Bee Editorial
Take the steps needed to avoid becoming a victim
Nobody has the right to impose fear on someone else. Yet it happens everyday, from large cities to small towns. It happens to children and women far too often. It's happening here, but women in Amherst have come together to put a stop to their vulnerability.

More than 40 women gathered at Town Hall on Tuesday to better educate themselves on the dangers of predators. The seminar stemmed from a business in the Village of Williamsville whose employees were allegedly stalked by a man three times the age of the women. It was inappropriate, wrong and illegal. A suspect was arrested last week.

The "Women Take Charge" seminar invited Amherst women to learn what they can do if they become the victim of harassment or stalking. A lengthy list of tips was handed out by Amherst Safety Officer Cathy Onions, a 27-year veteran with the department.

We encourage those women to memorize and live by those tips. Share them with your co-workers, family members and friends. Onions said criminals are opportunists, so take away their opportunity to commit a crime.

It seems that lately it's impossible to read the news or watch TV without hearing of a woman falling victim to man. A town in Kansas mourned the loss of 18-year-old Kelsey Smith who was killed after being forced into a car in a store parking lot in the early evening hours. This past week another man in his 60s was arrested for stalking in Springville. His target, according to police, was a young girl. In Ohio a woman was killed less than a month before she was due to give birth, allegedly by a man she had been involved with. Here in Amherst we dealt with the horror of the bike path rapist, who preyed on many women.

In each case the victim was a female, but what varied was how well the criminal knew that female. In some cases it was a stranger, in others a neighbor and even a boyfriend.

Reading these news stories can be painful and leaves readers almost with a sense of hopelessness, but don't let it. There are stories of victory, potential victims who were able to get away. Take those as encouragement, as well as the stories of loss, to motivate you to say, "I won't be a victim."

Educate and train yourself to be aware of what's around you. Make smart decisions when walking or parking your car.

If you think you are being harassed or stalked, call the police. Take all threats seriously. Onions said that many times people report an incident but don't prosecute. Don't be afraid to say no, and take the steps to be as prepared as possible.