In recent years, movements such as MeToo and Time’s Up have shined a spotlight on sexual abuse of women. As a result, many states are reexamining current laws and passing new ones in an effort to give victims legal options they have not had to bring those responsible for sexual abuse and assault to court. However, New York state recently changed that by passing a new state law that now extends the statute of limitations for rape. The law, signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo, has been hailed as a major step forward to help victims who have had to stay silent for far too long. If you or a loved one has been the victim of sexual abuse, it is important to seek legal representation as soon as possible. For victims who desire to initiate a lawsuit, it is recommended they first schedule a consultation with Gersowitz Libo & Korek P.C.

Varying Degrees of Rape

As many people fail to realize, rape can be defined as either first, second, or third-degree, depending on the factors involved in the incident. For example, to be classified as second-degree rape, victims must be:

• –incapable of consent due to mental disability or mental incapacitation
• –victim is less than 15 years old and attacker is at least 18 years old

As for third-degree rape, the circumstances that must be present include:

• –victim incapable of giving consent
• –victim is under 17 years old and attacker is at least 21 years old

Due to the numerous complexities that can be found in these cases, victims should always consult an experienced sexual abuse attorney to discuss their case.

Changes to Statute of Limitations

By signing this legislation, Governor Cuomo has now allowed New York to make major changes to the statute of limitations regarding rape. While there continues to be no statute of limitations for first-degree rape, limitations on second and third-degree rape have been considerably lengthened. As of now, the statute of limitations for second-degree rape has gone from only five years to 20 years, while that of third-degree rape has been extended from five years to 10 years.

Criminal and Civil Lawsuits
These changes in the statute of limitations for rape, along with the recently signed Child Victims Act, now provide victims of rape an opportunity to not only see their attacker face criminal charges, but also civil action against them as well. Due to the severe physical and emotional toll rape takes on its victims, many victims are likely to pursue civil action against their attackers in an effort to be compensated for the abuse. For victims who desire to initiate a lawsuit, it is recommended they first schedule a consultation with a sexual assault lawyer who has handled similar cases in the past with successful results.

As these changes go into effect, officials expect hundreds if not thousands of victims to now come forward with their allegations of rape and sexual assault. However, since many of these allegations will be about incidents that occurred years ago, victims may face difficulties in proving their cases, especially if they are relying on attorneys who have limited if any experience in these matters. Therefore, victims should immediately consult a sexual abuse attorney to learn more about how to bring their case to court.

You might not know it, but your house may already have mold infestation. Given that mold can spread through the air, you and the other occupants of your home are at great risk of illnesses coming from such infestation. If the conditions for mold growth are ideal, you should expect some parts of your home to have mold growing all over them.

You may have done your part of cleaning your entire home and doing everything in your power to ensure that everything is spic and span. However, there may be some parts of your home that you may have overlooked. From these spots can come the first signs of a mold infestation, and you are not alone when it comes to overlooking these places. Just where are they, exactly? Here are just some of the most common locations that you do not notice are mold hotspots.

Kitchen
The kitchen is a very ideal home for mold, given that some of its parts are prone to moisture, which is the number one component for mold growth. Even though you think you have already covered every single part of your kitchen, there are some parts that you might have missed which would need professional mold removal.
⢠Under the sink. You might not notice that your pipe is leaking, and moisture can build up you do not do anything about it. The moisture coming from the pipe leak, combined with the darkness of the environment, will be the perfect place for mold to start growing.
⢠Sponge dishes are also ideal habitats for mold. Moisture typically builds up in the sponge dish, making it just as a good location for mold to start.
⢠The underside of a refrigerator can also experience leakage. A fridge typically has a drip pan which collects excess water from within, and if this is left untreated, this can become a place for mold to grow.

Bathroom
One of the most common places for mold growth is the bathroom, mainly because it is the room which is almost always wet. The most common areas where mold lies are the tub and the shower, so remember to check these places for mold.
In addition, also check the under lids of shower products since moisture can also be trapped under the lids, leading to mold. Bath toys can also be a victim of mold infestation, so be careful.

Laundry Room
Literally anything that can be wet on a regular basis can be subject to mold growth, and will have mold of some sort. One of them is the laundry room, specifically the washing machine. Closely check your washing machine, specifically the gasket, to see if there is anything suspicious going on. Ensure that you wipe every surface of your washing machine dry as a preventive measure. You should also remember to leave the washing machine door open so that air can freely flow.
As long as the conditions are right, your home is likely to develop mold infestation in one area or another, so it is only right for you to check and clean every single surface to prevent its growth.

If you do suffer from mold in any of its many varients, the right way to go it to contact a professional mold removal company who will then be able to advise on the best course of action.

The main aim of marketing is to get to know the needs of your customers and come up with a plan that addresses those needs. The desire of every business person is to see growth. One of the best ways for this to happen is through marketing because marketing helps you acquire more customers.

How can you the basics of marketing to acquire more customers?

Spend time researching and create a strategic marketing plan.

Guide your product development to reach out to customers you aren’t currently attracting.

Price your products and services competitively.

Develop your message and materials based on solution marketing.

The Importance of a Target Market in Small Business

When it comes to your customers keep in mind the importance of target marketing. The reason this is important is that only a proportion of the population is likely to purchase any products or service. By taking time pitch your sales and marketing efforts to the correct niche market, you will be more productive and not waste your efforts or time.

Sourced from: http://marketing.about.com/od/marketingbasics/a/smmktgbasics.htm

Marketing strategies are always the same. But because there are a lot of differences between small and big businesses, marketing strategies for the two cannot be the same. There are things like budget constraints, target market and even creative methods.

1. Differences on Budget Constraints

In a small business, you already know one substantial difference between your marketing plan and those of the corporate titans that hover over you in every direction. These big guys have astronomical budgets. They talk about a few hundred thousand dollars as a routine issue. You talk about 200 dollars as an amount worthy of cautious consideration.

2. Differences on Creativity

The top notch marketers routinely require six figures to produce ads with the single purpose of establishing brand awareness and market orientation toward their brands – frequently without a single hint about a specific price or product.

Small businesses adopt a significantly different method. They need to establish brand awareness just like the big advertisers, but their advertisements have to fulfill two tasks. Small business marketing expenditure has to provide direct and measurable marketing action. Each action has to stir adequate buying activity to compensate the expenditure involved in producing and running the advertisement in the first place.

Sourced from: http://www.retireat21.com/blog/four-marketing-differences-between-small-and-big-businesses

Marketing is not rocket science and anyone can do it. It is also important to note that it is not a one size fits all thing. You need to customize your marketing strategy so that it fits your business. You will need to identify your market target, the resources you have and how best you can utilize them.

[youtube video=https://youtu.be/LQPxuS9Ffwo ]

Making Marketing Work in Your Small Business

Get the know-how. Knowing what not to do when it comes to marketing is as important as knowing what to do. Let’s face it, the murky world of marketing can be tricky to navigate. So get the full know-how before you go jumping into building that flash website.

Put your customers first. Understanding who your customers are, what makes them tick and what they really want and value, and of course staying in touch with them long after the sale, puts you ahead of the competition.

Know your target market. ‘Anyone who is breathing’ is not a target market! Targeting your marketing activities fairly and squarely at the people who need and want your service or product is the secret to creating quality enquiries and getting prospects to open their wallet.

Sourced from: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/marketing-your-small-business-for-dummies-cheat-sh.html