If A Rapist Pays Off His Victim, Was A Crime Committed?

In the wake of all the Bill Cosby hoopla and finding out that he admitted in his 2005 deposition to drugging women so that he could have sex with them (he called it “consensual”), it left me wondering… Why is the admitted molester/ rapist not in jail? At the very least he drugged them which is also a crime. Well, in this particular case, the defendant, Bill Cosby was being sued in a civil trial—not criminal—by Andrea Constand. He ended up settling his case with her, aka paid her off to avoid going in front of a jury. Now, a drugging and rape did occur. Shouldn’t there have been some kind of criminal action that was taken against the admitted criminal/ rapist? I’m assuming that part of the agreement to her receiving a shitload of hush-money was that no charges would be pressed against him. But Hello—a crime admittedly happened! Just because he never used the word “rape” doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. By definition, what he did was RAPE! And last I checked Rape was a felony.  And drugging someone against their will or knowledge is against the law too.

Now, I’m not a lawyer so I don’t know the ins and outs of the laws, but as a layman (woman), I would assume that there would be some kind of punishment other than paying the victim, which for a wealthy man is hardly a punishment. If he had admitted that he drugged women so that he could kill them, would anything else have happened at that point or would it just have cost him a bit more? Now I don’t know if Andrea Constand’s first response was to call the police or call her lawyer. But I’m guessing that if the man that drugged her and had sex with her was poor, that man would be in jail. What’s sad is that I bet this happens a lot. The case with Cosby just made that abundantly clear.

FIREWORKS—Be Safe, Sane and Well Insured

Fireworks and the 4^th of July go hand-in-hand, but one must remember that fireworks can turn harmless fun into a disastrous, harmful and costly accident—especially for homeowners.  We’ve all heard of the slogan “Safe and Sane” as it pertains to the Fourth, but we should add “Liable and Well Insured” to that saying.  The fact that there are more structural and vehicle fires reported on the Fourth of July more than any other day of the year proves that more precaution needs to be taken (and promoted).

Insurance speak can be a real buzz-kill when looking to get your Fourth Fun On! But if you are a property owner, know that you are personally liable for any property or fire damage done to your home as well as your neighbor’s property in Las Vegas and/or Henderson Nevada (and probably everywhere else in the US.)  You are also liable for any bodily harm done. So if your Fourth of July celebration includes fireworks, make it a point to check with your insurance agent first to discuss your policy’s coverage and personal liability limit because even the most well planned fireworks displays can have unforeseen incidents.

Furthermore, if you are still planning on lighting some Fireworks, please use caution and common sense.  Here is a list of Firework safety tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

• Light fireworks outdoors in a clear area away from houses or flammable materials such as dry leaves or grass.

• Make sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.

• Never ignite fireworks in a container.

• Keep a bucket of water nearby in case of fireworks emergencies.

• Do not relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Instead, soak them in water and throw them away.

• Do not place any part of your body over a firework while lighting it.

Myself and Westside Restoration Las Vegas wishes everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July celebration.

If you experience any Fire Damage in Las Vegas or Water damage in Las Vegas, visit http://www.westsiderestoration.com.

HOW TO REDUCE BAD THINGS FROM HAPPENING TO GOOD PROPERTIES

Let’s face it, when it comes to properties, bad things happen.  Whether it’s a home or commercial property, there are always going to be unforeseen events that cause property damage.  So let’s focus on the areas that can be controlled to lower the risk of potential property damage.  Mary Girsch-Bock of PropertyManager.com compiled a list of effective risk management strategies.

• REMOVE THE RISK. It may sound elementary, but remove anything that looks like it may cause harm, risk or liability. If you visually see rotting wood, sinking ceilings, raised floors, dead trees etc… Remove them. By removing the risk, this alone will greatly reduce the likelihood of further damage. Although, removing the risk is the most permanent solution, frequently it is not possible.

 

• CONTROL THE RISK. While we can’t control the weather, we can certainly plan for the possibility. Emergency plans can be implemented and provided to all tenants upon move-in, with reminders given once tornado/hurricane season starts. While controlling the risk will not eliminate the possibility of a tornado or hurricane or other adverse event affecting your property, both you and your tenants will be better prepared for it.

 

• REDUCE THE RISK. Part of the success of pro-active risk management is the ability to handle adverse events when they happen. Unfortunately, there is no activity that will eliminate risk 100 percent of the time. However, by implementing proactive practices such as annual inspections of furnaces, roofs, stoves, and other appliances, the rate of adverse events is likely to drop to a manageable level.

 

• INSURE THE PROPERTY ADEQUATELY. While the first three items on this list directly affect the incidence of risk, insuring your properties adequately against these events can play a large part in managing to stay financially solvent. Again, while you can caution tenants against turning on their stove, and then falling asleep, you can’t be in their unit, ensuring that they are in fact wide awake while cooking. Having adequate insurance coverage will not eliminate adverse events, but it will make sure that your home and/or company will be able to absorb the costs of the loss in the most effective manner.

By accepting the fact that bad things can and will happen, and planning accordingly, property managers can reduce the effect that these events have on both the property and the bottom line.

Westside Restoration is available 24/7 to provide emergency service in the event of fire damage, water damage, wind or storm damage.  Visit the Masters of Disasters at http://www.westsiderestoration.com.