Women’s Independent Press

In this country, people are being bought, sold, and smuggled like modern-day slaves.

According to the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking An estimated 2.5 million people are in forced labor (including sexual exploitation) at any given time as a result of trafficking. The majority of trafficking victims are between 18 and 24 years of age
An estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked each year
95% of victims experienced physical or sexual violence during trafficking (based on data from selected European countries)
Project to End Human Trafficking
Pittsburgh, PA
412-578-6478
http://www.endhumantrafficking.org/

Recognizing the Signs
www.polarisproject.org

• Are you or someone you know being trafficked? Is human trafficking happening in your community? Is the situation you may have encountered actually human trafficking?
The following is a list of potential red flags and indicators of human trafficking to help you recognize the signs.
If you see any of these red flags, contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text to BeFree (233733) for specialized victim services referrals or to report the situation. Click here to learn more about reporting potential human trafficking situations. This list is not exhaustive and represents only a selection of possible indicators. Also, the red flags in this list may not be present in all trafficking cases and are not cumulative.
Common Work and Living Conditions: The Individual(s) in Question
• Is not free to leave or come and go as he/she wishes
• Is under 18 and is providing commercial sex acts
• Is in the commercial sex industry and has a pimp / manager
• Is unpaid, paid very little, or paid only through tips
• Works excessively long and/or unusual hours
• Is not allowed breaks or suffers under unusual restrictions at work
• Owes a large debt and is unable to pay it off
• Was recruited through false promises concerning the nature and conditions of his/her work
• High security measures exist in the work and/or living locations (e.g. opaque windows, boarded up windows, bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc.)
Poor Mental Health or Abnormal Behavior
• Is fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid
• Exhibits unusually fearful or anxious behavior1 after bringing up law enforcement
• Avoids eye contact
Poor Physical Health
• Lacks health care
• Appears malnourished
• Shows signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture
Lack of Control
• Has few or no personal possessions
• Is not in control of his/her own money, no financial records, or bank account
• Is not in control of his/her own identification documents (ID or passport)
• Is not allowed or able to speak for themselves (a third party may insist on being present and/or translating)
Other
• Claims of just visiting and inability to clarify where he/she is staying/address
• Lack of knowledge of whereabouts and/or do not know what city he/she is in
• Loss of sense of time
• Has numerous inconsistencies in his/her story

By Anne Fleming
www.women-drivers.com

Recently, CNBC reviewed a report by The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) which studied the factors that car insurers take into account in determining how much to charge an individual for insurance coverage. You will likely be surprised by the factors that are taken into consideration. The factors are so diverse, and often so seemingly unrelated to safe driving, that CNBC had this to say, “A new study shows auto insurers frequently charge good drivers higher premiums than those who recently caused an accident. And it appears from this research that the safe drivers who pay more are often lower income.”

Since we at Women Drivers.com advocate that you take time each year and with each change of circumstances to review your car insurance policy and update it if appropriate, you will want to take these new findings into consideration when doing your research.
Let’s start with the basics:

Change Your Policy When Your Circumstances Change – You May Need Less or More Coverage
• Are you now driving a shorter or longer distance to work than you did when your current policy was written? Or, do you drive your car strictly for personal use now when you were working in the past?
• Are there fewer people in your household now so fewer drivers? For example, has a teenager gone away to college?
• Have you gotten a divorce? You might lose the benefit of having multiple car insurance policies with one company but pick up benefits because your driving record is clean while your spouse’s is not.
• Another factor is the age of your car so if you now have the older car and he has the newer one, your rate could go down accordingly.
• Do you have passengers in your car who you want to protect or do you generally drive alone?
• Do you still live in the same place or have you moved to an area with heavier and more difficult driving conditions, heavier traffic or increase crime rates?
• Have you upgraded your car’s safety by adding equipment such as LED lights?
Compare Different Insurers and Take the Time to Find the Company That is Best for You
• While it would seem to go without saying, not all insurers charge the same amount for the same coverage. Moreover, not all insurers are created equal. Some may cost a little more but provide better, more efficient service with less hassle. It’s worth it to do your research.
• Also, what is “best” for one person, may not be “best” for another. Consider affordability, value of services and responsiveness and well as price. Prioritize according to your needs.
• We suggest you do a search of “sites to compare automobile insurers” to come up with many different online websites that will compare insurers for you.
• Your state’s insurance department website probably has a comparison chart that lists rates for your area for hypothetical customers. We strongly urge that you take advantage of this service. Find a link to your state’s insurance department at: National Association of Insurance Commissioners. For example, using that link for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania we were led to several possible topics with links, including Why You Need Insurance, Types of Policies, How to Choose a Company and others. Clicking on Types of Policies we were able to discover what an insurance company in Pennsylvania will consider in quoting a premium amount. While it may not discriminate based on race, religion, nationality or ethnic group, age, sex, family size, occupation, place of residence or marital status, it may take into account the type and age of the vehicle, safety features, where the vehicle is garaged, the average number of miles driven in a year, the coverages and limits chosen for the policy and the driving history of the drivers, to name a few.
Consider the Safety Features of Your Vehicle and Make Sure They are Taken Into Account by Your Insurer
Insurance companies will give consideration to safety features in your car when quoting a rate to you. Some of the features that they consider are these:
• Anti-lock brakes
• Whether your car is garaged
• Back-up rear view monitors, sensors and cameras
• Front and side, passenger and backseat airbags, particularly when they are designed to sense the size, weight, and seating position of each occupant.
• Day time lights – these help not only your vision but your visibility to other vehicles
• Keyless starters
• Window Sketching – this means that the VIN number is literally etched into the glass so it cannot be altered by thieves
• Stolen vehicle recovery systems that help police locate stolen vehicles
• Tire pressure monitoring systems which keep your car running more safely and for a longer time
• Anti-theft devices and built in alarms
• Wireless tracking devices that monitor driving behaviour – these are installed by the insurance company at your request and gauge mileage and speed
• Alcohol sensors – these will prevent the car from being driven by someone under the influence of alcohol
• LED lights
• Blind spot detection and lane departure warning systems, both relatively new developments, let you know when an object is in your blind spot and sense the speed and distance of oncoming vehicles.

Driver Discounts are Available
• your gender - although varying by state, the average car insurance rate for women is around 9% lower than for men
• a safe driving record, for every year that you’ve had no accidents or tickets;
• low mileage
• the higher your credit score the lower your premium
• retiree, generally for drivers aged 55 or older
• women as head of the household
• college student who lives 100 miles away from home that does not have a car on campus
• taking adult and student driver education courses
• holding more than one car insurance policy with the same insurance company or bundling your auto, life and home insurance with the same insurer.
• having a larger up-front deductible
• According to the CNBC report insurers also consider, whether they should or not, age, education, occupation or in some cases, your credit score. Believe it or not, accountants and teachers are considered to be in “low risk occupations” and pay less than other professionals. So whether those criteria are obvious in the calculation or not, be aware that they may be unspoken factors taken into consideration by the insurance company.
Take a look at your car insurance policy at least annually and take nothing for granted. You may find that an hour of work can save you hundreds of dollars. It’s worth your time.

About www.Women-Drivers.com™
Now women are more empowered thanks to the #1 resource that connects them to Certified Women-Drivers Friendly™ car dealerships in the United States. Check this site out and learn about dealer reviews and all the educational tips and tools you need for an informed purchase to get the best deal. Visit www.Women-Drivers.com and download your free copy of Women’s No Stress Guide to Buying a Car.

Nancy Mramor, Ph.D.

Dine with others and you are guaranteed better health! The social aspect of being with others is high on the list of things that make you healthier and happier. But is there a high tech hierarchy that matches our social and emotional needs? And is it determined by what you eat, with whom and for how often. Psychologist Abraham Maslow found that when you hunger to meet your needs, you seek them as you would food. What does that look like in the world of friends and Facebook? Your most basic need is hunger. There need be no social contact or networking here, no tweeting about your bowl of raisin bran or texting a friend to come over to enjoy watching the milk saturate the wheat flakes.

Consistency and stability come next on the social needs ladder. Use Google Calendar so you don’t miss your happy hour with the same group of casual work friends. You can acknowledge the sushi, sangria and social networks on Linkedin or Google +. You can pitch benefits of healthy eating by posting “Taking care of my health at Nekama, with the gang from the office. Find out more about fish oil @http://tinyurl.com/cbm5ddb.” Posts at this level tend to be safe not provocative. The urge to post about fish overrides the need to take up the cause of farm raised vs. wild caught.

Belonging comes next on the ladder of social needs; with belonging you begin to tweet about girlfriends’ night out for drinks and hor’dourves or your regular coffee with a colleague. #CoffeeGeek caught a blond roast @ Starbucks while launching a new branding campaign today with my networking group. Your tweet is more about your dish and your desires than your date. #CoffeeGeek gets to brand his expertise on Twitter.

Pinterest taps into your next level of needs for esteem and leadership among your friends. It’s the place where you post your favorite food photos and recipes to make mouths water and become the queen of cuisine. You can post photos of your lunch or birthday cake but there is definitely a shared element of friendship seeking and acknowledgement when you pin. PInterest offers a high level of branding; you can become a food guru with a brand such as Food Mantra.

When you begin Facebook posting, you’re ready to meet your needs for fulfillment. These are needs for enrichment and peak experience that definitely involve posts and photos of close friends, partners, duck dinners, a casual dinner at home and vacations near and far. This is the top of the emotional food chain and the relationship world. Your significant other, family and close friends are seen with you at picnics graduations and planting basil and mint in your garden. You review dinners out with friends @urbanspoon.com. Finally, “Find something you are passionate about and stay tremendously interested in it,” as Julia Child once said. The message holds in world a full of food, friends and social networking choices.Facebook and Website photo posts in combination reveal signs of true passion and commitment. Your life is expressed by what you post and with whom you dine, live and have your raisin bran. The full circle of your cyber world is then genuinely, technically and gastronomically complete.

Eat, Love and Twitter can also be found on the website for Table Magazine

Nancy Mramor, M.S., C.A.G.S., Ph.D.
CEO, Transformedia, LLC

Transformational Media for Real Conscious Living
Licensed Psychologist, Award-winning Author
Media Expert, International Speaker
412-445-5352
www.drnancyonline.com
drnancy@drnancyonline.com

Business Exchange Networking Lunch

* Give a 1-2 minute commercial for your business.
* Bring business cards, brochures, and samples.
* Make new business contacts.

Four Dates and Locations:

July 3- Wexford, Atria’s, 12980 Perry Highway, Wexford
RSVP: email Michelle Zmijanac at
Michellezmijanac@bestpracticesdelivered.com

July 10- Mount Lebanon, Atria’s, 110 Beverly Rd, Mt. Lebanon
RSVP: email Tina Noblers at
TinaNobers@CMNNutritionGroup

July 17- Murrysville, Bella Luna Trattoria, 5060 William Penn
Hwy, Monroeville, Pa 15146
RSVP Carol@CarolBrineyWorkFromHome.com

July 24- Fox Chapel, Comfort Inn (Old Holiday Inn) in RIDC
Park, Ohara Twp
RSVP: 412-781-8773 or PlanBConsultant@comcast.net

Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Cost: $18 (Bring cash; No-shows will be billed for the lunch)
RSVP: By Monday prior to the event

For more info, go to: www.blxnetworking.com

The WSBA Network Lunch

A Networking Luncheon for Women Business Owners & Professionals

“Get Heard, Get Noticed, Get Leads”

A networking event open to any business woman who would like
to increase her business contacts/clientele. Our networking
format will be structured to provide participants with high
profile and networking. Bring 20-30 business cards/brochures,
cash for your lunch check, and be prepared to give a 60-second commercial about yourself.

July 8 - 1:00 p.m. - Beaver County
July 10 - 11:30 a.m. - Shaler/Gibsonia
July 12 - 1:00 p.m. - Robinson/Airport
July 16 - 1:00 p.m. - East End
July 17 - 1:00 p.m. - South Hills

July 18 - 1:00 p.m. - Washington
July 19 - 1:00 p.m. - Monroeville
July 23 - 1:00 p.m. - North Hills
July 24 - 5:15 p.m. - After Work (Mansions on Fifth Hotel)
July 26 - 12:00 p.m. - Westmoreland

Host: Women’s Small Business Association
Fee: $5 meeting fee (plus the cost of lunch)
RSVP: Required (Note: Any “Yes” RSVPs who do not show
will be charged a $20 no-show fee.)

For more info and to register online,
go to: www.wsba.ws
If you have further questions, contact Eileen Conniff Marzullo
at 412-429-9919 or marzullope@verizon.net

Brown Bag Lunch
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
12:00 – 1:30pm (note longer time)
Speaker: Scot Teachout, Sandler Training
Topic: Break the Rules and Close More Sales

Develop your selling skills to move up to the next level or continue to perform at status quo. Come join award winning Business Development Specialist, Scot Teachout, for insight into selling in the new economy.

Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania
1650 Main Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15215
FREE
RSVP: 412.782.5344 or volunteersofamerica@voapa.org

Ignite Pittsburgh

Ignite Pittsburgh is ready to set the City of Bridges on fire with
our first event of 2013 - Wednesday, July 10th at Brillobox in
Bloomfield! We’ve got a hot lineup of speakers planned, fun
activities, networking and, of course, beer! Space is limited,
so buy your tickets early to reserve your spot!

About Ignite Ignite Pittsburgh is part of a worldwide network that entertains and educates people by highlighting great ideas coming to life here in the City of Bridges. At each event, presenters will be on stage for 5 minutes (20 slides, 15 seconds per slide). These talks are a “spark”–they are lightning fast and leave people with a new idea to mull over and talk about.

Date: July 10, 2013
Time: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Place: Brillobox 4104 Penn Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Host: Ignite Pittsburgh
Cost: Pre-pay: Required, fee @ the door $5.00
Pay Options: Cash, Credit Card, Online

RSVP/Info: Joe. 412-243-4202, joe@ignitepittsburgh.com

For more information and registration go to:
www.ignitepittsburgh.com

Right Place, Right Time - Networking Event

The Pittsburgh Global Connection is excited to present a
one-of-a-kind evening. Singer-songwriter John McDonald will perform a Private Preview of the songs from his upcoming CD Right Place, Right Time.

Known for his high-energy performances, John McDonald blends reggae, rock, world beat and calypso. The result is a feel-good, up-tempo musical fusion that combines tropical instrumentation, world beat rhythms and evocative lyrics. “Satellite communications send sweet songs through the air…they’re all part of the good vibrations everywhere” From John McDonald’s song Azaa Loo (Celebration!), in keeping with the mission of the PGC, is a truly global collaboration since he never actually met the African singers and drummers who recorded parts on this song!

Pittsburgh Global Connection was formed so that people in the
Pittsburgh business community could connect with not only the
local Pittsburgh businesses but those wishing to do business in
Pittsburgh who are located around the globe. PGC is the only
networking organization that solicits and promotes businesses
from outside the local Pittsburgh community as well as our
thriving local members. We are all connected electronically,
so why not take advantage of that and use it to help your
business grow.

Date: July 11, 2013
Time: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Place: BZ Bar & Grill, 140 Federal St., Pittsburgh, located
next to PNC Park
Host: Pittsburgh Global Connection
Questions: Call 412-720-4645.
Register online at:
www.pghglobalconnection.com/#!upcoming_events/c1mya

BRENTWOOD BALDWIN WHITEHALL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
WOMEN’S NETWORKING LUNCHEON

July 12, 2013
Noon
South Hills Country Club
The monthly luncheon meeting of the Women’s Networking of the Brentwood Baldwin Whitehall Chamber of Commerce will meet on Friday, July 12, noon, at South Hills Country Club . Please plan on attending and bring a friend. We welcome members and non-members. Tables are available for ladies who would like to display products or merchandise. Everyone will pass out cards and brochures and present a one-minute “commercial.”
Guest Speaker
Ann Rankin
Program Director of the Lifesharing Program at Step By Step
Lifesharing is a service available to people diagnosed with an Intellectual/Developmental Disability. Through this service, a person would move into the Lifesharing Provider’s home who would provide care and support to the person on a long term basis.

Lunch for Chamber Members - $20 - Bring a friend!
Lunch for Non-Members - $25
Display Table $10

Please make a reservation by contacting:
Mary Dilla at: 412-884-1233
secretary@bbwchamber.com

Disability Resource Breakfast
Thursday, July 18, 2013
8:30 – 9:30 AM
Speaker: Francine Reyher, Adult Services Coordinator, Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania
Topic: Living and working well with Epilepsy
Be proactive in managing all aspects of your life so you can make smart choices that give you the most control about what’s possible for you with epilepsy.

Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania
1650 Main Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15215
FREE
RSVP: 412.782.5344 x 209 or volunteersofamerica@voapa.org

Entrepreneurial Thursday Networking Event

A casual weekly networking event for those interested in what’s
innovative and positive in Pittsburgh. A jazz, soul & blues happy
hour show plus open-mike interviews with local executives.

Date: July 18, 2013
Time: 5:30 - 8 p.m.
Place: Little E’s, 949 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh
Host: Jessica Lee
Cost: $5 (hors d’ouevres included)

For further info, email smarshall@pghgateways.org.

The Entrepreneurial Thursday networking event is held each Thursday evening. For information on upcoming events and featured themes, visit www.entrepreneurialthursdays.com

Women’s Power Lunch

Come be a part of the longest running networking luncheon in the Pittsburgh area. Bring 50 business cards or brochures to hand out and be prepared to give a short presentation on your business to introduce yourself to other business women and professionals.

Date: July 19, 2013
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Place: Greentree Inn, 1006 Greentree Road, Pgh, Pa. 15220
Cost: $22.00 (Prepayment required)
RSVP by July 18th

Questions: Contact Suzanne at Suzanne@womenspowerlunch.com
or 412-389-3420.

Register online at: www.womenspowerlunch.com

Business for Breakfast Networking Event

Topic: Credibility, Influence & Leadership:
Building Communication Success

Featuring: Bonnie Budzowski, Principal of inCredible Messages

Individuals who can communicate well, expressing themselves and selling their ideas, have a decided edge in leadership, sales and life. This session will provide a pathway to greater credibility
and influence, whether you are leading an organization, conversing one-on-one, or presenting to a room full of prospective clients.

Attend this event to learn how to:

* Capture attention with memorable illustrations and points
* Make complex information quickly accessible and persuasive
* Apply tried and true laws of persuasion every professional
needs to know

Date: July 23, 2013
Time: 8:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Place: Restaurant ECHO, 1740 Route 228, Cranberry Twp, PA
Host: Pittsburgh Business Times
Cost: $25
RSVP: Suggested by July 19th

For questions or additional information, contact Kelli Komondor
at 412-208-3845 or kkomondor@bizjournals.com.

Register online at:
www.pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/event

Close to Home

An Event to Raise Awareness of Human Trafficking & Inspire Hope

Speakers:

* Barbara Amaya, Human Trafficking survivor and victim
advocate
* Dr. Mary C. Burke of Carlow University and founder of Project
to End Human Trafficking
* Judy Hale Reed, Anti-Trafficking and Gender Equality
Consultant
* Joyce Gallagher Ramirez, Immigration Attorney

Wine and appetizers will be served and guests will have the
opportunity to enjoy raffle baskets and the silent auction.
All the money raised from this event will go toward rescue
missions and help for survivors. Proceeds will help fund the
Project to End Human Trafficking (PEHT), a non-profit
organization that was founded in 2004 in Pittsburgh as part
of the anti-slavery movement.

Sponsorships are still available

Date: July 23, 2013
Time: 5:45-8:30 p.m.
Place: Carlow University, AJ Palumbo Hall
Host: Diana Fletcher
Cost: $25 Donation
RSVP: Required

Event Contact: Diana Fletcher, www.thoughtsbydiana.com
412 612-5977

All donations and registrations are accepted at
http://gotocfi.com/project/close-home

Every Woman Deserves a Coach

Panel Discussion and Interactive Coaching Demonstrations
Featured coaching professionals include:

* Mary Lee Gannon, CAE Life & Reinvention Coach
* Tom Volkar, Big Decision Coach, CoreU
* Bonnie Budzowski, Book & Presentation Coach
* Judy Vernick, PhD, PMP, CPCC, Quantum Leap Coaching
* Diane Dean, RN-BC, LPC, Life and Business Coach

All of our success and failures in life are a result of our daily
decisions and actions. Doing the right things and focusing on
what matters most can be a challenge in today’s hectic world.
Too often we find ourselves reacting to daily events and it’s
difficult to continually focus on results and consistency.
Coaching is one of to most valuable tools available to you today.
The right coach can help you to be your best, to achieve the
highest level of success, to exceed your past results and
achievements year after year.

To learn more about coaching, and to meet some of Pittsburgh’s
most influential coaches, join us for Every Woman Deserves a Coach.

Date: July 25, 2013
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Place: Rivers Casino, 777 Casino Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Host: Pittsburgh Professional Women
Cost: By JUly 17: $35 for PPW Members; $45 for Non Members
Add $10 after July 17; Program includes lunch
RSVP: Suggested by July 17

Register online at www.PittsburghProfessionalWomen.org