R E C R U I T E R S 9 1 1 -S A F E T Y F I R S T ! !

M O N I C A D I A Z & C A R M E N M O R A L E S

E D U C AT I O N S E RV I C E C E N T E R - R E G I O N 1 5

PURPOSE OF RECRUITMENT

DOING HOME VISITS?

TOP 10: RECRUITER EXPERIENCES

1. Getting chased by a dog

2. Do not trespass sign

3. A shirtless man answering the door

4. Getting stuck in the mud

5. Being followed

6. Getting hit on

7. Getting lost

8. Falling/tripping/slipping

9. Seeing family abuse

10. Seeing Gang Related Activities

HOME VISIT SAFETY TIPS…• Only enter migrant housing if necessary; most recruitment

paperwork can be completed outside regardless of the

season

• Conduct pair or team recruiting visits whenever possible

• Do not recruit after dark unless pre-scheduled and

accompanied by a buddy

• Always have car keys readily accessible

• Notify farm employer or manager upon visiting farm worker

housing

ALWAYS CARRY A CHARGED CELLULAR TELEPHONE

911 still works without a

service provider and in many

cases you can still text 911

with no reception

SAFETY TIPS…

• Know where the exits are in a home and in building hallways

• Do not distribute personal phone numbers of colleagues (or others) without their

permission

• Maintain a schedule with information on when and where recruitment efforts will be

taking place

• Pay attention to personal behavior; sometimes a recruiter’s friendly behavior can give the

wrong impression, especially if cultural differences are present

SAFETY TIPS…

• Dress code—recruiters should wear MEP t-shirts and/or MEP

ID badges

• Always wear comfortable clothes and shoes while working in

the field since you will be regularly walking, standing , climbing

stairs and maybe even running from dogs

• If you feel unsafe during an interview and believe you are or

might be in danger, you should immediately end the interview

and leave—run if necessary!

• Consider taking a self-defense course

GROUP ACTIVITY: PART 1

1) Share with your group a frightening

situation that you encountered while

recruiting

“…Woman must not

depend on the protection

of man but must be taught

to defend herself.”

–Susan B. Anthony 1871

SELF DEFENSE & THE LAW

Individuals have the right to defend themselves whenever it is necessary, with as much force as is

necessary to ensure their safety when assaulted or detained against their will.

1. The defensive actions must be required in order to extract oneself from the situation.

2. The defensive actions and subsequent force being used must be objectively reasonable under

the circumstances.

3. An individual must be protecting themselves from imminent harm of injury, sexual assault

and/or unlawful detention or abduction.

4. The force used in defense must be responding to an ongoing or presently imminent threat.

HELPING OTHERS

• Call for police assistance

• Obtain a good physical description of

individuals, vehicles, direction of travel, etc

THE FOUR “RISKS” OF PERSONAL SAFETY

• Risk Awareness

• Risk Reduction

• Risk Recognition

• Risk Avoidance

This is 90% of Self Defense Education…Prepare for survival!!

RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES: -HOMES-

RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES -YOUR VEHICLE-

A. Visual Scan

B. Once Inside

C. Being Followed

D. Disabled Vehicle

E. Parking

F. Keys

G. Emergency items (car jacks, flares, blankets, matches, flashlights, candles, water, a shovel in colder climates, etc.)

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SELF DEFENSE

1) Increase Reaction Time…

2) Obtain Good Balance…

3) Develop a Plan of Action…

4) Use Distraction Techniques…

5) Identify Vulnerable Locations…

6) Use Your Personal Weapons…

7) Avoid Panic…

8) Disengage and Run…

“If you act like a victim,

chances are good that

you will become a

victim.”

–Laura C. Martin

THE DEFENSIVE POSITIONS

1. Cautious Contact

2. Warning Contact

3. Defensive Stance

WEAPON DEFENSE What is a weapon?? What’s not a weapon!!

• A pen

• A hairbrush

• Hair Spray

• Keys

• A nail file

• A credit card

ANY SOLID OBJECT YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON!!!

“Confidence is the Unconquerable Enemy of Fear.” …Fear into Anger

WEAPONS

1.) Chemical- pepper spray to the face

2.) Electronic- stun guns or Tasers

3.) Keychain or small flashlight

4.) Firearms

THE ATTACK

A. Be ready to RUN!!

B. YELL, instead of scream!

Yelling assists in breathing during confrontation

Yelling projects self confidence and assists in power development

Yelling shocks the consciousness of an aggressor

Yelling can alert others of a problem, attracting attention

Yelling helps to ensure air won’t be knocked out of you should the defender (you) fall to the ground

or be struck.

THE HAND AS A WEAPON

PERSONAL WEAPONS

YOUR

VOICE!!!

VULNERABLE LOCATIONS

HAMMER FIST

Hammer fist arches downward to target

PALM STRIKE

ELBOW STRIKE

STRAIGHT KICK/KNEE TO GROIN

“seize and squeeze”

HEEL STOMP

• To the Foot

• To the Shin

GROUP ACTIVITY: PART 2

1. From the group, pick one situation

scenario

2. List safety tips

3. Pick a representative to share out

loud

THANK YOU!! !

Monica Diaz

(325) 481-4066

Monica.diaz@esc15.net

Carmen Morales

(325) 481-2152

Carmen.morales@esc15.net

www.netxv.net