Wonder Woman Wednesday-Stretch out your hand

There comes a time in your journey when you have to stop, turn around, and look at the impact your life has had on the world.  When I used to look back, I would see the devastation of an F-5 tornado a mile wide that would trail off as far as you could see from outer space.  Now when I look back, I see art.  I see poetry and beauty, ice and fire, crashing waves on the wings of butterflies, and through even the worst misery of my darkest moments, I see a mighty oak that stretches into the night sky as far as the eye can see.

The women I have chosen for today’s Wonder Woman Wednesday are no strangers to pain and sorrow.  They have experienced it, seen their loved ones experience it, watched it, and heard about it every single day.  It would be so easy for them to just run away and hide from it, to deny it’s very existence, but instead they face it head on hand-in-hand because they can see the beauty in the darkness as well.  When they turn around, I’m sure they could choose to see a million paths of a million tornadoes just pressing down on them with nowhere to turn.  The devastation they hear about and see on a regular basis would send even the strongest person running to the hills, yet there they stand together, unfaltering, just like the mighty oak they have planted in my path.

These women are wise beyond even their own knowledge and strong beyond their own bravery, and they might not even see it themselves, but I have seen it.  Even trembling with sorrow, they continue to reach down and say, “Stretch out your hand, there is healing here.” 

Stretch out your hand. 

It seems so simple, but until you've tried to rescue a victim from the deep waters of despair you have no idea the peril it can cause as they pull your heart under with them like a drowning victim in the middle of the ocean.  Yet they continue on.

Stretch out your hand.

It began with a friendship which turned into an idea that led them to the place where they are today.  What they once thought was a business venture has become a mission encompassing both joy and hardship, life and death, faith and healing….the list could go on and on forever as you dive into the depth of their being.

Still, they ask you to stretch out your hand.  There is healing here.  There is safety here.  You can leave your fear behind, shed the very skin of your old self, and be reborn anew.  All you have to do is stretch out your hand.  They will take it.  Every time.  Not only will they take it and pull you to a new level of being, but they will show you that we have all had to be pulled from the fire.  Even them.  We've all had to be pulled from the darkness and the shame, but in order to do that, we've had to do one thing.

Stretch out our hands.

The two women I bring before you on this night of revival are two of the most hard working, genuine, real women I have ever had the honor of sharing the same space with.  They have shown me more about myself than I thought I could ever possibly be there.   They showed me that I was strong and brave and shameless and filled with grace unlike the poison filled slug I used to think I was.  They proved to me that I am worthy of a life worth living, and I promise you that if you are ever in their presence, you will see that you have a live worth living to the fullest of the word full, but first, you have to stretch out your hand.

Tonight we celebrate Bethany Hughes and Mindy Lin, the Co-Founders of Damsel in Defense.  I have watched them take on the hardest mission, go to the hardest places, hear the hardest stories, and do the hardest things to build strong women.  I have watched them wretch with sorrow, swallow it down, and turn around and make it into something beautiful, and I have watched them do it with passion, with grace, and with dignity.

Tonight I ask you, are you ready to stretch out your hand?  Are you ready to see the mission behind this great company and let it reach deep into your soul where it will guide you to a place where you can see your true worth?  What do you want to see when you turn around and take stock of the path you've left behind?  Do you want to see a path of destruction, or do you want to see a mighty oak? 

Stretch out your hand.  There is healing here.  I am proof of the strength in these women.  I am a testament to their character.  When I see them, I see sisters, warriors, teachers, and great leaders.  I see Wonder Women.  

 If you are ready to share your story and help us in #fightingback against abuse towards women, email sunshine@yourdamseldiva.com. 

Beyond the gasp-the death of shame

When I look at the blessings in my life, there is one thing that seems to ring true about all of them:  They came from something hard.

This weekend was one of the biggest blessings I have ever encountered, and it was born from the hardest thing I have ever done.  You see, my life isn't all sunshine and rainbows.  Most of it has been Sunshine and survival.  Shame has been my arch nemesis.

Let me introduce you to Shame.  Shame is the meanest kid on the playground.  He’s the worst boss you've ever had, and trust me, some of you know I've had a pretty terrible boss.  Shame leads you down the wrong paths, laughs at you in your darkest moments, and tells you that if you tell on it, it will take you down.  Shame keeps us from growing, stops our brains from developing, and can leave us trembling in fear.  Shame is Satan’s right hand.

I have met Shame several times in my life.  As a matter of fact, Shame has stared me down in the stillness of the night after enduring something terrible and whispered into my ear enough times that it was all my fault that I believed it for a long time because I hung on every word Shame said to me.  Shame was my comfort blanket, my best friend, and the justification I had for stupid choices.

 

About a year ago, my church women’s group asked me to testify.  I was terrified.  No, terrified would be like finding out I was going on a dream vacation compared to how I felt.  There’s not a word that describes the horror.  For the first time, I had to put on paper all of the things I’d been hiding in this big invisible box on my back.  I cried and agonized over it for a month before I finally got it all out, and even then, there were things I left out because Shame held a gun to my head and told me that my sisters would never want to talk to me again if they knew….fill in the blank. 

I got it all down on paper, and I read it for time, because I had 45 minutes to speak….and I had to stop at three hours and wondered how in the heck I would cram it all in.  I cut out everything I possibly could and somehow got it to 50 minutes, and I went with it. 

That testimony was a train wreck.  I held the paper to my face and just read and cried, and one of my Christian sisters named Jean funneled clean tissue and held a garbage bag for my dirty ones.  I must have dropped 25 pounds of my DNA into that garbage bag.  When it was over, I wanted to run.  I was naked.  I was exposed.   I was sure everyone would just stare at me and leave.

Instead, women stopped me in the halls for weeks and thanked me for freeing them.  They called me things like brave and strong, courageous and inspiring.  I didn't feel those words.  I felt naked and alone, exposed and undone.  Shame still peeked at me from dark corners and called to me in my dreams.  One thing I didn't feel though was the weight from the box that I no longer packed around on my shoulders. 

After some weeks went by, I started to walk a little taller.  I began to realize that God chose me to be the person in this body in this life because he knew I would run with it.  He knew I would set a bonfire in the darkness and lead my people to freedom.  He knew I would wage war on Shame and stalk it like a lion stalks her prey.  He knew I would form an army of survivors who would light up the dark places so Shame had nowhere to hide.

A few months ago, I was asked to share a snippet of my story.  I did, because a snippet was much better than the whole thing, and when people read it, I can’t see them.  Perfect. 

Again, the messages of hope, light, and courage inspired me, but I still couldn't use those words for myself.

Then, a little more than a month ago, one of the Co-founders of Damsel in Defense, Mindy Lin, asked if I would speak at our national convention….but I could say no.

Left to right: Bethany Hughes, Mindy Lin
Co-Founders of Damsel in Defense

Let me tell you a little something about the Co-founders of Damsel in Defense.  Mindy and Bethany are brave, strong, courageous, beautiful, amazing, inspiring leaders.  They have done hard things.  They have gone to the Philippines to one of the worst red light districts in the world and have seen and done hard things.  They are so strong and inspiring that thousands of women have joined their mission, including me.  I could not be the one to tell them no, that I wasn't going to do hard things!  I had to say yes!

Again, I had to reframe my story to fit in a 5-7 minute time frame, and I couldn't get it to go under 9 minutes and 44 seconds.  I sent it off to Mindy and the response I got back shocked me.  She was so torn up, so moved, and her world was so rocked that I could take all the time I needed.  So I let the nearly ten minute testimony cool.  Shame was using every method of communication to try and convince me to change my mind, but I knew Mindy wouldn't have asked me if it wasn't relevant to the mission.  I leaned into God and He whispered in my ear that I am stronger than I think I am.  For the first time, I started to believe Him.

Then the weekend came.  I was in Boise, soaking in everything Damsel in Defense, falling more and more in love with the company, building relationships with amazing strong warriors, and Shame was peeking at me from every doorway, every corner, and every shadow.  I tried and tried to ignore him, but it was getting harder and harder.  Then testimony time came.

I watched three brave women take the stage and pour out their souls all over that crowd.  They were brave.  They were strong.  They were beautiful.  I felt like a toad.  I felt like I would get up there and croak out all of this ugliness, then we would all stand in line and jump off a cliff because we couldn't take hearing that much filth, darkness, and pain. 

My team, the Red Hots from left to right: Amber,
Sunshine(me) , Karin , Judi, and Kyla

My team rallied around me and told me I was brave, and strong, and beautiful, and courageous, and that I was about to change lives.  I didn't believe them.  I thought I was the weird kid in the corner.

Then my name was called, and I made my way up to that stage and said my first word into the microphone, proving that the moment was real. 

The first half of my testimony is hard.  It’s gut wrenchingly terribly hard, but every time I testify, there is this moment in my 12^th year of age that there is a gasp.  It is a gasp so deep that I literally feel the air being sucked from my lungs into everyone else’s.  In that gasp, I try to decide whether or not I can escape.  It may only be a three second moment of silence before I go on, but in those three seconds, I have come up with 25 routes of escape, envisioned myself throwing the microphone and running away, and come to a realization that if I stop now, there will be a mass suicide.  I cannot leave anyone holding that much pain inside of their lungs. I have to go on.  And I do, because I come to a realization that beyond the gasp is where the beauty in the breakdown of my life begins.  The story of Shame then becomes the story of me.  The story of an overcomer.  The story of a survivor.

After I was done, there was a moment while I waited for Mindy to come take that pesky microphone from me, and we hugged and I felt it….I felt the death of Shame. 

Over the next few hours, dozens of women were freed.  Shame was nowhere to be found.  Women broke into groups and shared their stories, some for the first time ever.  Many hugs, tears, and words were shared, bonds were formed, and warriors put down their heavy boxes and picked up their weapons.  We came to this conference afraid, shameful, terrified of ourselves, but knowing there was something larger.  We left strong, bold, brave warriors ready to lead others out of the darkness and into the light. 

We aren't just people who sell stun guns and pepper sprays.  We are bringers of the light, pushers of the darkness, and carriers of faith.

I know I'm going to be asked to share again again.  I know my work is not done.  I'm a little more comfortable in my own skin now, and I clearly understand my mission. 

If you’re ready to share your story of survival, you’re not alone.  We can help.  You can contact me directly at sunshine@yourdamseldiva.com.  Together we can make a difference.

Cryptocurrency is being used in everything from socks to sex trafficking

Something terrifying occurred to me today.  A strange Instagram page named coinmkt.com started liking all of the pictures with one of my daughters in it. 

I am in no way saying that the coinmkt.com Instagram person is a perverted weirdo or involved in any crime, organized or otherwise, but my eyes were open to the world of cryptocurrencies when I clicked on their profile, and it scared me enough that I blocked them.

Cryptocurrencies are often used to tip fellow internet users or in online games.  It’s a currency traded solely through the internet, and there are dozens and dozens of versions from the bitcoin to the Dogecoin.  Basically, it’s digital money.

It doesn’t sound real, does it?  Fake money traded in fake games and between people in fake internet land.  Well get ready to be freaked out, because it’s huge.  We’re talking a trillion dollar market of eCommerce.  Did I just blow your mind?

The scary thing is that it’s highly unregulated.  Anyone can come up with a cryptocurrency.  Anyone.  People are creating eWallets, ePens, eWatches, eEverything else.  This ‘pretend’ money is being circulated every day from people trading it to make their virtual gaming landscape better to people trading it for drugs, guns, goods, sex, and even people. 

Yes.  People.

One of the biggest draws to cryptocurrency is that there is no invasion by the government.  It’s an easy way for the bad guys to launder MILLIONS of dollars unnoticed, and it’s happening every day!  There are no taxes, no regulations, and no one even has to know that you have your own cryptocurrency. 

It blew my mind.  You get to decide the type of cryptocurrency, what it can be used on, how many units that can be minted in your pretend online land, hide private wealth, and use it to buy and sell humans.

China has banned any business from using any sort of bitcoin.  If one of the leading financial countries in the world has decided to ban it, you know it’s big.

It’s changing so fast that laywers and law makers are struggling to keep up with it.  Ron Paul has stated to CNN that it could “destroy the dollar”.  Paul’s bitcoin, RonPaulcoin is ranked at 47^th most valuable of the more than 70 cryptocurrencies available.

Cryptocurrencies are currently being used by drug dealers, criminals, and sex traffickers in a space known to tech savvy criminals as the “deep web” on sites similar to Silk Road, where drugs such as mushrooms, LSD, and ecstasy could be purchased using digital dollars.  Dealers then would turn around and sell their purchases for paper dollars at a 300% markup. 

It’s a shadow economy that is performing better than paper money, and it can’t be traced!  Bitcoin is being traded on the market for over $30 per share and it’ becoming the world’s best performing currency.

How do you buy them?  Through an online exchange service such as coinmkt.com, the company that liked my Instagram pictures and sent me on this journey down the rabbit hole.  This is where you pay your actual real money for internet money that is stored in your eWallet, which is code for turning your money invisible so you can spend it on anything that takes bitcoins, which is everything from tangible items like shoes to sex with prostitutes, child pornography, or drugs.  Discovery News even found that you could buy guns with bitcoins.

Great for the bad guys, because it’s anonymous, but bad for the good consumers because unlike virtual pay sites like PayPal, you can’t dispute the charge if you never receive the goods.  There is no legislation to protect you from fraud.

By the time the world learns about bitcoins, how to use them, how to buy them, and what you can spend them on, the damage will be done.  All countries are looking into regulating bitcoins because they are being used for sex trafficking, money laundering, drug dealing, murder for hire, and you name it. 

Sites like Silk Road, which has since been shut down, only allow cryptocurrency.   The Baltimore Sun even reported that poachers selling  rhinoceros on the black market are even using bitcoin.  Black market sites like it can pop up and disappear in a heartbeat without anyone knowing who ran them, who sold the goods, or where they came from.  There is no trace.

If you can imagine a bad guy wanting it, you can imagine it’s available with payment in bitcoins.

Even child pornography.  According to the Daily Dot, CNN Money reported that a loophole in the code that powers Bitcoin, which heretofore has used to post jokes, was discovered to contain repellent links to sex sites that included child pornography sites.

The Daily Beast found a hitman network that says it accepts bitcoin to murder for hire.

If you learn something new every day, here’s your education.  Not all cryptocurrency trading is bad.  People are selling houses and cars for bitcoin.  People are running successful legitimate bitcoin businesses, but there is a very large and very dark side to cryptocurrency use, and we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg. 

As a Damsel in Defense Independent Pro, I am dedicated to fighting sex trafficking of any kind, and will use it as a platform to spread awareness.  I want everyone to understand the dangers that come with cryptocurrency, and to be aware.

Damsel in Defense is not only about stun guns and pepper spray

Damsel in Defense is becoming well known for stun guns and pepper spray, but we also have road side emergency kits and this wonderful Road Trip Auto Tool.  This tool should be in the center console or door pocket of every vehicle.  If you don't have a center console or door pocket because you have an older vehicle, just purchase a strip of heavy duty Velcro at your local fabric store and stick it over the Road Trip Auto Tool right to the ceiling where you can reach it should your seat belt lock.

You can purchase this wonderful versatile tool at yourdamseldiva.com.

 Post by Damsel In Defense Corporate.

Things you need to know about stun guns

Damsel in Defense stun gun line

Buyer beware!  You can pick up a stun gun almost anywhere now, and since our launch, cheap knockoffs are coming out of the woodwork.

Things to think about:
1. You need a stun gun with at least 1 million volts.  Period.  Under 4 million volts, you really need to be aiming for skin, because it won't go through multiple layers, and for those of us who live in the beautiful Northwest know that most of the year we are wearing layers.

2. If your stun gun is over 6 million volts, it really needs to have a safety pin.  That high of voltage can render you unconscious and you don't want the bad guys to be able to take it from you and use it on you.  If your stun gun is 6 million volts or higher, you are in danger of being dragged away.

3.  You can absolutely find stun guns cheaper than ours that claim to have more voltage, but tests are showing that they are inconsistent and may give you a false sense of security, which is WHY there isn't any education that comes along with them.  One stun gun owner that I spoke with at a gun show owns a ten million volt stun gun and said that when tested, it only consistently emitted 5 million volts, and never once reached ten, and also didn't have enough amps to keep the electricity in the muscle for very long.      KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BUYING!!!  CHEAPER DOESN'T MEAN BETTER!!!

Let's talk about amps for a second.  Think of them as the delivery truck that drives the electricity into the muscle group under attack.  The bigger the truck, the better it can drive it in and stay there.  1 amp is fatal to humans.  When we're dealing in stun guns, we're dealing in milliapms, which is why there is a need for higher votlage.  If you have a quarter ton truck and a 1 ton truck trying to pull a ten thousand pound object up a steep hill, which one is going to do a better job?  If your stun gun doesn't have enough amps to make it up the hill, it's not going to be effective, even if it claims to have twenty million volts.

4. Many stun gun sellers hold the chargers and carry cases hostage and make you pay extra for them making your cheaper stun gun actually cost more in the long run.  Ours all come with a charger and a carry case.

The moral of this story is know before you buy.  Know what you're buying, who the company is your buying from, and demand education.  You need to know not only how to use it, but how to care for it, what it can do, and how to stay safe with it, which is why I come into women's living rooms and give them the education they so desperately need to stay alive in an attack situation.

If you want more information on stun guns, email sunshine@yourdamseldiva.com or visit yourdamseldiva.com

Man uses stun gun on wife over football bet

"MAYVILLE | All is not fair in love and football.

That’s what one Illinois man found out last night during the intense Packers/Bears game that led him to use an electronic stun gun on his wife.

John Grant, 42, of Tinley Park, made his initial appearance today on the charge of use of an electric weapon.

A 12:39 a.m. a Mayville Police officer responded to Dan’s King Pin, 31 N. Main St., to speak to a woman who reported that her husband had used a stun gun on her three times while at Sidelines Tap, 111 S. Main St.

The wife said that while the two were smoking cigarettes outside of Sidelines, Grant had used the stun gun twice on her butt and once on her thigh. She said that she has burn marks on her butt although she did not request emergency medical treatment.

After the game the two walked back to the semi-truck that they call home and Grant was angry. He threw his wife’s dog out of the truck and would not let the woman in. At that time she walked back to Dan’s King Pin to use a telephone.

Grant said that the two had made a bet on the game as she is a Packers fan and he’s a Bears fan. If the Packers lost, she would be shocked with the stun gun.

In reviewing the woman’s text messages about the bet and a cellphone video, the officer determined that she did make the bet with her husband and that she did consent to having a stun gun being used on her. She told the officers that she didn’t think her husband would actually use the weapon on her.

The woman filled out a no consent form prior to the officer speaking with Grant. The form was considered void after reviewing the texts and video. In searching Grant’s semi-truck, police found a black stun gun. He was then taken into custody.

If convicted, Grant faces up to $10,000 in fines and up to six years in prison. Stun guns are illegal in Wisconsin without a conceal and carry permit. The man did not have a conceal and carry permit in any state. A Horicon Police officer and Dodge County Sheriff’s deputy also responded to the incident."

That was the news story reported by The Beaver Dam Daily Citizen.  I watched the video and all I can say is THANK GOODNESS it didn't seem to be a very powerful one.  Make sure you know what you have before you use it.  yourdamseldiva.com

Bugout Bag 101-Damsel in Defense in your bugout bag

Could be due to a natural disaster making your home unsafe,
or a man-made disaster ranging from natural gas leak
to terrorist or wartime situations.  It's not all about the zombies
folks!

Ladies, we all know that we need a bugout bag.  We’ve heard about them, we’ve seen them advertised, and you can spend an astronomical amount of money buying one that has been put together for you, but what do you really need in a bugout bag? 

1. What is a bugout bag?

A bugout bag is a bag that contains everything your family needs in the event that you need to escape quickly.  This could be due to a natural disaster making your home unsafe or a manmade disaster ranging from natural gas leaks to terrorist or wartime situations.  It's not all about the zombies, folks!

2.    Where should my bugout bag be stored?

Store your bugout bag where you can grab it on a dead run on your way out of the house.  Many people store theirs in the trunk of their car so they don’t have to worry about which direction they have to exit their home.  Things to remember are:

·       Don’t bury it in a closet
·       If you store it in your car, are your keys handy all the time to get it out?
·       If you store it in the front of your home and have to escape out the back, how will you get it?

3.    Who should carry a bugout bag?

Everyone.  If you’re married, you should each have a bugout bag.  If you have children, they should each have a bugout bag, providing they are strong enough to carry a backpack.  Mom and dad can carry the bulk of it, but a child can also carry a pack filled with lightweight things such as freeze dried backpack meals, an emergency blanket, a filter straw, an ultra-light whistle, and a collapsible water bottle for water collection.

4.    What do I put in my bugout bag?

There are three essential things your bugout bag should have:

·       Shelter
·       Water
·       Food
·       Emergency supplies

In that order.  In a survival situation, you have 3 hours to secure shelter, 3 days to secure water, and 3 weeks to secure food for optimal survival.  Let’s break each one down.

·       Shelter-shelter doesn’t have to be a structure.  It can be as simple as making sure you pack an emergency blanket for each person in your family.  Think light.  You may have to carry your bugout bag for a while, so you don’t want to be packing a structure around with you.  Leave that fancy pop-up canopy behind.  Make sure everyone has a pair of hiking boots, a pair of jeans, 2 pairs of socks that are not cotton, 2 shirts, a light weight waterproof jacket, long underwear, a beanie hat, and a bandana.  Ultra light tents are perfect for bugout bags, but if you can’t afford one, pack a tarp large enough for your family to huddle under, but not so large that it is cumbersome and heavy.

·       Water-You need one gallon of water per person per day in optimal conditions, but in a bugout bag, that is not possible due to the weight and space involved.  There should be 1 liter of water per person per day.  Most people pack bugout bags with 3 days worth of supplies.  Waterpouches are great for this.  They are small and light.  Pack a filter straw such as Lifestraw for each person.  You can also pack a small container about the size of a pill bottle with bleach as long as it’s air and water tight to help decontaminate water sources that you find.  It only takes ¼ tsp. of bleach per gallon.  Don’t use color safe bleach or bleach with scents. Bleach will not kill some disease causing organisms commonly found in water.  It is better to boil and cool your water first before treating with bleach, but even then it’s not a guarantee that your water will be safe.  Filter straws are a much safer bet.

·       Food-In an emergency situation where you need a bugout bag to get away, chances are you will be burning a lot of calories, so think high protein.  High protein bars are sold at local gun shows, outdoor shows, and also any store that sells a wide range of camping and outdoor gear.  The higher the protein, the less you have to eat to stay going, the longer your rations will last, and the lighter your pack will weigh.  You should also add freeze dried backpack meals to your pack as well.  DO NOT fill your bugout bag with junk food. 

·       Emergency supplies-This is very important to think ahead about. 

o   Medication-If you, or anyone in your family requires medication, most doctors will give you an extra prescription for your bugout bag.  Fill it and put it in the bag right away.  When it expires, take it to your doctor and ask for another emergency prescription.  If you wait to fill it until an emergency happens, it’s too late.  Also pack enough ibuprophen (Advil), and acetaminophen (Tylenol), and naproxen (Aleve) as well as children’s versions for each person for 3 days. 

o   Medical supplies-You need a first aid kit in your bag.  End of story.  It’s best to build your own.  It should contain:

§  Alcohol pads
§  Band-Aids
§  Multiple pairs of gloves
§  Triple antibiotic ointment
§  Bee sting/insect bite packet
§  Burn gel
§  Benadryl-both child and adult if you have children
§  Sawyer Extractor for snake bites
§  Cpr face masks
§  4x4 bandages
§  Gauze
§  Tape
§  Antibiotics-Fish antibiotics are the same as human antibiotics, they just have different names.
§  Sucher kit
§  Tweezers

o   Fire-Purchase a Wetfire fire-starting kit that contains a striker and wet fire starting cubes.  Practice using it once or twice.  Make some petroleum jelly fire starters.  Learn five different ways to start a fire.

o   Lighter-strikers are better, but sometimes you just need a good ole’ lighter.

o   Cooking-collapsible stoves and pots are great.  Also, backpack can openers for foraging for food.  2000 cans of corn do you no good if you can’t get into them.

o   Hand powered flashlight.  There are several kinds, use your best research to purchase one that is right for your family.  Each bugout bag should contain one.

o   Chemlights-These are great long lasting cheap ways to light up the night. 

o   Weapons-Firearms are best in most situations, however, not everybody has access to them.  Protecting your supplies and family can quickly turn into a scary situation, so don’t go out unprepared.  In the very least, you should have a can of pepper spray (replace every 12 months), a stun gun (at least 6 million volts strong), and a kubaton.

o   Personal alarm-In the event you need to draw attention or use it to wake you up, pressure alarms are small, lightweight, and battery operated.  Place them under the tire of your car, under something that will set it off if stepped on, and it could be the difference between sleeping through your stuff getting stolen or stopping the theft.   

o   Map-learn your area.  Come up with a plan and practice it.  Where does your family meet on your street, 1 block away, 3 blocks away, and 3 miles away?  Do you all know how to get to each place?  Do you know at least three ways to get to each place?  What do you do when you get there?  What if it’s not safe when you do?

o   Compass-Learn what they are and how to use them.  It’s easy to get turned around when your landmarks are destroyed.  Teach your children how to use them and how to use the sun to tell which direction they are going.

o   Pictures-Children need pictures of normalcy in the event of an emergency, especially if they are separated from a loved one.  It’s also a good idea to pack a very small, very light stuffed animal to make night time easier.  You can take your child to purchase something together and talk about how important it is to have it in their bugout bags.

o   Hand powered radio-Electronics won’t always work in every situation.  Learn about what is going on and what you need to do with a hand powered radio.

o   Soap and TP-Mom was right, wash your hands.  Most things that make you sick can be avoided simply by using good hand washing.  You can also pack antibacterial gel, or “hand sanitizer”. Make sure there are a couple of rolls of toilet paper in your bag as well.  You won't regret it.

   

    My advice to you is to gather your supplies before purchasing your bags, that way you know how much space you need.  There are a million other things you can put in your bugout bag, but remember, you may be carrying it for a long time.  Make sure it fits you well and that you can carry it for long periods of time. 

You will need to modify yours for your family.  If you have infants, you will need diapers and formula, women will want tampons and such..  Always check expiration dates, and make sure you replace things as they expire.

Why choose Damsel in Defense over the cheaper stun guns on the market

There's a lot of talk about this knock off cheap $20 stun gun guy showing up at gun shows and underselling products similar to some that Damsel in Defense carries.  I just want to remind everyone that we are more than stun guns.

We are educators

We have an entire line that will only continue to grow that includes roadside kits, pepper spray, personal alarms, martial arts tools, and more.

We sell for a company that gives back to charities that help survivors survive and victims become survivors.

When we are invited into someone's home to give a demonstration, we are giving people knowledge that could save their lives even if they don't purchase something.

Our parties are the funnest in-home party I have ever attended, and I've been to them all.

We are passionate

We are compassionate

We get to sit with other women and listen to their stories of survival as well as share our own.

We teach people how to keep their children safe by teaching them things to talk to their kids about and carrying products specifically designed to protect children.

Our products are durable and Damsel in Defense stands by them.

Ours come in cute and sassy colors that make us feel like warrior princesses.

We make safety our #1 concern, not only for ladies on the go, but with how to handle and care for our products, when to replace things that need to be replaced, and create an inviting environment for women to ask questions.

Our passion empowers other women to be passionate about themselves and others around them.

We have a team.  We can lift up our struggling Damsels, praise our triumphs, share our ideas, and encourage each other to continue to stretch out of our comfort zone.

We are a team unlike any that I have seen with any other network marketing company.

The most important thing that sets us apart from random Zapper guy is that we are for life.  We build relationships with our clients that last forever.  When someone has us in their living room, we create a bond. They will forever come to us for self defense products so long as we nurture that bond.  If they have a problem, they can come to us.  We are not an intimidating man in a booth at a gun show.  We are a strong network of women who, at the end of the day want other women to stay safe.  The money we make doing this is just a side bonus.  The real reward is that we belong to a company that praises God every step of the way with everything they do.

When you are a client of Damsel in Defense, it's a relationship.  When you buy from random guy, it's a stun gun in a box that will likely never come out because of the intimidation factor of what it seems like carrying a few million volts around.

Whether you want to book a party or join my team,  you can find it all at mydamselpro.net/sunshineoconnor/