Hawaii Violence Prevention

If someone suspects that they or someone they love is a victim of violence, whether domestic, workplace, or otherwise, they must turn to available resources as soon as possible. The sooner a situation has been recognized as dangerous, the sooner the victim can get help and leave before they are seriously injured or even killed. This can be a very difficult subject to approach, because of the social stigma around abuse, and many victims will defend their attacker without realizing what is going on around them. When approaching the subject, friends and family members must use caution to avoid words and phrases that could offend the possible victim, and not speak ill of the possible abuser. This will often lead the victim to close off and not allow anyone to know of the situation they are in. Instead, use more vague and general questions about life at home that may allow the victim to open up without having to share a lot of details. From there, the victim will often open up when feeling as though they are in a safe and private environment, where they will not be attacked. Often, simply knowing that someone cares enough about the individual to notice their emotional or physical troubles is the first step in giving the victim the courage and strength to leave an abusive and potentially dangerous situation.

Regardless of the situation, no one who is involved in a violent relationship should feel stuck or tied down. There are plenty of resources available to everyone in order to offer protection and a feeling of safety. Hawaii residents can turn to a number of websites, telephone hotlines, and other places in order to obtain security and a private place to discuss and escape from the frightening experiences of being a victim of violence.

The most common types of violence are youth (gang) and domestic violence. However, there are several other types of violence as well that should never be tolerated. One example of this is workplace violence. In a pamphlet distributed by the state of Hawaii, the Hawaii Workplace Violence Working Group Committee, it reported that more than 2800 people in the United States filed claims to worker’s compensation funds as a result of workplace violence over the past five years. In addition, more than two million people per year are victims of assault, including rape and even murder, every year. These attacks lose businesses $35 million per year in reparations and other methods of coping with workplace violence. It is more common than one might think, and many people may be afraid to come forward with their claims. Some are physically assaulted by individuals who are their superiors in the company, or fear that they may lose their job if they report the incident. However, most companies are designed to protect each and every employee, and anyone who is a victim of workplace violence should report the incident immediately to their human relations department in order to prevent further violence from taking place against them or others.

Workplace violence is a common problem, and one that continues to grow as more people spend extended periods of time with their coworkers. Those who could be victims must take precautions to avoid dangerous situations, such as walking alone at night or spending time singly with coworkers outside of work. Preventing violence must first be done by making smart decisions to protect each person, and doing so will hopefully decrease the number of victims of workplace violence. Programs are often designed to protect employees, such as having a friend to walk out of work with on dark nights, and these programs should not be taken lightly in order for each person to remain safe.

Trouble with homework, not knowing what to have for lunch, and deciding what activities to take part in are some typical problems your child is faced with when returning to school in the fall. But there’s one other problem that some students have to face when summer’s over and school begins: facing bullies.

School bullies have been around since long before you and even your parents were in school. Today, bullies may be more of a concern than they were when you were the target because of the violence in schools we’ve been experiencing over the last couple of decades. If your child is being targeted by a bully, there are steps you can take to help your child deal with him or her.

First, you’ll want to alert your child’s teacher or principal about the situation privately. The last thing you want is to find out that the bully could cause even more problems later on. You want to make sure that this student doesn’t have any severe violent tendencies that could end up endangering your child’s school. By speaking about this privately, you’ll ensure that the other students aren’t aware that you “tattled” on the bully.

After speaking with your child’s school, you’ll want to speak to her directly. Let her know that she’s not alone with this problem. There are also steps you can take to help her prevent the bully from bothering her anymore. This is a two-part process that includes preventing a run-in with the bully and what to do if she ends up face-to-face with the bully.

To prevent a run-in with her bully, tell your child to avoid her as often as possible. Take a different route than she does, don’t sit by her in class (your child’s teacher can help with this discreetly), don’t sit near them at lunch, and walk away if you see her coming.

When preventive measures don’t work, and your child has to face her bully, she must learn to stand tall and be brave. She can even ask a friend to help her feel braver around her bully.

Your child has just started high school, and you are overwhelmed with emotion. It’s hard to believe that your baby is actually in high school, and growing up faster than the speed of light. You’ve probably had several talks with her about your own high school experiences, which has led you to start contemplating about what it will be like when she starts to date. The last thing that will probably enter your mind when thinking about this is violence.

You’d like to think that your child’s dating experience will be as exciting and innocent as yours was. But in this day and age, it may not always be innocent. Violence can show up in unexpected places, including your child’s dating life. There are some things you’ll need to talk with your daughter about before she starts dating so she understands that teen dating abuse can occur, and she should not tolerate it. If she finds herself in a violent relationship, she needs to remove herself from it immediately.

The facts about teen dating abuse are shocking. One in five teens that have been in a serious relationship has reported being hit, slapped, or pushed by a partner. One in three teens has reported that they know a friend who has experienced dating abuse. And one in four teen girls who have been in a relationship has reported that they’ve been pressured to perform sexual activities with their partner.

Of course, dating abuse isn’t always physical. It can be emotional or verbal too. Controlling behavior may also be a factor. With today’s social networks and texting options on cell phones, it’s easier for predators, including your daughter’s boyfriend, to use these tactics to keep her under his control. This kind of behavior is a warning sign that violence can occur too.

As a parent, there are steps you can take to protect your daughter from dating abuse. Talk to your daughter about it so she’s aware that she doesn’t have to be a victim, and can come to you for help. Let her know up front what is not acceptable.

Natural health is likely one of the best ways to sustain a more long-term approach to good living. Not only are they better for your body overall, but there are more varieties and options to choose from in the natural supplements category. Since the word ‘natural’ usually refers to something that is akin to normally occurring substances, natural versus anything manufactured is often more preferable. Using natural health medicines and supplements helps you to avoiding illnesses as they work to strengthen and support the immune system. They also aid by eliminating the need for synthetic-based medications that can possibly, for extended periods of time, wreak havoc on a person’s bodily functions.

There are different types of natural medicinal substances that are used for multiple reasons:

- Ginger
A very popular, natural spice that is used for upset stomachs and nauseousness. It can be boiled and used as a liquid or used in its raw form.

- Aloe (plant)
Used primarily as a natural cooling and healing agent for burns, rashes and bug bites

- Apple Cider Vinegar
Vinegar has many uses for a wide variety of purposes including ingesting for weight loss, lowering blood pressure and as a reduced calorie alternative for salad dressing. It can also be used as an alternative for household cleaning chemicals and works just as well.

Other things that can be used naturally are: mayonnaise and egg mixture for hair conditioner, lemon and limes for salad dressings and peroxide for teeth whitening. There are many creative uses for products and foods that are found in the home.

Places where you can find foods and medications that support natural health can be found at health food stores and in dedicated aisles in the grocer’s market. These stores specialize in natural living and stock their shelves with products that are conducive towards promoting the idea of better health.  And like everything else – from JR Dunn designer jewelry to accessories for your car – you can also find these items online very easily.

The best time to each violence prevention to anyone is to stress the importance of it at an age as young as possible. We teach babies not to hit, spit or kick their siblings or playmates and continue that teaching throughout their formative years. Sometimes children learn these behavioral principles early on, and sometimes it takes other children a little longer to understand that they shouldn’t do those aggressive things.

By the time those little ones get to kindergarten, hopes are that they’ve learned social skills and there won’t be any problems with aggressive behavior. It sounds good, but it’s not always the case and behavioral skills just have to be re-taught. Teaching children how to avoid violent behavior as kindergartners should start early on and as quickly as possible.

The first step is helping them to understand social and interactive skills that teach them how to respect others by talking and sharing. Something as small even as sharing a pair of scissors or crayons can help little kids interact and learn how to practice patience while dealing with other people. Violence begins when there is no understanding or appreciation of another person’s opinion, resulting in a breakdown of communications. Teaching kindergartners to share and be polite avoids aggressive behavior and is a step towards reducing violence in their future.

To help kindergartners avoid violent behavior, adults should de-emphasize any instances where violent behavior is exhibited. This means ignoring them when they do things they shouldn’t. Aside from addressing issues that are overly-aggressive, small things like breaking in line, yelling out in class, shoving their classmate or snatching crayons from their neighbor are all things that the teacher should react calmly and quietly too. Giving the situation too much attention or dwelling on it too long reinforces to the child that they can get attention if they do “that thing.” The situation can often be diffused by addressing the problem quietly, away from the crowd (if possible) and following it up with what “is” expected from the child. Most often, by confronting the situation in this matter, they will exhibit the behavior that you want them to as long as they continue to receive a positive reaction to their behavior.

Playing sports is probably one of the best forms of exercise that people engage in for fun, weight loss or as something they may do competitively. Sports requires a lot of energy and focus, especially if it is a team sport like football or basketball. Engaging in various sport activities also demands periods of endurance to be successful like running, swimming or skiing. As in most any sports-natured situation, safety procedures should be observed to keep the person safe, in good health and enjoyable. Here are a few sports tips to ensure that safety procedures are always practiced:

Pre-Conditioning

- Always pre-condition your body before engaging in sports. This is very important for team sports and also for solo sports. Pre-conditioning keeps the body strong and helps to avoid injuries from occuring. Include things like strength-training, lifting weights and brisk walks or runs to build the body’s endurance and stamina. This will give your body the endurance it needs to safely engage in the sport.

Proper Hydration

- Practicing sports safety also includes properly hydrating the body in order to have the stamina and endurance to engage in any sport. Hydrating can be done through adequate water intake or any sports drinks that balances sodium and electrolytes in the body. Keeping hydrated also helps the sports player to perform better and slowly raises their performance level.

Adequate Equipment

- Part of sports safety also includes having and using the proper equipment for the job. This will include things like football pads, baseball safety helmets, quality running shoes or safety swimming googles. The right sports equipment can fully protect a persons body during the sports activity and it’s important to have quality equipment to ensure complete safety.

Safety procedures don’t always have to involve anything too complicated, but sometimes only neccesitates using good judgement and practical applications. Observing good sports safety procedures can keep the player safe and greatly increase his odds at enjoying the sport for as long as possible.

During hot summer months, a great way to cool off is by taking a dip in the pool and letting the water whisk away the scorch of the blazing heat. Swimming is a favorite pastime for children and adults. It’s a great way to get in a good exercise regimen and a fun way to cool off from summertime heat. Cooling off at the local community pool is the way most people find to swim if they don’t have a personal pool at their home.

Enjoying the pool is also a great way to entertain and have fun with friends. Pool parties are frequent entertainment venues and can provide countless hours of fun. However, along with the fun and entertainment that this popular pastime provides, there are safety issues that must be observed so that the swimmer can continue to enjoy their favorite community pool and stay in good health. Some good tips for public pool and general pool safety include:

1.) Observe community pool rules and acclimate yourself with their requirements and the do’s and dont’s of their establishment. Part of the pool requirements will likely be included in your membership fees and may also be posted inside the pools common area where traffic is heavy.

2.) Don’t run at the pool or alongside the pool at any time. This is a very dangerous situation and a great cause for concern for many public pools. There is a lot of water on the rim of the pool, in the common walking area, therefore running and playing close to this area is highly discouraged because one slip can become a big problem and cause severe accidents.

3.) Bathe before entering the pool. This reduces the transference of germs and bacteria and shows common courtesy to those around you.

These few, basic tips for public pool safety will make your visit to the local community pool more enjoyable and healthier in the long run.

In most all public setting, the rules for safety vary according to each different place and situation. Depending on what is going on and the environment surrounding it, safety rules and regulations may change in requirements. What may be acceptable and viable in one situation may change in another situation. Public facilities have general safety measures that they use to operate their business and to ensure safety for their customers and their business. However, even though rules may vary from one setting to another, there are some general rules that you can follow to ensure safety in most any situation. They are:

Self Protection

Always protect yourself and those with you by observing the rules that are applicable to the public place that you’re attending. It most public places, there is an understood inference that you take responsibility for your own actions and the actions of those with you. For instance, in restaurants, parents are responsible for keeping their children under control and making sure that they don’t cause any problems. You can ensure self-protection by making sure the kids understand that they shouldn’t run and play in a sit-down restaurant or stick their foot out as the waiter walks by.

Public Pools

Probably one of the most popular places for the general public to be, it is not void of its own set of rules and regulations governing this type of water entertainment. Always ensure that there is a life-guard on duty for whatever pool you may be attending. If there isn’t a lifeguard on duty, be sure that you and those with you are good swimmers and know basic pool safety rules. It also helps to understand physical safety measures like resuscitation and water danger signs in case it becomes necessary.

Always observe signs around you, and make sure to notice anything out of the ordinary or different in any situation that will help you understand how the place works and what is expected from you while you’re in that particular environment.