Information from different countries indicates that 35% of all women have been physically or sexually abused by an intimate or non-intimate partner.

“Gender-based violence has reached undeniably alarming levels in South Africa,” said executive director for South Africa Shenilla Mohamed

According to government statistics, more than 1500 people are murdered every month in South Africa. About 3000 women were murdered last year – or one every three hours – which is more than five times higher than the global average, according to the World Health Organisation. “These murders are proof that the battleground is no longer night-time and dodgy spaces even public spaces like the post office are no longer safe,” said Given Sigauqwe from rights groups Sonke Gender Justice, calling the violence

But what can you do as a woman to prevent or reduce chances of being subject to such incidences?

Clue in to Your Surroundings..

It can be hard to resist the urge of scrolling through your phone, or listen to music through earphones and heard phones while walking down the street or going down for a jog in the morning. However being distracted can increase your chances of becoming a target, so “unplug and be alert” of your surroundings all the time.

Stay connected, all the Time.

It is being advised to stay in touch with your friends and neighbors if you can. The more people you’re in contact with, the better. If possible make sure at least someone else knows where you are the whole time.

Get your own personal Tracking, Panic Device.

Personal Panic Devices can be wearable Panic Button that allows
you to alert your selected contacts wherever you are. These range from stand alone buttons that fit into your smaller pocket to watch and bracelet look-alike wearable fittings. At Keep Electronics we do stock standalone panic buttons that do not require a cellphone but can send notifications to registered contacts in the event of a panic.

Get more info on panic devices. (Click here)

Schools in South Africa are in the grip of an upsurge of violence involving learners and teachers, and the responsible authorities are at a loss in their efforts in containing the situation.

It is very sad and also significantly important to note that learners have been both casualties and perpetrators of violent crimes on school grounds with some incidents fatal.

-A 15-year-old pupil was allegedly involved in an armed robbery in Sea Point High, the learner assaulted a teacher and got away with at least 50 cellphones.

-An incident was reported at Forest High in Johannesburg where a grade eight pupil was stabbed to death at the beginning of June.

-Another learner was accused of stabbing three boys outside the school in an alleged school gang fight.

What is the Government doing about this?

Let us have a look at what the government is doing and has already done about the situation.

The Department of Basic Education said it has measures in place to deal with bullying and other forms of violence in schools but however it was deeply concerned that despite the measures, its anti-violence strategy was not yielding any results. 

The Department said that 50 schools were targeted each year to receive increased security infrastructure based on ongoing stats and information provided to Safe Schools programme, but is this enough?

At this rate it will take at least 520 years to complete the full list of the estimated 26000 schools in the country.

What could be the solution?

It is quite that clear that despite the Departments’ relentless efforts to end with violence in schools, they can not do this alone. A lot can be done if the schools and the community work together.

This is where we come in.

KEEP MY SCHOOL SAFE,

Click here for more information

According to a study by the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention (CJCP), “One in five secondary school learners which is a total of 22.2% has experienced violence while at school in the 12 months between August 2011 and August 2012. This translates to just over a million learners (1 020 597) in a single year.”

“Most of the violence is in the form of bullying as well as psychological violence. The problem is that it can escalate and that is where the danger lies. If that behavior is not recognized by teachers or addressed by the school, with no interventions provided to children, then those situations can escalate into violence that is much more harmful,” Patrick Burton, CJCP executive.

Metal detectors are only a portion of the solution for school security practices.

But lets discuss how really metal detectors can work in reducing violence in our beloved schools.

Detection.

Metal detectors offers the ability to detect all hidden metal weapons upon scanning. These high tech equipment are both reliable and affordable.

Deterrence.

Just by noticing the presence of a check point most chancers will reconsider being in possession of any weapons or even coming in to the premises.

Peace of mind.

These metal detectors will set students, parents and teachers’ minds at ease, by just knowing that everyone in the premises has been screened, creating relaxed and comfortable atmospheres for learning.

Build confidence.

Having metal detectors at a checkpoint point will build confidence with the parents and the community, doing this will simply show that the school is prioritizing the safety and security of learners and teachers and that the school funds are being utilized wisely.

Metal detectors are something you can do, and something you can do quickly, they won’t cure everything but they make a huge difference still.

If someone said whats the happiest thing that comes to mind when one says “The happiest place on Earth” people will usually name places like ‘Disney World’ and if am not mistaken they use Metal Detectors and check bays to enter their parks, why cant schools do the same. I can understand where budget and manpower comes into the discussion, however am sure there are ways that somehow, someway to fund raise towards this investment to secure the lives of our learners and make our schools safer.

At Castle Access Control Systems we are currently running a “Keep my School Safe” and we would like to offer a free site Evaluation and Quotation.

WITH load-shedding being experienced by large parts of the country during winter, at Castle we are warning South Africans to make sure that their alarm systems are tested, upgraded if need be and are working properly.

Many people are under the incorrect assumption that their home alarm system is deactivated when the power supply is interrupted.

However, if you have a stable and correctly-programmed system coupled with a battery that is in good condition, it will continue to protect the premises during a power outage regardless if the outage is because of load-shedding or not.

There are a number of practical steps that can be taken to ensure security is not compromised during power cuts.

Below are some of the most important tips to make sure your security system does not fail you.

It is important that your alarm system has an adequate battery supply. Batteries should be checked regularly.

· Alarms should be checked during extended power outages to keep systems running.

· Power cuts can impact on fire systems and fire control systems; so these also need to be checked regularly.

· The more frequent use of gas and candles can increase the risk of fire and home fire extinguishers should be on hand.

· Above all, remain vigilant during a power cut; be on the look-out for any suspicious activity and report this to us or the SAPS immediately.

Contact a professional (Click here)

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As night times get longer and darker, and phases of load shedding making the situation even worse there is a huge need why one should beef up their home security. Getting a home security system installed can be costly, but not installing one could cost you even more. Let us consider below to top 5 reasons you should

1. Protect your family and loved ones.

The biggest reason a home owner should consider installing a home security system is that it offers protection to family members from intruders. Having a security system in place often provides family members with enough warning to get to a safe location in our outside the home while the alarm system dispatches local authorities. For burglars that enter a home knowing that family members are inside, their intentions are often much more malicious and the home alarm system again serves as an early warning system and calls the authorities in time.

2.Guard your hard earned valuables.

Throughout our lifetimes we collect and purchase a slew of items that have meaning to us. From sentimental inheritances to big ticket purchases, these things represent who we are and the accomplishments we have made. 

3. Get medical assistance when needed

Medical conditions are a real concern for many homeowners and many home alarm companies offer medical alert pendants or emergency pulls. These types of devices are designed so that individuals can press a button or pull a cord and immediately have emergency services to come for assistance.

4. Have professionals take care of your home for you.

One of the biggest benefits to having a monitored home security system is that it provides constant monitoring even when you are unable to do so yourself. The security of your house when leaving town for sometime will not be your headache anymore. Acquire professional advice and assistance.

5.Have peace of mind.

No more sleepless nights, improve your security and have lekker sleepful nights knowing your home is safe