Local Women's Safety Group Kicks Off Initiative To Get Criminals Off Streets
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - An organization of women dedicated to staying safe in Philadelphia is holding a walk on Saturday to raise money to help get criminals off the streets.
Handbags 4 Peace holds self-defense courses, lobbies for better neighborhood lighting and safer routes. The group started earlier this year-- after two women were murdered in purse snatching incidents.
"Neither of the killers have ever been caught," says Michelle Martin, who founded the group, along with Tyema Sanchez. "What we're hoping is that the no snatching attitude begins to change."
So "Handbags 4 Peace" is teaming up with "Black Girls Run" this weekend for their first annual Women's Violence Awareness Run. The money raised will create a reward fund to encourage the public to report criminals who specifically target women.
"We're going to send the message that we are no longer let these criminals victimize us so that we can't even walk the streets," says Sanchez. "We have to start empowering out people to come together and once we come together we can be a force to be reckoned with."
The walk/run kicks off at 8 a.m. Saturday at 1300 North American Street. Registration is $30.