Most date rape victims ‘are made helpless by drink and not drugs’

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Title – Most date rape victims ‘are made helpless by drink and not drugs’
Source – Daily Mail
Date – 16th November 2006

Excessive consumption of alcohol is still the overwhelming contributing factor to so many problems faced by those working within the security industry and licensed retail sector. In recent years the threat of date rape drugs being used has added to the concerns of those working within the sector. Most will have heard the phrase “I think my drink has been spiked” when dealing with intoxicated individuals and many will know this can often be an excuse rather then a reason.

But can we really afford to ignore a situation when an accusation like that has been made? Not if we want to continue to impress that the security industry is one where professionalism and customer care have been made a priority. But although every situation has to be dealt with on its merit, we must learn from our own experience and take on board the facts rather then the hype.

In this study only 10 out of 120 cases of 'Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault' (DFSA) involved any kind of date rape drug, but 119 had consumed alcohol. There were 11 other cases where the results were not proved either way. So even in the worst case scenario in this study only 17.5% of actual DFSA victims showed any sign of “date rape drugs”. However 99% showed signs of having consumed alcohol and a third of these were over three times over the drink drive limit.

We can clearly see from this report that alcohol is still the overwhelming substance involved in DFSA and those of us working within the security industry and licensed retail sector must ensure that we consider the consequences of binge and excessive drinking. This process starts at the door when customers come into our venues and continues when they buy drinks at the bar, follows on when customers use our facilities such as the dance floor or toilets and doesn’t end when they have left our venues, but only when they are safely on their way to their next destination. From start to finish we have a responsibility towards them and a duty of care. To carry out our responsibilities all staff need training and not just the Door Supervisors. The days of bar staff filling customers up on alcohol and Door Supervisors throwing them out once full, is gone and the age of accepting responsibility throughout is upon us.

It may be concluded from this report that alcohol could be considered as one of the drugs covered by the catch-all 'date rape drugs' and in fact be the most prolific drug used. Drink spiking may seem to be in some circumstances a prank where friends are trying to get each other more and more drunk, there is a very sinister side to this practice and we all have a responsibility to help stamp out this practice and act responsibly and professionally.

We understand the contradictions that reports and press releases can portray. On the one hand a report will be published like this one and weeks later we will hear that one in eight drinks are spiked, who knows what to believe? Reports like this suffer from a lack of victims coming forward and the short time frames involved in getting victims tested. Date rape drugs notoriously disappear from the blood stream quickly and often, by the time the victims realise what has happened, there is no way to confirm the drug used to facilitate their attack.

Training staff can go a long way to resolving these problems as individuals realise their responsibilities and the dangers of ignoring them, the sinister side to slipping an extra vodka in a 'friends' drink need to be put into perspective and the real dangers need to be more widely understood within your business and the sector as a whole.



Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk

Student arrested over Canary Wharf photos

Title – Student arrested over Canary Wharf photos
Source – London Student
Date – November 2006

Stereotypes are used in every day life, literally every day. We make a judgement on someone within the first 6 seconds of seeing them. With the newspapers full of stories of Al-Qaeda, home grown terrorists, new nuclear powers, rape, theft, murder and drugs, we can sometimes be excused for jumping to conclusions. But for those of us working within the security industry, it is our job to make informed judgements rather then simply reacting to situations.

No one can make a judgement based on how someone looks, but we can make a judgement on someone’s behaviour, but a judgement is not only a first impression, we have to try at every available chance to get more information before we act to deal with a situation.

Those attending our Conflict Management and Resolution courses (CMR) and the National Certificate for Door Supervisors (NCDS), as well as many of our other courses learn about human behaviour, body language and the meaning behind them. Taking a picture of one of London’s landmarks is not unusual behaviour and not something that should raise too many eyebrows. It may be that the police have information that those working in the private security industry simply don’t have access to. The security industry does however have a vital role to play alongside the police to support them and needs to be aware of as much information as possible both locally, nationally and internationally.

The law in the UK allows for those working within the security industry to maintain order in their venues. Those who understand the law and work within it, can use it to their advantage and enjoy a higher rate of success, then those that ignore rules and think they are either a private police force or outside of the law.

Our courses allow individuals attending to make decisions based on all information available to them and not on simple first impressions and negative stereotypes.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk

Sports initiations banned

Title – Sports initiations banned
Source – London Student
Date – November 2006

University students are famed for the frequency of their drinking binges. To some on the outside it seems that they do nothing other then drink 24/7 and party every night leaving a trail of destruction and stolen gnomes, street signs and traffic cones in their wake.

It is a stereotype that is not without its foundation, students in the UK consumed hundreds of millions of pounds worth of alcohol every year and breweries and pub chains spend millions trying to attract them to drink even more. The market is fiercely competitive and sometimes goes too far. One of the stalwarts of the student drinking haunts has traditionally been the Students’ Union or Guild. Once viewed as venues where hay bails and cheep beer went hand in hand, these facilities have progressed over the years to compete in this market place and have positioned themselves in many cases at its heart.

They often have the advantage of location, loyalty and pricing as there are not the pressures of shareholders expecting handsome returns, but rather the pressures of stakeholders ensuring they are getting value for money. But in many cases the success behind Students’ Unions and Guilds is more simple and straight forward, they provide bars and venues where students are surrounded by other students, feel safe and are looked after by people that really care and understand them.

Not all Students’ Unions and Guilds are as progressive as others and in general those that have systems and training in place and carry that training through are more successful then their counter parts. The progressive organisation have long term strategies that involve providing environments that their customers will want to come back to time and time again. Those that can’t see past discounting as a way of making short term gain, will never fulfil their true potential.

Some practices within the University environment still raise eyebrows, by actively encouraging binge drinking and increasing peer pressure beyond acceptable levels. But even these practices are starting to be addressed by some like UCL, who have banned the practice of sports team initiations that lead to so many individuals to drink beyond their comfortable level and more then they would choose to do so, on their own.

With over 15 years of experience of working within the Students’ Union and University sector, I understand the needs of the student market and the way to create success with all the constraints that are often placed on organisations within this system. We can help you make the most of the resources available to you, especially in the form of the students themselves. With our In-House Security Induction courses (IHSI), Licensed Retail Sector Consultancy Service and our portfolio of BIIAB Licensed Retail Sector courses as well as the National Certificate for Door Supervisors (NCDS). Through these and the Event Management side of our business, we can help support and reinvigorate your business in almost any area where it needs to be supported.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk

Next time buy a ticket! – The ticket collector who throttled a passenger

Title – Next time buy a ticket! – The ticket collector who throttled a passenger
Source – London Lite
Date – 3rd October 2006

“This is the moment an inspector throttles a suspected fare dodger. The official put both his hands round the man’s throat while a colleague helps pin him to the ground by holding down his arms, legs and body”

Not words you will hear from one of our instructors, but rather the headlines from the evening standard. Immediately the reader sees the inspector as the one in the wrong and the fare dodger as the victim. From the inspectors point of view they are doing their job and controlling and catching those that choose to break the rules. Who is right and who is wrong? In this case, no doubt, a court will decide.

Clearly 'throttling' is no longer an acceptable restraint technique, not only does the victim have the right to fear for their life and therefore is more likely to fight back with additional force and aggression, but as a technique it can lead to serious injury. We actively advise against all such actions and as part of our Physical Intervention training (PI) we demonstrate techniques where the same restraint can be achieved without the need to use excessive strength or force.

With the correct training, two inspectors could restrain an individual if the situation required it without making these headlines. But more importantly with our Conflict Management and Resolution training (CMR) we examine ways of avoiding conflict in the first place and communicating effectively so that any kind of physical intervention is a last resort and appropriate to the circumstances, not to mention within the law.

Business managers know the effect headlines like these can have on their operation. But even if it doesn’t make the headlines, physical intervention, what ever the circumstance, always leaves a negative impression on other customers. They only ever see a two dimensional picture of the situation that is occurring and will not comprehend what has led to it in the first place. With the appropriate training we can help your staff to approach situations in a more professional and effective manner. This approach promotes your business rather than harming it.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk

The fare dodger throttled by ticket inspector

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Title – The fare dodger throttled by ticket inspector
Source – Evening Standard
Date – 3rd October 2006

Fare dodging in the UK is a substantial problem. The industry claims to loose some £210 million on London commuter routes alone and although methods of detection and control are getting ever more common, through the use of automatic ticket barriers and more sophisticated technologies, there is still a strong emphasis on the industry’s staff in the form of train guards and ticket inspectors.

There will be arguments on both sides when this type of incident occurs and claims and counter claims will continue as investigations take place both within the train operators own systems and by the police. The results of these may be published at some later date and a conclusion might be printed on page 25 of a local newspaper. But for the company involved the damage has been done, publicity like this on the front page of several newspapers will be the only thing commuters remember.

The consequences of these actions could be numerous. The individual concerned who allegedly 'throttled' a passenger (as seems to be indicated by the pictures of his hands on the passenger’s throat), is already reduced to 'back-room' duties and could potentially face further disciplinary action. The passenger (or alleged fare dodger) has already had a traumatic experience and in some of the articles printed covering this story, was at various times struggling to breathe. The train operator has clearly suffered a blow to its image and questions should be asked about the level of training given to staff involved on the front line of ticket inspection.

However the greatest damage is potentially to the thousands of other ticket inspectors and train guards working in the industry. These individuals who already suffer regular abuse, aggression and sometimes even violence collectively took a step back when this story hit the front pages. If the allegations are true then they are likely to face further aggression and abuse as a collective, from certain sectors of their customer base. Bad publicity such as this can only make them more of a target and the loss of the 'moral high ground' makes a hard job, that much harder.

It is obvious to anyone that in 2006, 'Throttling' (grabbing someone round the neck with both hands) is an unacceptable and outdated technique and no way to deal with anyone let alone someone suspected of a relatively minor offence. Although the full details of this case will only be established through the relevant investigations and no conclusion should be reached by those without all the facts, at first glance it seems that the alleged 'fare dodger' was outnumbered by staff and under their control when this alleged 'throttling' took place.

Beyond The Blue is a training company established to help employers and their employees deal with these types of situations without the need to result to dangerous and antiquated methods, which can sometimes be instinctive when the adrenaline is flowing through your body. But the circumstances do not justify the means. Our Conflict Management and Resolution course (CMR) help to train those individuals on the front line who often have to deal with aggressive and violent individuals (as well as those allegedly suspected of committing an offence), to resolve the situation in a non violent and non aggressive way. When all else fails and physical intervention is required, the techniques we teach on our Physical Intervention Course (PI) allow individuals and those working together to maintain their own safety and that of a second party.

In an age where people carry cameras with them on their phones wherever they go and where ever more areas are covered by CCTV, companies must not only consider the safety of their staff as a top priority, but the reputation of their company and the effect that this will have on others within their industry.



Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk

Get tough drive on NHS violence

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Title – Get tough drive on NHS violenceSource – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 15th August 2006

With over 60,000 NHS staff being assaulted last year (2005) alone the situation with aggression and violence in the UK’s workforce has reached a critical stage. Employers are now starting to take drastic steps to deal with the problem and more high profile policing and security measures seem to be the preferred route for those employers who realise the hugely negative effect this is having on their workforce and businesses.

Beyond The Blue is a training company that was set up to provide services to businesses, organisations and individuals to help people protect themselves against physical violence and aggression. Our Conflict Management & Resolution Courses (CMR) help individuals understand the problem and face the realities. We examine ways to reduce the risks and protect individuals through a variety of sessions. The course covers areas such as good communication skills, recognising the signs of aggression and ways of breaking the problem down to make it possible to resolve the conflict without the need for violence and aggression.

We also teach personal safety skills so that when individuals find themselves in situations where they are the victim of violence or aggression, they can use the techniques we teach to try and remove themselves from it and create time and space in order to get away or call for help. Our physical intervention techniques are all based on 'low impact' methods that use leverage and the strength used against you, rather then your own strength to free yourself from the situation. This means they are suitable for any person of any size or build and strength is no longer the dominating factor. The other advantage of our techniques is that they are often so subtle that the aggressor doesn’t even know they are taking place and this results in less aggression being shown. It is a commonly reported fact that using force against another person generally results in more force being used against you, our methods don’t require force and therefore can often resolve situations without them escalating. They are simple and easy to learn and most importantly they are easy to remember.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk

Bag with a bang

Title – Bag with a bang
Source – Straits Times
Date – 25th June 2006

Although this incident in Thailand is fortunately not replicated in the UK very often, the UK remains on high alert from terrorist attacks and there is always the danger of revenge attacks or civil unrest to contend with.

We also have to be aware that countries which on the surface seem like they are perfectly safe to visit can have an under-reported more dangerous side. For a simple one destination trip this doesn’t pose too many problems as the destination can be researched, however when on a longer trip involving overland routes, you may find yourself transported through the heartland of the conflict. Such can be the case in southern Thailand, a country that still attracts 750,000 British Tourists every year, but which in the south has been struggling with civil unrest for some two years and with over 1200 casualties reported (August 2006 figures).

Beyond The Blue - Safe Gap Year run courses on Gap Year & Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop to provide individuals with the information they require to travel safely throughout the world.

Beyond The Blue also provides Consultancy Services to companies and organisations as well as Event Management during which we review staff training and security issues and put measures into place to reduce the risks of determined and random attacks against our client’s interests.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk