POV
If neglect is the higher rate for child abuse, the systematic neglect of our nation's monetary state might increase these statistics as many parents are overburdened with the prospects of just putting food on their plates. Many parents work two jobs, struggle at the grocery stores, have bills collecting and no relief in sight. If a parent is ill equipped than the child generally suffers. It may be an emerging trend and in my opinion many are not truthful about their own economic positions in life, perhaps living beyond their means but will the children suffer for this generations compulsions of reckless spending, from government to households.
Random thoughts on perseverance, praise and people dealing with children's issues. This site is for information and social means of protection, reevaluating context and informing others.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Federal Report Shows Drop In Child Abuse
In recent years, the decline of child sexual abuse has been dramatically down since the 1990's. In the much publicized media of priest molestations and the ramifications of prosecution and civil suits, the obvious message is that it will not be tolerated by society. The campaign against child abuse has been strong since emergence of horror stories of maltreatments. In Netfamily.org, they attribute the statistics of 58% decline on child sexual abuse since 1992 to 2008. Statistics are relatively the same for child neglect as the highest form of child abuse at 78% for the newest findings reported by the federal report. The Washington Post reflects on David Finkelhor's suggestion that the decline might be attributed to cuts in spending for investigations.
Monday, December 13, 2010
An Era of Change
Elizabeth Smart's father, Ed had told Matt Lauer that she wants to be a voice for other victims and will pursue law school in hopes of being a prosecutor. Shortly after the verdict was read in the trial against Brian David Mitchell, she said, "she was proof that there is life after a painful past." With the support of her family, Elizabeth Smart has made the shift from victim to survivor. The crime that occurred with the abduction of Elizabeth from her bedroom is rare in contrast to the numbers of children victimized by most child abusers. As newer statistics show that about 90 % of child victims knew their perpetrators in some form or fashion. Therefore, the other 10 percent is often the concept of random crimes and often confused with the regular violence against children.
Some child abductions have become parental custody issues, which complicates the legal proceedings for many victims of child sexual abuse as confusion in the system occurs. Parents abusing their children with manipulation is often the undercurrent of those kids who are suffering from family sexual abuse. National statistics have shown that CSA has declined over the years since the onset of awareness during the Eighties. According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (ncjrs.gov), estimate a 40% decline since 1992 to 2000 in the article written by David Finkelhor and Lisa M. Jones. Leaders on Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention have helped and made small strides to a now commonly known epidemic. The researchers of the last few decades have become extremely knowledgeable and more or less have let child victims arise from the battle fields.
An article from Connectwithkids.com addresses stranger abductions. For those who want to learn about instincts in criminal confrontations, The Gift of Fear by leading securities expert, Gavin de Becker is another great resource. Statistical information and support can also be found at The National Center for Victims of Crime website. The first and foremost, healing must come from family or families of choice in support, for harmful secrets must come to light. Elizabeth Smart's tribulations have been an inspiration for many others to see that truth and justice can prevail.
An article from Connectwithkids.com addresses stranger abductions. For those who want to learn about instincts in criminal confrontations, The Gift of Fear by leading securities expert, Gavin de Becker is another great resource. Statistical information and support can also be found at The National Center for Victims of Crime website. The first and foremost, healing must come from family or families of choice in support, for harmful secrets must come to light. Elizabeth Smart's tribulations have been an inspiration for many others to see that truth and justice can prevail.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Breaking News: Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapper found guilty, faces life in prison - National missing persons | Examiner.com
A very brave young lady has found her truth and validation as the verdict came in on her perpetrator in court. Elizabeth Smart's captor found guilty of kidnapping and transporting a minor across state lines for sexual purposes in Federal Court.
CBS News on Youtube on Guilty Verdict
Article 12/10/2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Murder By Numbers One, Two, Three
http://seattlest.com/2009/08/03/former_wamu_execs_want_their_golden.php |
With the concerns on the education system, I am still plagued with the State's lotteries willingness to hand over millions upon millions of dollars to one or two individuals with the concept that the system or game benefits the educational systems of each State. Forget the fact the government takes more or less half of the winnings in taxes. In the state of California, the Lotto was implemented in 1984. The initiative of Prop 37 extols 50 percent of the funds returned to the players in prizes. Considering that's a huge reward for the supposed average Lotto player, who shells out an average of $83 dollars a year on tickets. Massachusetts returns 70 percent of their funds to their players. However, in California the State Lottery Commission is comprised of 5 persons appointed by the Governor and approved by the State Senate. The Commission (in 1984), oversees 640 employees of the state department who administers the lottery. This department operates on 16 percent of ticket sales and the remaining 34 percent goes to public schools, community colleges, the University of California system and the California University State system. Perhaps this helps to keep the cost of higher education considerable lower than others States but 34 percent is not a lot of money to be distributed to all the school systems. So, someone is being sacrifice for the good of the other, in a sense. Current laws are constantly proposed to increase the Lottery system to benefit those buying tickets and less focus goes to the original purpose of providing funding to the educational systems of the States. I would be more inclined to dip a dollar or two into a chance of winning a few thousands knowing the winner would be the young population of the State of California. In addition to the Lottery capping the massive millions distributed by rollovers of the losing draws. Same deal for multi state lottos, like California's mega Lotto. The highest amount ever paid out was on March 6, 2007 in the amount of $390 million with two winners from Georgia and New Jersey. The best story was the payout of $365 million to the 8 meat factory coworkers in Nebraska on February 18, 2006.
The amounts of $390 and $365 million were taken in lump payments of $116 and $177 million. Now reading these tidbits, I realized that the $390 lump sum payout is less than the $365 one. There's a site: http://www.usamega.com/mega-millions-jackpot.asp that shows the breakdown of possible winnings in annuity and lump sum minus the 25% Federal tax and each state's tax percentages. California and a few other states do not have state taxes on Lotto winnings. If that's the case, federal taxes well exceeds the 25% mark as half of 390 is 195 not even 116. So 390 minus 116 equals 274 (which is what the government seized) then the percentage the government took is 70% of the winnings, not the mandated 25% for a lump sum take. If you choose to get yearly earnings and die next year, you can not transfer your winnings to anyone. The gamble is larger than people think for the instantaneousness of relief for today and most likely yesterday's burdens. Another blogger from the UK reinstates George Orwell's book 1984:
"Winston had nothing to do with the running of the Lottery, which was managed by the Ministry of Plenty, but he was aware (indeed everyone in the party was aware) that the prizes were largely imaginary. Only small sums were actually paid out, the winners of the big prizes being non-existent persons."
While the set up of the lotteries entices us to dream with slogans like: "Imagine what a buck can do." In a 2007 article from Senator Dean Florez's site, concerning when Gov. Schwarzenegger proposed leasing the Lotto to help fund health reform, the following was written:
The lottery currently provides a little more than $1 billion a year for schools, a small part of a $66.8 billion budget from all state, local and federal sources for more than 6 million students in kindergarten through high school.
In the early years of the lottery, its advertising slogan was “And the Schools Win, Too.” The teachers union persuaded the lottery to abandon the slogan, arguing that it helped mislead the public about school funding.
Debt collections advertises "pennies on the dollar you can settle your debt", while hounding the consumer with daily phone calls, outrageous lies and constant emotional jeopardy preying on guilt. Government accountability for the sake of leadership should be equally hounded and researched on whether misappropriations are in effect. There are two online PDF's that give more insight to the accountability of the Lotto Commission, which are the California Budget Project and the Legislative Analyst's Office.
Culturally, society is reaching a dissension point and revolting from the slogans and mottos that has lead us down a dead end road or brick walls erected while we slept. In every tragedy or anguish, there are small victories. Concerning the lotto, an art group has taken old tickets and created something out of other people's trash similar to the saying, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." which goes back in time further than any current precedent. Same as "What is useless to one person might be valuable to another" goes hand in hand with "Waste not, want not." It's proverb that dates back to 1772 and more or less know immediately as truth once it hits our subconsciousness. The trouble is drawing it into conscious living. In regards to recycling old, unwanted, unwarranted lotto tickets (scratchers and tickets) a few states have a recycle and win programs that educate on recycling and gives others to bring in discarded tickets found on the ground for a second chance at winning. Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hamshire have taken lead on this one. Two artists from the University of Rhode Island School of Design, Lauren Was and Adam Eckstrom have taken thousands of dollars worth of used tickets and created a message through visual designs.
http://www.yatzer.com/feed_2284_ghost_of_a_dream_and_the_art_of__discarded_lottery_tickets |
Education and perpetual learning about others: victims, survivors, those who provide and assist in protection, prevention and proscription of the maltreatment of children is key in eliminating a social disease. For those who beg to differ that child abuse is not linked to the undertows of society are sadly mistaken. The root of evil is not money but as Mother Teresa stated, "One of the greatest diseases is to be a nobody to anyone" and "being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat."
How does a parent prepare a child for a life like this? It's impossible to teach a child social responsibility without understanding how our own government works or what they do when they do work. It's like the parent who goes out "saying" he/she has a job but doesn't and then spends their time hiding that fact, living in shame, hatred, anger, frustration and despair. If that person cares enough to try to keep those secrets from their children or wife, the inevitable overflow of a life unworthy will filter back to the home. Children are not as easily fooled, either parents can tell them everything is okay but they will feel the sentiment in the air. They learn to read the unspoken signs and learn from the little known language of emotional intelligence. Our own government professionals use these same skills for weeding out liars in the mist in understanding what's not said. It was only within the last 50 years, Bob Dylan said, "People seldom do what they believe in. They do what is convenient, then repent." As horror stories of terrible loss has come about from lottery winners of the past, it begs to ask questions about what is the meaning behind a government "game." Where do we go from here?
How did I get started on this rant?
My Facebook Post: Somewhere on post I've seen we are in 17 trillions in debt (17 & 12 zeros). U.s. population is 310,735,300 (in millions). If each of us were to pay off the debt we'd be giving $54,709 per person.
Now, there are more or less 356 billionaires living in the U.s. (15 reside overseas) if each of these people only had one billion to contribute to eliminating a 17 trillion debt, they would EACH pay $48 to wipe out the entire debt.
Corruption is child's play and in it's complications we kill the youth - we dish out death more than taxes. WTF on extending a TAX break for the rich???? You get what you give, right? Zero, was my hero till someone twisted it around.
"Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." - Benjamin Franklin
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8G8BKE83&show_article=1
LOTTO INFORMATION:
LOTTO REDEEMERS
http://weburbanist.com/2010/08/14/building-a-dream-recycled-art-from-old-lottery-tickets/
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/08/artists-recycle-lottery-tickets-into-stuff-they-would-buy.php
http://www.greenecoservices.com/reuse-lottery-tickets-make-art/
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
200 CSA Men On Oprah
Finally, adults speaking about sexual abuse during childhood. Nothing more to be said, just listen.
Full Episode:
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Full-Episode-200-Adult-Men-Who-Were-Molested-Come-Forward-VideoAdditional resources:
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
My ☺ Random ♥ Video ♫
Music by Jah Cure Unconditional Love and Damian Marley & Nas ft. Lil Wayne & Joss Stone My Generation.
I am astounded by the beauty of character and infants, babies and children have unyielded character. If it is given a safe environment to expand on that very natural state of mind and nature's composition of smiles, serenity and sweetness shall carry us all further in the universal thing called love.
I am astounded by the beauty of character and infants, babies and children have unyielded character. If it is given a safe environment to expand on that very natural state of mind and nature's composition of smiles, serenity and sweetness shall carry us all further in the universal thing called love.
We ♥ Youtube
In today's technological era, the learning skills are abundant and rapidly paced for the youngest of our species. It is critical that adults learn in a similar manners that children of today utilize. One major 21st century learning tool is Youtube. Countless of four or five minute video bits of everything under the sun, from random acts of insanity to home video footage, self made montages, to public service announcements to clips of anything on the regular tube, to pubic and publicity topics, Youtube redefined our generation as well as the next. It's all about what entertains or teaches us in the grand-scale planetary visions that crosses our screens and eyesights.
I admire, laugh, shock and frustrate over some of the things viewed via Youtube but would never wish to see the sight close due to confined or uptight business regulations. Yet, I'm sure someone is looking to close this loop hole and so for now, enjoy what we have in the information highway of worldwide broadcasts. For a five year old company, Youtube has probably exceeded a trillion video uploads and still counting.
Youtube Statistics:
I admire, laugh, shock and frustrate over some of the things viewed via Youtube but would never wish to see the sight close due to confined or uptight business regulations. Yet, I'm sure someone is looking to close this loop hole and so for now, enjoy what we have in the information highway of worldwide broadcasts. For a five year old company, Youtube has probably exceeded a trillion video uploads and still counting.
Youtube Statistics:
- #4 Largest Site on the Internet
- #1 Largest video site on the web
- 300MM Worldwide Visitors a Month
- 100 Million Visitors per Month
- 5 Billion Video Streams Every month – 40% of all videos online
- (Do the Math – 5 Billion / 300 million worldwide visitors = 17 streams a month per person)
- 15 Hours of video uploaded every minute
Historical Facts and Figures Layout (click on link)
I am a big fan of the Did You Know series and sharing this one:
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Parens Patriae - Waiting for Superman
Parens Patriae - Waiting for Superman
The movie, Waiting for Superman by director, Davis Guggenheim won an Oscar for his film, An Inconvenient Truth. In exploring the deplorables of the public school system, Waiting for Superman follows five school children and their families, who are trying to get their child into Charter schools through lotteries. Four of the kids are from inner cities and one from the suburbs. The subject matter tackles the very fundamentals on our approach in education, funding and leadership. The concept of the documentary falls under the precept that the United States laws of parens patriae concerning the public school system.
If anything, the focus on children and their futures puts the issues of parenting, government responsibilities and social activism to the forefront of American minds. The ideas of parens patriae, which is latin for "parent of the nation," requires citizens to accept personal responsibilities for the welfare of our own children and the public school system so therefore, knowledge is power. The Founding Fathers implemented the concepts of equality, freedom and justice but modern society has set those values aside in comparison to time, equity and comprehension. U.S. history is testimonial to this with the equality of rights finally obtained for a minority group within the last 60 years but hey, they aren't victims of the system nor been victimized for hundreds of years. Public denial is the general rule of thumb.
I have yet to see the film but I wonder if the subject of the various States' lotteries are discussed. I find more people interested in the possible return of the State's lotteries than the educational system of this country. The mindset being living on a pipe dreams with an instantaneous solution to what ails us - which is lack of empowerment. The money dividends within lottery winnings is more freedom, security and the ability for unyielding generosity or perhaps power. In the public school system, often teachers cite lack of funding as a main source of restriction for their teaching skills. Sadly, the funds of a multi-state lottery can reach excesses to over half a billion dollars.
Many of us send our children to school with the hopes of making a better future than the ones of their parents but so many of us are still learning about our world. We are aware of new findings of what was previously considered important as less important. One completely free documentary is the Yann Arthus-Bertrand film, Home dealing with the education of our environment. Children and adults are reaching new heights in priorities, learning tools and skills and beginning to put things into correct perspective. One major outcome of it all is in the voices of children.
In recent research, the questioning of our children's abilities to compete with the global world has led to more serious consideration for today's youths. Globalization gives people evidence of the disparities of the world. In many statistics, children in the U.S. fall far behind those in China and India in I.Q.'s and China will become the number one English speaking country with the highest population in the world. The video Did You Know: Shift Happens gives statistics on the U.S. and where in the world we stand. While one Youtube user said, "Finally, a G-rated video I can use to scare my grandma!" is a true assessment of today's times.
Educator, Charles Sykes also deals with the issue of public schools and American children in his books, Dumbing Down Our Kids: Why American Children Feel Good About Themselves But Can't Read, Write or Add. His previous book, A Nation of Victims: The Decay of the American Character explores a culture of victims that's filtered down to the essence of society from minorities to the middle class, to the working class and to the academias. The main message is apathy and not so much sympathy for the political entities that placed society into its unwritten roles. Sykes addresses the issue of helplessness and grandiosity that seem to go hand in hand and is being passed down to our children. In order for children to rise above, they must attend higher education.
Although, much of higher ed specializes on specific learning, the basic core classes are often the same subjects taught in high school but elaborated on in college. Why do something twice when it can be done right in the first place? The statistics for Waiting for Superman states that 1.2 million U.S. students drop out of high school each year and American teenagers rank toward the bottom in math and science among 30 developed nations. While statistics are staggering for the high school dropout, their fates are not set in stone and the negative media often perpetuates a myth in learning aptitudes of the average student. The education of other global countries were quick to jump on the band wagon for industrialization of their countries and knew what to teach their students which is the reason for their rapid rise in education. In addition strong study skills without American cultural influences, like television, computers, cell phones, video games, etc., is essentially about time management and dependent on age, supervision. These things are within a parent's control not a child's. The adult culture of the U.S. is a bi-product of technological numbing through consumerism. Which eventually led to these chains of events.
Bill Gates is a strong advocate of the film, Waiting for Superman but it must be asked then why are we waiting? As it is according to Learningpartnership.org, the three richest people in the world own assets that exceed the combined gross national product of all least developed countries and its 600 million people, one of these people being Bill Gates. Though, his increase in world affairs and knowledge of today's times has also made Gates a major proponent of social change, increasing awareness and development of organizations aimed to filter equality across the board. His efforts should be applauded. Each of us can learn to earn to work for change to build a better future, if not for ourselves but for the younger generations, it's now rather a matter of choice.
In the most successful kids of today, they are pulling in double overtime as a child contrasting the childhoods of their parents generation. These kids who have multiple extracurricular activities and honor students are pushing that bar even higher for the "average" student. Parents often are making it full time work just to keep up with their children's lifestyles. The type of child I refer to is the one who goes to afterschool sports, participates during the off season in a community sports groups and attends some other artistic hobbies, like band, drama or dance. They are children whose grades are rarely in question and often pushing to be in advance placement or taking college courses while still in high school. Some might question and label them as over-achievers. However, they are often harried and it begs to question their future in the massive rush to get ahead but often parent's give their children these choices. The parents are also trying to keep up with the times. Children must be superheroes not waiting on Superman.
The movie, Waiting for Superman by director, Davis Guggenheim won an Oscar for his film, An Inconvenient Truth. In exploring the deplorables of the public school system, Waiting for Superman follows five school children and their families, who are trying to get their child into Charter schools through lotteries. Four of the kids are from inner cities and one from the suburbs. The subject matter tackles the very fundamentals on our approach in education, funding and leadership. The concept of the documentary falls under the precept that the United States laws of parens patriae concerning the public school system.
I have yet to see the film but I wonder if the subject of the various States' lotteries are discussed. I find more people interested in the possible return of the State's lotteries than the educational system of this country. The mindset being living on a pipe dreams with an instantaneous solution to what ails us - which is lack of empowerment. The money dividends within lottery winnings is more freedom, security and the ability for unyielding generosity or perhaps power. In the public school system, often teachers cite lack of funding as a main source of restriction for their teaching skills. Sadly, the funds of a multi-state lottery can reach excesses to over half a billion dollars.
Many of us send our children to school with the hopes of making a better future than the ones of their parents but so many of us are still learning about our world. We are aware of new findings of what was previously considered important as less important. One completely free documentary is the Yann Arthus-Bertrand film, Home dealing with the education of our environment. Children and adults are reaching new heights in priorities, learning tools and skills and beginning to put things into correct perspective. One major outcome of it all is in the voices of children.
In recent research, the questioning of our children's abilities to compete with the global world has led to more serious consideration for today's youths. Globalization gives people evidence of the disparities of the world. In many statistics, children in the U.S. fall far behind those in China and India in I.Q.'s and China will become the number one English speaking country with the highest population in the world. The video Did You Know: Shift Happens gives statistics on the U.S. and where in the world we stand. While one Youtube user said, "Finally, a G-rated video I can use to scare my grandma!" is a true assessment of today's times.
Educator, Charles Sykes also deals with the issue of public schools and American children in his books, Dumbing Down Our Kids: Why American Children Feel Good About Themselves But Can't Read, Write or Add. His previous book, A Nation of Victims: The Decay of the American Character explores a culture of victims that's filtered down to the essence of society from minorities to the middle class, to the working class and to the academias. The main message is apathy and not so much sympathy for the political entities that placed society into its unwritten roles. Sykes addresses the issue of helplessness and grandiosity that seem to go hand in hand and is being passed down to our children. In order for children to rise above, they must attend higher education.
Although, much of higher ed specializes on specific learning, the basic core classes are often the same subjects taught in high school but elaborated on in college. Why do something twice when it can be done right in the first place? The statistics for Waiting for Superman states that 1.2 million U.S. students drop out of high school each year and American teenagers rank toward the bottom in math and science among 30 developed nations. While statistics are staggering for the high school dropout, their fates are not set in stone and the negative media often perpetuates a myth in learning aptitudes of the average student. The education of other global countries were quick to jump on the band wagon for industrialization of their countries and knew what to teach their students which is the reason for their rapid rise in education. In addition strong study skills without American cultural influences, like television, computers, cell phones, video games, etc., is essentially about time management and dependent on age, supervision. These things are within a parent's control not a child's. The adult culture of the U.S. is a bi-product of technological numbing through consumerism. Which eventually led to these chains of events.
Bill Gates is a strong advocate of the film, Waiting for Superman but it must be asked then why are we waiting? As it is according to Learningpartnership.org, the three richest people in the world own assets that exceed the combined gross national product of all least developed countries and its 600 million people, one of these people being Bill Gates. Though, his increase in world affairs and knowledge of today's times has also made Gates a major proponent of social change, increasing awareness and development of organizations aimed to filter equality across the board. His efforts should be applauded. Each of us can learn to earn to work for change to build a better future, if not for ourselves but for the younger generations, it's now rather a matter of choice.
In the most successful kids of today, they are pulling in double overtime as a child contrasting the childhoods of their parents generation. These kids who have multiple extracurricular activities and honor students are pushing that bar even higher for the "average" student. Parents often are making it full time work just to keep up with their children's lifestyles. The type of child I refer to is the one who goes to afterschool sports, participates during the off season in a community sports groups and attends some other artistic hobbies, like band, drama or dance. They are children whose grades are rarely in question and often pushing to be in advance placement or taking college courses while still in high school. Some might question and label them as over-achievers. However, they are often harried and it begs to question their future in the massive rush to get ahead but often parent's give their children these choices. The parents are also trying to keep up with the times. Children must be superheroes not waiting on Superman.
Friday, September 24, 2010
16 Years Since Violence Against Women Act
Vice President Biden addresses and commemorates the 16th year since the Violence Against Women Act was enacted. Biden help draft the 1994 bill when he was the senator for Delaware.
The Violence Against Women Act was passed as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, and has been reauthorized in 2000 and 2005.
Biden said: "I said I want many things, but one of them is I want control of the Violence Against Women Act," "God ain't made a new brand of men and women in the last few millennia, so that's why we have to keep working to change the culture."
The Violence Against Women Act was passed as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, and has been reauthorized in 2000 and 2005.
Biden said: "I said I want many things, but one of them is I want control of the Violence Against Women Act," "God ain't made a new brand of men and women in the last few millennia, so that's why we have to keep working to change the culture."
Youth Promise Act
Citizen coalitions for children are one way for the voices to rise up. In the youthpromiseaction.org the following is stated:
The Youth PROMISE Act (HR 1064/S 435) is bipartisan legislation that will give our communities the support and funding they need to effectively address youth violence issues. By specifically focusing on violence prevention and intervention strategies, this bill ensures we are funding programs that save lives and give every young person the opportunity to meet his or her potential. |
This is the time that all information on child abuse has been explored and disseminated and it is individual citizen actions that can push Congress to move forward. The research has been set in motion, it is time to take action.
Congressman Bobby Scott, representing the 3rd District of Virginia explores the Youth PROMISE (Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support, and Education) as principles for implementing funding to the appropriate divisions of government, social services and other organizations aimed against violence with prevention for the youths of today and the adults of tomorrow.
In essence, violence is curtailed by reaching out to those who confront conditions that provoke anger, frustration, fear and brutality. If you reach to them for insight and understanding that perhaps the return investment will be strength, prosperity and diligence for the rights to live in the country that holds truth, freedom and dignity as a priority for the future.
Signing the petition is a step for awareness and getting involved.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The Power of Potential
The Power of Potential
One of the greatest gifts of love that a parent can give a child is to learn of all the potential difficulties that might lie ahead and to prepare them for the journey. A parent's true role is to guide their young away from unnecessary anguish and point them in the direction of free will and enduring relationships, starting with their sole caregiver - the parent or guardian (some are without a mother or father). For children dealing with child abuse victimization or parental abuse this is critical in their developmental growth. For the child torn from the security of family, the other intervention is with police officials or public services to help bring them home. One tremendous example of family perseverance are the parents of Elizabeth Smart and others who have dealt with family abductions.
After the media's interest, the road to recovery is often lonely and less glamorous but for the loving and caring people in the lives of these children, it is the most tantamount testimonial of love. The Surviving Parents Coalition is a nonprofit organization that lobbies for funding and legislation to protect children from abduction and sexual abuse. The founder, Ahmad Rivazfar who's a father of six children decided to organize members to promote awareness and to find a workable solution. Rivazfar tragically lost one of his daughters, when the boyfriend of his ex-wife took two of his children. One was able to escape and the other died. The Surviving Parents Coalition is one of the more progressive and effective groups that can guide others to the ideas of child protection. Their methods so far have been through revamping the The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974. As the decades passed, this federal Act delineated from its original purpose - protection and treatment. Somehow the law went through an osmosis of sorts as the information of child abuse and maltreatment broadened the scope too broad to narrow down the purpose of the law. Eventually, leading the massive issue of child abuse into the hands of family courts.
The new guidance of direction has been correctly assessed by the parents of these very children who were not "abused" by their own family members but by various community members and other institutions that have failed them. One of the more obvious case was the kidnapping of Stacy Dugard, where police entities failed to protect her and the State of California recognized this unfortunate series of events by awarding her a $20 million settlement for her and her children. Hindsight is twenty twenty but costly. For the heart of the matter begins in the home, with awareness, education and recognition of the previous tragedies of abuse and violence. In dealing with the words alone, often the terminology "abuse" makes everyone cringe and distinctions needs to be made.
Their are predatory behaviors of people that should be singled out and recognized and they are violent offenders. If the officials are not given the proper tools to understand the motivations, the social environment or the potential dangers of certain people than it is going to be a long and ineffective battle. The criminal behaviors of the child molester is often hand in hand with the violent criminal who seeks control of his/her situation and utilizes children as a mark to express their rage. It is not necessarily the pedophile who seeks to dominate children for sex as a game of enticement or trust, eerily similar to the numerous recollections of priest molestations. The work in the families of victims is very important for today's time as many decades before, the issue of child maltreatment was only a family/personal issue or hidden issue in society. Today is should be known as child survival.
The parents of The Surviving Parents Coalition takes the issue and puts it in the hands of adults. In Ed Smart and Ahmad Rivazfar leadership, they both decided to ride across America to bring awareness to child advocacy, raise funds and to introduce their campaign to the public. The campaign is called, The Ride for Their Lives and their trek from Rochester, New York to Los Angeles, California had gently reminded me to keep fighting for the cause.
Links:
http://www.spcoalition.org/
http://www.ridefortheirlives.com/
http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20153759_20152178,00.html
One of the greatest gifts of love that a parent can give a child is to learn of all the potential difficulties that might lie ahead and to prepare them for the journey. A parent's true role is to guide their young away from unnecessary anguish and point them in the direction of free will and enduring relationships, starting with their sole caregiver - the parent or guardian (some are without a mother or father). For children dealing with child abuse victimization or parental abuse this is critical in their developmental growth. For the child torn from the security of family, the other intervention is with police officials or public services to help bring them home. One tremendous example of family perseverance are the parents of Elizabeth Smart and others who have dealt with family abductions.
The new guidance of direction has been correctly assessed by the parents of these very children who were not "abused" by their own family members but by various community members and other institutions that have failed them. One of the more obvious case was the kidnapping of Stacy Dugard, where police entities failed to protect her and the State of California recognized this unfortunate series of events by awarding her a $20 million settlement for her and her children. Hindsight is twenty twenty but costly. For the heart of the matter begins in the home, with awareness, education and recognition of the previous tragedies of abuse and violence. In dealing with the words alone, often the terminology "abuse" makes everyone cringe and distinctions needs to be made.
Their are predatory behaviors of people that should be singled out and recognized and they are violent offenders. If the officials are not given the proper tools to understand the motivations, the social environment or the potential dangers of certain people than it is going to be a long and ineffective battle. The criminal behaviors of the child molester is often hand in hand with the violent criminal who seeks control of his/her situation and utilizes children as a mark to express their rage. It is not necessarily the pedophile who seeks to dominate children for sex as a game of enticement or trust, eerily similar to the numerous recollections of priest molestations. The work in the families of victims is very important for today's time as many decades before, the issue of child maltreatment was only a family/personal issue or hidden issue in society. Today is should be known as child survival.
The parents of The Surviving Parents Coalition takes the issue and puts it in the hands of adults. In Ed Smart and Ahmad Rivazfar leadership, they both decided to ride across America to bring awareness to child advocacy, raise funds and to introduce their campaign to the public. The campaign is called, The Ride for Their Lives and their trek from Rochester, New York to Los Angeles, California had gently reminded me to keep fighting for the cause.
Links:
http://www.spcoalition.org/
http://www.ridefortheirlives.com/
http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20153759_20152178,00.html
Friday, September 17, 2010
Alice Miller
Miller wrote numerous books on childhood issues concerning development and interpersonal perspectives for healing. Most notably, The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self digs deep into the psyche of the effects of trauma of young children. She hits all the marks on addressing the issues of personality development, loss of love, inner prisons, depression and repressed memory. She continued to explore how trauma manifested itself in adults. The Drama of the Gifted Child was her first book and published in 1979.
In the next year, she wrote For Your Own Good, which examined the child rearing of Hitler, revealing the toxic pedagogy of Hilter's childhood. In her studies, she often utilized art pieces and lives of artists as illustrative views by assessing psychobiographies of Nietzche, Picasso, Kollwitz and Buster Keaton. Her elegance and views on reclaiming the inner child, the youthful exuberance of innocence is reiterated in her work and personal life. Sadly, she passed on April 14, 2010 while residing at Saint-Rémy de Provence, France. She lived as a relative recluse and was 87 years old at her death. Her spirit lives in many of us as we learn from one of the most dedicated people of today's time. Her wide knowledge goes beyond the issue of child abuse and reflects humanity in its purest form.
A collection of her books and paintings -
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Child Abuse Prevention 101
Child Abuse Awareness 101
Child victims, adult survivors, professionals and communities must remember to fight for the rights of children. Education is key to eliminating the long term effects of child maltreatment and abuse. In addition, prior victims must stand up and find voice and remember those who came before and after them. Otherwise the cycle of abuse will continue and society will accept the common occurrences as as "just" another story or tale of wrongs to be abhorred but unaddressable.
In regards to terminology, children have been and are victimized everyday. The term "child abuse" has become common and accepted as a series of events that plagues the unfortunate during childhood, much like the terminology of dysfunctional families, a popular term during the 1980's. It is yet to be seen how young minds and bodies will survive in today's world, as young children attempt to shed their lives of words as "abused", "misused", "exploited", "wronged" and "victimized". In many ways, the culture of our times and the mass media use these words to perpetuate abuse but without malice. The intent of the media is to shed light on the issue and yet, statistics shows us that child abuse is on the rise in regards to child cruelty and within misguided power. Young children and babies have become targets for defective individuals with or without knowing the impact of their wrongdoing or criminal behavior. The focus has been misdirected and should be redirected to the actions of these types of individuals.
Whether or not those who have suffered from adults hands as a young person will find their rightful place in life, the stories keep coming of outrageous, delinquent, perverse, and atrocious maltreatment of children. Some very critical points that have enlightened society is the survival and the restoration of these small victims. It has been inspirational that families, friends and communities have gathered the knowledge and wisdom to understand abuse to help young people find a home on this planet once again. Any young person who's been seen violence up close, been so disregarded that their life was endangered, been forced to have sex before any consenting age, or practically been forgotten as a youth, this blog is written for you. Perhaps, as this blog grows, so shall each thought of positivity, endurance and brave hearts join in understanding that a child that should be free from the very beginning.
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