Before this morning, we had never heard of Reynolds Protection, a Dallas purveyor of bodyguards, or its owner, Chad Reynolds, who judging from his bio photo is roughly the size of a refrigerator. A very bald, imposing refrigerator. But this morning Reynolds Protection sent around a press release announcing the launch of Protecting Hands, " a service designed to help victims of domestic abuse defend themselves against their aggressors."
Protecting Hands is designed to help victims of abuse pack their belongings safely, escort them to and from court meetings, assist in supervised visitation or post "an armed guard at your residence denying entry to the spouse," the website says. It features a somewhat tasteless photo of a terrified-looking woman, mascara smeared underneath her eyes, cowering in a corner as the blurred image of a person holding what looks like a glass approaches her. Underneath the image, their promotional blurb reads:
You're being abused. You're terrified. You want to leave. But you're just too afraid to take the leap. Reynolds Protection wants to take your hand and walk with you to your new life. Providing security for only the ridiculously Rich and pampered Famous is not what we are about. We are about one thing -- Protecting Lives.Whether it's escorting you to your home to pack your belongings, escorting you into the Divorce Court or even standing guard outside your home -- You can rest easily knowing that we are here for you. If you want our services but cannot afford us -- please contact us and tell us your situation to see if you qualify for financial assistance. We sponsor two free cases per month.
Our officers are trained in sensitivity and we handle all assignments with extra caution to never provoke, anger or bully the alleged suspect.
Battered women who seek help from private security companies because they feel inadequately protected by the legal system aren't a new phenomenon. As far back as 1992, The New York Times was reporting a partnership between a security firm in Milwaukee and the local Task Force on Battered Women. Security companies in Seattle and California already offer specific domestic violence services.
