Seminar will focus on personal safety issues

The program was initiated by the women of the NRA.
WARREN -- The National Rifle Association's Refuse To Be A Victim program will conduct a crime-prevention seminar at 5 p.m. March 23 at the YWCA of Warren, 375 North Park Ave.
The seminar is three to four hours long, open to the public and costs $25. Pre-registration is required and may be done by contacting certified instructor Pam Karousis at either (330) 638-6245 or (330) 720-1110.
Refuse To Be A Victim seminars teach methods to avoid dangerous situations and prevent criminal confrontations. Experts agree that the most important factor in surviving a criminal attack is an overall safety strategy before you need it. Seminar topics address personal safety as well as home, automobile, phone, technological and travel issues. Seminar participants are presented with a variety of common-sense strategies and devices that they may integrate into their daily lives. Firearm instruction is not included.
Refuse To Be A Victim was developed by the women of the NRA in 1993 in response to requests from women nationwide for crime prevention seminars. In 1997, the program became co-ed. Since that time, it has reached tens of thousands of women and men. With more than 2,000 instructors nationwide, seminars have been presented in 49 states and the District of Columbia.
Refuse To Be A Victim is also very popular with law enforcement agencies and crime prevention groups. Numerous departments have had officers certified by NRA to conduct seminars. Many other organizations endorse it, such as the Virginia Crime Prevention Association (VCPA), which has incorporated it into its training schedule for crime prevention officers. Patrick Harris, Executive Director of the VCPA, said, "This course is a valuable tool that helps crime prevention officers show people how they can control their crime risks at home, work, and while traveling, by removing the opportunities that lead to crime.''
To find other Refuse To be A Victim seminars, or for information on how you can become a certified instructor for the program, call (800) 861-1166, send an e-mail to refuse@nrahq.org, or visit the program's Web site at http://www.nrahq.org/rtbav.