When your kids go off to college, there are a whole host of things to consider so you can ensure they are prepared for the coming school year. You’ll want to make sure to take care of linens and bath supplies, new clothes, room accessories, textbooks, and so much more. But regardless of whether we are talking freshmen leaving home for the first time to experience dorm life, or returning upperclassmen more accustomed to off-campus apartment living, consideration for personal safety should always be of prime importance. It’s important to discuss with them some of the many challenges they’ll be facing outside of academic life.

According to new data from the FBI, violent crimes, including sexual assault, are down across the nation. But while these numbers reflect a positive trend, the fact remains that you could still be at risk. The Rape Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that one out of every six American women has been the victim of attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. College-aged women are especially at risk, and are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted as anyone else in the population. Of further concern, underreporting of sexual assault on college campuses remains a serious issue.

These rates of attack and underreporting have long been of concern, and the U.S. Department of Justice has just recently published a report describing the problem of acquaintance rape of college students, detailing some alarming findings. According to this report, fewer than 5 percent of college women who are victims of rape or attempted rape report it to police. Additionally, earlier this month, the U.S. Senate held a Subcommittee hearing entitled “Rape in the United States: The Chronic Failure to Report and Investigate Rape Cases,” which gives us a sense of how serious and far reaching this issue really is.

The AMW Safety Center has a lot of great information to help your college-aged kids better understand these threats of sexual assault. Whether they or someone they know has been affected by sexual assault, it’s important to understand what kind of threats are classified as sexual assault, and to report the crime when it does in fact occur. Check out some of these expert resources, which we’ve prepared, after the jump. Continue reading The Hidden Threat On College Campuses »

There are countless scams floating around out there with the aim of separating you from your hard-earned money, and you may feel you’ve heard warnings against them all. But many of these scams are successful when you start feeling comfortable and let your guard down. Anyone can become a victim, no matter how savvy you feel you are.

More than 9 million Americans are falling victim to various types of fraud each year, from phishing and online dating scams to credit card fraud and identity theft. And in these times of economic uncertainty, with each of us more conscious over our finances, scammers are taking advantage of folks in a financial bind with credit repair schemes, promises of foreclosure relief or quick money work-at-home scams. And no matter what specific form these scams may take, often times they are the same old tricks dressed up in new clothes.

In fact, according to the National Consumers League, the most reported types of fraud were fake check scams, and were on the rise over the previous year’s numbers. And of these types of scams reported, more than 86 percent consisted of fraudulent mystery shopper, fake sweepstakes and overpayment scams. If you are ever offered payment but asked to send some of the money back, this arrangement is a surefire sign of a scam. The checks look real enough for your bank to process them, and by law your bank must make the money available to you quickly. But just because the money appears in your account does not mean the check was good. It can take weeks for a forged check to be discovered, and when it bounces, you are responsible for the amount deposited.

So many of us are looking for financial opportunities that might help us get through tough times. But letting your guard down could make matters much worse. Check out the NCL site for more information on the different types of fake check scams and other types of fraud, and learn about what you can do to take a stand and avoid falling victim.

For most parents of school-aged kids around the country, back-to-school season is well under way. We’ve talked about talking to your kids making sure they are taking precautions in getting to school safely, but once they arrive, there are plenty of things to keep in mind as well.

While a school can be one of the safest places for for our kids, there are still things such as bullying, thefts, or even playground dangers that they should keep in mind. And in most cases, prevention and preparation can be the greatest protection against a dangerous situation — at school or otherwise. Your kids the deserve to feel safe at school, and the National Crime Prevention Council has some tips to guide you in helping to make going to school a safe experience.

• Make sure to talk to your kids about their day. They may not be immediately open about any problems at school, but look for any warning signs like torn clothing, a sudden drop in grades or loss of friends.
• Ask your kids if they have seen anyone bullied at school, if they’ve been bullied themselves or if anything else is going on that makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Talk to your kids about fighting and about other ways to work out problems they may be having in school.
• Keep up with what your kids are doing online and what sites they frequent. Bullying can happen online as well, so talk to your kids and let them know they can come to you if they encounter any sites or anyone online who is making them feel uncomfortable.
• Talk to your kids’ school to understand what their emergency plans are. How do they respond to emergencies or to violence in schools?

Your kids have bigger things to worry about during the school year, like making friends and growing up. They deserve to feel that their school is a safe and comfortable environment as much as possible. Check out the NCPC site for more tips on keeping your safe kids at school.