devices, whilst empowering and educating women on the early warning signs of violence, so they can live life more confidently.
If you’ve ever been subjected to violence of any kind, our heart goes out to you. Everyone deserves to feel safe.
With love and compassion,
Street Smart Women
