"Social Media & Women Truckers - Part Two" focuses on Violence against Women in the Trucking Industry & notable Social Media campaigns that have changed the rules on humanitarian issues and activism.
2. It’s not all about you
Individuals can be more relevant than organizations
Simple Basic Tools is all you need to participate in Social Media
Listen
Learn
Share
Engage
Reciprocate
How Easy is That?!
3. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN TRUCKING
Abandoned Students
Acquaintance Rape
Retaliation for reporting abuse
Psychological Warfare PTSD
Failure of Industry Women to speak
up
Failure of Industry Men to Educate
themselves on frequency of VAW
Shunning victims from Industry
Domestic Violence & Trucking
4. Denial is perhaps the biggest challenge for the issue of violence against
women in and around the trucking industry.
Fear of not being accepted, Fear of being perceived as WEAK are reasons
why Men & Women delay in reporting “incidents”
Lack of accountability and retaliation from in-house support & organizations
has created a climate conducive to conceal bad behavior.
Predators engage themselves to trusted individuals around their targets
to cover their misdeeds & to create self-doubt in their victims.
6. Misleading recruitment ads that affect the perception of Women Truckers
Depicting “Party Trucker Girl” image without separating vast difference between training carrier climate,
private fleet and/or experienced fleet climate and being an Independent Owner-Operator.
Implying to new recruits a general lack of seriousness in the process to become truck drivers affects
Women because they tend to have their guard down in order to “fit in” not realizing…
“New Women are GUILTY until proven innocent when entering trucking.”
Women who have been introduced to the notion of trucking from domestic violence shelters or other
distressed living situations are in no mental frame of mind to recognize potential volatile situations that
occur from the method in which truck drivers are trained.
Truck driver training requires an intense, highly intimate living and training environment.
Suitable truck driver trainers who are willing to train females are in short supply , yet recruitment
continues to be directed to encourage new Women to enter the industry.
Retaliation for reporting abuse exacerbates the situation and can lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)
The only similar training atmosphere to trucking is military service yet the support is no where near as
organized. The Armed Forces has been challenged with many of the same issues faced by Women Truckers
7. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN TRUCKING
Human
Trafficking
Domestic
Violence
Abandoning
Female
Students
Violence in and around Trucking
directed at Women gives the message
that Women are disposable.
This has created a climate where
witnesses hesitate to take action.
Inaction breeds a climate where
offenders take charge
A proactive approach is needed to
reclaim the deteriorating misogynistic
attitudes that are affecting Men &
Women in our society as a whole.
Much of the improper conduct
occurs in isolated areas and truck
stops.
8. SAFETY FIRST
Currently there is no organization to track, prevent,
reduce and eliminate violence against women in the
trucking industry. Organizations established to
encourage recruitment should not be a watchdog
because they have interfered in the past to cover up
abuse.
Truck Stops & Travel Plazas need to be educated on the
prevalent issue of violence against women in the
trucking industry because a large portion of the conduct
occurs on their property.
At the very least the travel plaza industry should provide
a safe haven until appropriate shelter can be located,
post emergency information in women’s restrooms &
keep a list of phone numbers for assistance to those
seeking help.
Certain Carrier names will emerge as repeat offenders
9. Are Women Disposable?
NFL
• The NFL Players Association has joined the Justice Dept. to
raise awareness of Violence against Women
Celebrities
• More than 100 celebrities have “Joined the List” a campaign
to educate the public & teens that it is unacceptable to abuse
Women
Truckers Against
Trafficking
• “Truckers against Trafficking” seeks to educate truck drivers
that child sex trafficking is regularly conducted at truck stops
and in trucking lanes
US Women
Veterans
• U.S. Veterans Administration has begun to study unique PTSD
that affects Women Veterans and address the issues rather
than ignore it.
10. Awareness & Education RATHER than cover up
Dept. Of
Justice
• U.S. Dept. of Justice – Violence against Women has launched
virtual resources for violence against women in workplace issues
Men Can
Stop Rape
• Organizations like “Men Can Stop Rape” challenge the influence
men’s violence has on our society. Offering workshops and
training, these groups seek to educate the public that this
conduct is not acceptable
Date Safe
Project
• The “Date Safe Project “ provides Real Solutions to tough
conversations for teens and military mixed genders
Dept.
Homeland
Security
• U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security - Blue Campaign is organized
around the "three Ps" of Human Trafficking : Prevention,
Protection, & Prosecution.
11. The Emperor has NO CLOTHES!
Once upon a time there was an emperor, who thought so much of new clothes that he spent all his money
in order to obtain them; his only ambition was to be always well dressed. He did not care for his soldiers.
The only thing he thought about was how he looked. ~ 1837 Hans Christian Andersen
12. Do you employ focus groups, data surveys,
marketing research, lead generation sources?
What do you do with the information they gather?
Social media allows you to collect data from the
source, FOR FREE!
CHALLENGE YOURSELF to hear new ideas, address
problems and find cost effective solutions.
LISTENING ONLY to your inner circle of advisers &
ignoring the truth will leave you EXPOSED in social
media
Make sure you understand how complex this can be
13. Virtual Revolution on Twitter
#IranElection
The role of Twitter, You Tube and Facebook in the Iran Elections of 2009 launched an
empowerment of individuals to take action to speak out on injustice.
News traveled faster than mainstream press about voting irregularities & violence.
A wave of virtual activism developed , avatars went green worldwide to show unity, locations
were changed to Tehran
Iran shut internet service down due to the disruption
The unrest dominated social media for a week
The event became a symbol for virtual activism.
14. Palm Oil was the issue but censorship was the death blow to an online
PR Disaster that began March 17th 2010.
The Greenpeace V. Nestle event is an example of:
“How Not to Use Social Media “
WEAPONS: You Tube, Facebook, Twitter , Socially Active Individuals
Stock plummeted in 4 short days.
Nestlé has agreed to a new policy to identify and exclude companies
from its supply chain that own or manage 'high risk plantations or farms
linked to deforestation'.
15. When the Earthquake in Haiti Occurred, the presence of the Red Cross ,
combined with the State Department Involvement in Social Media helped to
mobilize a record breaking $32 million donation drive through a texting
campaign
Defensive paranoid companies who cannot see the big picture of what is
ahead are not leaders in social media and this is becoming abundantly clear
to those who are embracing a more ethical corporate environment.
16. Charitable organizations
have reached out to social
media truckers for a variety of
logistics issues
Moving donated dog food to
shelter pets .
Locating equipment to move
donated diapers.
“Retweeting” the 10 ways to
help online for a organization
in Japan which helps children
of trauma.
17. Virginia Rest Area closures prompted truckers on twitter to take
action by networking to Virginia voters and the Travel & RV Community.
VDOT media communications reached out to social media truckers
through Allen & Donna Smith of “Ask the Trucker” which opened a dialogue.
The Virginia parking issue became a political football.
Since that time the 2 hour parking signs have been removed and rest areas have
reopened using inmate labor.
Crimes against truckers and safe parking issues continue to be
an issue, “Jason’s Law” remains stalled in committee but we
have made good headway using social media.
US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood’s offices has
created a trucking list , our chatter is being heard
18. Sprint responding & following up after tweeting about equipment problems
from their products
Delta airlines responding when bereavement flight information was being
publically discussed & customer service phone center issues.
Being sent gift cards from Orange Julius when they eavesdropped to hear,
I think they are YUMMY!
Many Organizations monitor keywords and take immediate action in social media
20. A documentary about Twitter, directed by Tan Siok Siok (@sioksiok) is coming
soon which will encompass the amazing ways social media is being used.
“The World of Anipals”
And so much MORE…..
21. Social Media truckers are an asset when they take a few moments on their
breaks to share Facebook links & “Retweet” Amber Alerts, “Lost N Missing”,
“Can You Identify Me” and by reporting suspicious activity at truck stops which
supports the “Truckers against Trafficking” campaign to stop child trafficking.
What about the Trucking Industry ?
23. Social Media provides a way to network before attending conventions to learn about
emerging technologies
Using hash tags gives the ability to participate in a virtual networking manner
Observing how an organization handles social media helps others form an opinion on how
well they understand the concept of “TRANSPARENCY”
24. R. - Reaching Out
E. - Encouraging Others
A. - Achieving Personal Success
L. - Leadership
The trucking industry must take responsibility for truck driver training
carriers who have a history of churning an enormous number of
students as a matter of standard operating procedure.
In this chaotic climate predators & inept leadership are destroying lives
25. If your organization would like more information on any of these
issues please contact: Desiree Wood (760) 975-6868
TruckerDesiree@gmail.com
Become a fan of “Real Women Truckers” on Facebook & Follow us on
Twitter @WomenTruckers @TruckerDesiree … &
@TruckinDogKarma Too!