Not an easy victim...

Okay, so now that you know you're a target and why, let's talk about making it harder for someone to "hit" you. This isn't about being afraid. This isn't paranoia. This is about claiming your right to live your life. Everything worthwhile in life takes focus and attention. Your safety and security is no different. While there's no guarantee that you or I or anyone we know and love won't be victim to some horrible event, I believe following a few steps greatly improve our odds.

1. Be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to the people walking by; make sure they see you see them. Most criminals want to surprise you.
2. Travel in alternate routes. Don't be predictable. If you go the same way, every day, you provide information that could leave you, your family or your home vulnerable.
3. If you tend to work later than your counterparts, don't park in dark or isolated areas.
4. The same for traveling alone. Park in well-lit areas with people. Most criminals don't want witnesses.
5. On traveling and social media - even if its just to a local event. Safer to post after the fact than to post live. Countless news reports have been written about the family who returns home from vacation or a day at the fair to find their home ransacked and their possessions stolen simply because they announced they were going and then that they were gone and every other detail of their itinerary on social media.
6. When hiring anyone to work in or around your home, be very careful not to give your trust to them easily.
7. THE MOST IMPORTANT!! Make sure that you have a good communication plan so that the people you love and that love you always have a reasonable idea of where you are and where they are. There should always be someone who will know when something is wrong within hours, NOT DAYS. We call it "knowing when to worry."

These are just a few ways to avoid becoming a victim. There are lots more. Let's face it, criminals are looking for the easy way out. Don't make it easy for them. You might not get justice, like we did, as shown in this photo:

"Walking Between The Raindrops" by Mary and Paul Roland - An American couple's true story of kidnap-for-ransom in the United States as directed by the most vicious drug cartel in Mexico. On sale in paperback and eBook at Amazon.com.