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Post by Admin on Jul 17, 2009 18:41:28 GMT -5
Our community at Stepping Out of Squalor is very diverse and we have members all around the globe. Computers with access to the web are available everywhere, bringing people together who normally would have never met. With the safe anonymity of the ‘net, we can meet and discuss our problems without fear of condemnation. Isolation ends and we get the support of people who understand our problems.
That said, anyone can join here. Anyone. That means not only the isolated frightened single individual living in squalor, but a sociopath looking for a new person to con and manipulate. And make no mistake; we have had predators on Stepping Out of Squalor looking for victims.
We want you safe. Be aware of the personal information you post online. Don’t make it easy for predators to locate you. Use pseudonyms for your employer, yourself and members of your family. Don’t list your phone number. List your location, if you must, in generic terms or use general metropolitan areas. Don’t show photographs of yourself or your kids. Our public boards can be searched by Google. Beware of posting specifics about legal problems that an opposing lawyer could use to identify and use against you. We have a personal messaging system for members so that email addresses are unnecessary for private communication. Your email address is available to no one and we want to keep it that way.
In short, behave as if your worst enemy could be reading this website for information about you. S/he can. Be cautious!
That said, warm personal friendships have built up over the years. Happy contact outside the safety of the website itself has been made between a few members. Likewise, some contact hasn't been so successful. For one reason or another, the individuals haven't "clicked".
If you would like to take the risk and meet up with another member, we want to remind you to follow some basic safety precautions for those first meetings.
• Insist on a public meeting place like a café
• Tell a friend or family member where you're going
• Take your cell phone along
• Consider having a friend accompany you
• Trust your instincts
As we all know, a person's squalor can be a deeply personal issue. If there's a member that is not interested in a real life meeting or making contact outside of the website itself, don't take it personally. It may be your boss, your neighbor, a Sunday school teacher, doctor, or librarian. They may prefer to maintain their privacy as they tackle their squalor.
Privacy and security is our right and responsibility. Protect and respect it for yourself and others here.
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