Tag Archives: abuse prevention

Rolf Horris

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Rolf Harris update: BBC announcing arrest, more details here

The BBC have announced that Rolf Harris has been arrested. I am aware that whenever there is any news about the allegations of sexual offences against Rolf Harris, The Needle receives a steep increase in traffic. Without wishing in anyway to seem unsupportive of the victims in this particular case, I’d like to take this opportunity to write about something far more widespread.
Over the last 40 years or more, the care home system in the UK has been targeted by paedophiles, producers of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) material (child pornogaphy) , the trafficking of children for sexual exploitation, and on occasion the murder of victims, either because their deaths become sick entertainment , or because they knew too much.

Some of this has been extremely well organised and is not restricted to one or two local authorities. This is a problem that is widespread.

When I first became aware of this I felt ashamed of myself. I felt ashamed because I had assumed that the most vulnerable in our society, children in need of care of the state, were safe. To find out that that was not the case and that because, in part, of my ignorance, the sexual abuse of children was being exploited and perpetuated was very difficult.

But now I am no longer ignorant, now I know what has been going on. Ignorance is not a crime but to turn away once all ignorance has been dispelled is morally reprehensible.

There has been a systemic cover up of the truth. One reason for this is due to the fact that many child abusers hold great power, a second reason for this is because CSA is an underworld industry which makes a great deal of money and therefore corruption is rife, a third reason for this is because some people mistakenly thought that moving a problem elsewhere solved it, and finally because with so many powerful people implicated for the three previous reasons, it has become an issue of national security.

I’d like to appeal to every parent and grandparent who reads this. This is not just historic this is a very real child safeguarding issue today.

Now I’ve told you, now you know, remember the words of Edmund Burke, and do not turn away.

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

reblogged from TheNeedleBlog

More on Rolf Harris from tellaboutabuse.wordpress.com

Rolf Harris’ Lawyers attempt to silence media using Leveson report http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/19/rolf-harris-lawyers-leveson-suppress-arrest

Harris’ friend quoted saying  “I can’t imagine him ever doing anything to tarnish his image.”

What an odd quote – why doesn’t he comment on Rolf not sexually abusing him? Why focus on Rolf’s image and not his character?
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/22/rolf-harris-arrested-wife-alwen-hughes-sleepless-nights-operation-yewtree-sex-offence-probe_n_3130331.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

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Committee tackles child sex abuse

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reblogging – Public Petitions Committee and Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Month

Technology And Child Abuse

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How to avoiding and report online crimes against children, including images of child sexual abuse and grooming of children for later abuse.


Technology And Child Abuse.

Blind to Betrayal The Book, How often do Child Molesters go on to Reoffend?

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reblogging this

Eassurvey's Weblog

– Blind to Betrayal Preface
– Blind to Betrayal – Chapter 1
– Speaking Our Truth Chapter Discusses Jennifer Freyd’s presentation at a professional conference “Personal and Theoretical Perspectives on the Delayed Memory Debate.”
– Recidivism: How often do Child Molesters go on to Reoffend?

Blind to Betrayal The Book  

Betrayal is fundamental to the human condition.  Betrayal is everywhere and yet because of betrayal blindness often not seen. Drawing on empirical research, clinical thought, and real stories, we will explore with the reader central questions about betrayal and betrayal blindness: What is betrayal? What is its scope? Why are we often blind to it? What are the mental mechanisms that underlie betrayal blindness? What are the effects of betrayal blindness? How should we overcome the effects of betrayal and our blindness to it? How do we become aware of it and heal from its effects? We can create a…

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Human Trafficking in the US: Breaking news – legislation, crime & awareness

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Human Trafficking: happening in the United States

  • Did you know that human trafficking claims more than 27 million people around the world today?

  • Between January 2008 and June 2010, 2,515 nationwide incidents of human trafficking were recorded, approximately 40 percent of which were children. The average age for entry into prostitution is between 12 – 14.

California
A girl ages 13, escaped from trafficker and helped the police trace find other underage victims. The Bakersfield police have now charged a 22-year-old with human trafficking of a minor and attempt pandering of a minor.

http://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/sacramento-man-accused-of-having-sex-with-13-year-old-bakersfield-girl-2-other-minors

New York/North Carolina

Man pleased guilty to sex trafficking women in New York state.

http://humantrafficwatch.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/illegal-alien-pleads-guilty-to-sex-trafficking-south-korean-women/

North Carolina trial begins for human trafficking and the rape and killing of a 5-year-old girl.

http://myfox8.com/2013/04/07/trial-to-begin-for-man-charged-with-raping-killing-5-year-old-nc-girl/

Bloggers Against Social Injustice held Freedom Walk Buffalo on Saturday to raise awareness about human trafficking around the world, especially its presence in Buffalo.

Anna Beard speaks of her own experience of sex trafficking, having been tricked into modelling for an older man as part of what he claimed was “an art project”.
Read about the event and Anna’s story here:
http://www.ubspectrum.com/features/exit-slavery-enter-freedom-1.3021758

New Mexico
A legislative bill was signed into law will help victims of human trafficking. It takes effect on July 1.
Attorney General Gary King, who is part of a team prosecuting human traffickers, said “You know we want to continue to improve our efforts in New Mexico – both our efforts as law enforcement but also our efforts to reach out to the public and get them to recognize human trafficking as a crime and particularly to help us identify the victims, because victims of human trafficking don’t self-identify.  They’re normally afraid to go to the police and so we have to search a little bit harder for those victims to get them out of their situations.”

http://kunm.org/post/human-trafficking-bill-signed

Colarado
A missing Aurora teen has been found in California, but parents worry she may sex trafficking victim after two other missing Colorado women also created online modeling profiles.

Law enforcement has said they are considering the missing womens’ modeling aspirations in their investigations, but have not linked the online profiles to any of the disappearances.
http://www.krdo.com/news/Missing-Aurora-teen-found-parents-worry-she-s-sex-trafficking-victim/-/417220/19654116/-/twd2kez/-/index.html
Orlando
A new campaign called “Gentlemen Don’t John” is pushing men of color to speak about the realities of sex trafficking. 9“John” is a commonly used term to identify men who solicit prostitutes.
When the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity begin their Las Vegas Conference next week, they will be increasing their awareness of sex trafficking within the Black community, with help a San Diego-based non-profit organization.

http://www.orlandoadvocate.com/index.php/u-s/65634-fraternity-raises-awareness-about-sex-trafficking
Montana
The non-profit ministry is Vision Beyond Borders, is teaming up with Billings church, Word of life, in an attempt to prevent women and children being sold on the streets.

http://www.ktvq.com/news/local-congregation-teams-up-to-tackle-human-trafficking/
Ohio

Ohio lawmaker Teresa Fedor  says she expects to introduce new legislation in the next few days to help reduce sex trafficking especially for minors.

Read here about what the new legislation will cover:

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2013/04/08/columbus-proposal-would-bolster-human-trafficking-laws.html

 

Michigan
The Michigan Attorney General has announced the creation of Michigan’s first human trafficking commission.

Michigan may have as many as 112 to 115 victims of human trafficking per month. Find out how victims are lured into human trafficking.
http://www.cm-life.com/2013/04/07/michigan-human-trafficking-commission-aims-to-raise-awareness/
New Mexico
New Mexico State University students will hold a human trafficking awareness event on the morning of April 27 at the Farmers and Crafts Market.
The Polaris Project estimated that 244,000 American children and youth were at risk of child sexual exploitation, including commercial sex exploitation, in 2000.

This event will increase awareness of Human Trafficking, which is often known as Modern-Day Slavery.
http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_22978841/hidden-plain-sight-human-trafficking-awareness-event

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New Definition of Domestic Abuse for the UK

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The UK has finally updated it’s definition of Domestic Abuse to apply to 16 and 17 year olds, closing the loop hole that allowed 16 and 17-year olds to get married, or live independently with no protection from abusive and/or violent partners. The definition also includes same-sex relationships if they are intimate ones.

via the New Definition for Domestic Abuse.

Do you know Domestic Abuse is not only Domestic Violence?

It includes:

  • financial
  • emotional
  • psychological
  • sexual
  • physical

Coercive behaviour is now included, which is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.

Teenagers at risk

The British Crime Survey in 2009/10 found that 16-19-year-olds were the group most likely to suffer abuse from a partner, so this change in the law is crucial.

This definition, which is not a legal definition,  includes so called ‘honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, and is clear that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group.

Domestic Abuse Statistics

Pinwheels for Prevention: National Child Abuse Prevention Month

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Pinwheels for Prevention

Displaying pinwheels is important in raising awareness, because the number of pinwheels can be used to raise awareness of the large number of children who are suffering from abuse and neglect.

This video, courtesy of WYTV, Andrea Mistovich, coordinator for the Child Advocacy Center at the Akron Children’s Hospital Beeghly Campus, discusses the Pinwheels for Prevention Project.

“it’s child-friendly toy and you’ll notice it only takes a little bit of wind to make it move, just like it takes just one person to make a difference in a child’s life”

Why should you care about preventing child abuse?

from Prevent Child Abuse America

Around the country more and more pinwheels are being put on display.  On Tuesday, the Children’s Advocacy & Protection Center of Catawba County placed 1,500 pinwheels at Kiwanis Park. Prevent Child Abuse Utah in aiming to distribute 75,000 pinwheels this year, and handed out 50,000 last year.

The East lawn of the Historic Franklin County Courthouse in Union, Missouri

The East lawn of the Historic Franklin County Courthouse in Union, Missouri

Have you got your pinwheel yet? Is it visible?
What is happening in your area, and how you can join in?

A great blog on Pinwheels is here Pinwheels to Prevent Child Abuse. (Discussing Dissociation)

Further links:

It’s Child Abuse Awareness Month

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April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month (in the United States) – so today is the perfect day for a first blog entry.

Child Abuse is an umbrella term which also covers Child Neglect (emotional and physical), verbal abuse (such as swearing), abandonment and threats of harm to the child. Child Abuse can involve particular actions, or inaction (such as failure to provide for the child).

Preventing child abuse is not a job for parents or carers alone – the whole community has a role in preventing child abuse.

The six protective factors for preventing child abuse are:

  • Nuturing and Attachment
  • Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development
  • Parental Resilience
  • Social Connections
  • Concrete Supports for Parents
  • Social and Emotional Competence of Children

If a child is being neglected or abused it does not necessarily mean the parents are ‘bad’ or are intentionally causing the child harm. It can mean a parent/carer/relative and someone else in contract with the child is causing the issue, or it can be a sign of a person who is in need of more support or who is unaware there is an issue. Reporting possible abuse or neglect is the best way to help improve a child’s life.
For the children you know, how can help them? If you have children yourself, are they aware of OK, and not OK? Do they know who they could tell if they are worried about their friends? Is there a child you know who often seems sad, afraid or angry, have you asked them why this is? Would you know the signs of possible abuse if you saw them – for example patterns of marks on a child’s ear, or an unusual way of acting towards others? You do not need to be 100% sure to report a possible case of neglect or abuse, professionals can look into it themselves.
If there a child you know who may be neglected or abused, contact a helpline today to report it.

Further information
https://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/preventionmonth/
http://www.preventchildabuse.com/
http://www.ispcan.org

Raising awareness within our own communities is one of the key ways to prevent child abuse, and to stop it early.

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