Perps profiting from their crimes

I just learned about the Never Again Foundation!

The Never Again Foundation is a non profit charity that gives legal assistance to families of victims killed by domestic violence. They help and guide you through probate to legally obtain the assets. They also file legal notices and lawsuits to disqualify the killer as an heir. Their mission is to prevent all killers from financially profiting from causing death, and instead fight to have the assets go to the rightful and appropriate family members of the victim.

Yippee! Fight back and have the perps never again profit!

Survivor Manual TV!

I added a tab to the TV page for "Survivor Manual".

There is a video up there of me doing a healing technique with Todd Brazee that is pretty awesome. It may make you cry though, so be warned. It is 25 min long.

Watch it on the Angela Shelton TV tab under "Survivor Manual".

Report Sexual abuse! Report IT!

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http://reportitnow.org/

Please fill out our ONLINE FORM. You can expose the sexual violence that happened to yourself or a friend or loved one if they are deceased or cannot speak for themselves. You can fill out the form anytime on or before April 29th. Thank you!

This IS NOT an official police report! We are using this form to show the vast numbers and want you to show up in person on Feb 19th and April 29th to your county courthouses!

Go to your country courthouse on Feb. 19th, 2008 for the Victims Rights Rally to launch the Report IT Campaign.

On April 1st, 2008 go to your local Barnes and Noble and meet other survivors when you buy Angela Shelton's book Finding Angela Shelton. Read the book, be inspired, and Report sexual violence that has happened to you or a loved one on our online form and get your friends to do that same. Start conversations! It is very likely that you know someone who has experienced sexual violence.

Go to your country courthouse on Angela Shelton Day, April 29th with everyone else to show that you are not alone!

Contact PAVE to get involved!! http://pavingtheway.net/

Kourts for Kids!

http://www.kourtsforkids.org/

Yay!! How many times have I heard about kids and protective mothers being victimized by the system, oh let me count the times! Check out Kourts for Kids. It is a great resource. Save the children!!

Kourts for Kids is a nonprofit organization of volunteers across America, who are working together to find ways to better protect abused children in the family courts. Many people play a role in the protection of abused children -- judges, attorneys, guardians ad litem, social workers, officers of the law, legislators, and advocates. However, sometimes children are not protected due to a lack of knowledge or misinformation, political pressure, or an overload of work. This broken link, which can occur from the time a child discloses abuse to the moment a judge renders a decision, can affect the child for the rest of his or her life. Dedicated to the protection of abused children, Kourts for Kids is going to bat for them by supporting an increase in awareness and education and promoting change within regions where protection can and should be improved.

Family Court Crisis

The Center for Judicial Excellence has a new film!
Family Court Crisis: Our Children at Risk

It is a film about the systemic breakdown of our family courts!

Spread the word. People need to know about the truth.

Love Fraud - Beware of Sociopaths

Check this site out! LoveFraud.com
I just met the people who run it and it is a resource site about how to beware of the sociopath with no heart, no conscience, no remorse. Be on the lookout, especially as you begin to get better, heal, and leave abusive situations - learn how to spot a con so you don't repeat patterns!

Love Fraud dot com!

Ritual Abuse Survey

Below is a questionnaire  and announcement from Jeanne Sarson RN, BScN, MEd, and Linda MacDonald RN, BN, MEd, of Persons Against Ritual Abuse Torture.
There is a new research project on their site related to ritual abuse-torture and military connections. They are seeking persons who will share their victimization narratives that include details that some RAT perpetrators have military connections. Some ritual abuse-torturers have been identified as being veterans; some have been identified as being in active military service; and other RAT families/groups have been identified as having connections with military personnel, who for various reasons and benefits trafficked their children.
Information learned from these brief research questions can help suggest a common pattern of RAT victimization by perpetrators with military connections.
The questions are linked below:

http://pub25.bravenet.com/vote/vote/php?usernum=2120596064&cpv=2

www.ritualabusetorture.org

What can I do to help?

The Finding Angela Shelton Challenge!

A big part of healing is breaking the silence. Often people say, "But I am just one person. No one listens to me. How is it possible that if I speak up I will make a difference?" 

Every voice counts...and we need you to help.

Finding Angela Shelton is an escape route and a call to healing - so what if it got into the hands of all survivors?-- How do you get this book to 39 million people via a grassroots movement? We stand together. We unite our numbers and support each other until each and every survivor has been reached.

Tell all your friends on myspace to add her at: http://www.myspace.com/findingangelashelton. Then talk to your local rape crisis centers, high schools, colleges,radio stations and even police departments.

Most importantly, order the book! You can now do that here: FINDING ANGELA SHELTON (click the title for link)

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

RAINN's Online Hotline

RAINN's Online Hotline has just won the 2007 Technology Innovation Award from NPower. The award annually recognizes a nonprofit that has created the most innovative use of technology to more effectively fulfill its mission.

Nearly half of all sexual assault victims are under 18, so they had to find a way to provide this younger age group with the services they need using the technology they embrace.

Check out the new video about the Online Hotline at www.rainn.org

PCAA Conference

Prevent Child Abuse America National Conference

Registration opens on January 7th


Click here for more information about the conference and registration!

Featured Speakers and Conference Highlights

Keynote Sessions include:

Dr. Martin Maldonado - "Infant Mental Health and Child Abuse Prevention"

Craig Zablocki - "Time Out for Parents"

"The Future of Child Abuse Prevention" - a diverse panel of experts moderated by Deborah Daro

"Leadership, Excellence and Volunteerism" - Lessons learned from 2008 winners of the Healthy Families America Service Excellence Awards, Donna J. Stone Award, and Parent Leadership Award.

Standout Sessions include:

Dr. Lawrence Wallack - "Media Advocacy: A Strategy for Activists"
Cordelia Anderson - "From Dr. Seuss to Pornography: A New Frontier for Primary Prevention"
Dr. Jeffrey Linkenbach - "The Science of the Positive: The Social Norms Approach"
Panel: "Bridging the Research-Practice Gap: HFA Past, Present, and Future"

Plus more than 100 workshops on a wide range of topics, including prevention of child sexual abuse, shaken baby syndrome, home visitation, family support, parent education, management issues, public policy, communications strategies, wellness, and more.

Same low registration rates as 2006! $310 per person Early Bird Registration through March 31, 2008. Registration opens January 7.

Celebrity Chef Special Event at the Milwaukee Public Market

A cooking demonstration presented by Chef Wynnie Stein, of the famed Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, New York, will spotlight a springtime menu of healthy family meals. For more than thirty-three years Moosewood Restaurant has been acclaimed as a driving force in the world of creative vegetarian cooking. They've been named one of the thirteen most influential restaurants of the 20th Century by Bon Appetit magazine.

Learn how to prevent child sexual abuse - Become a Stewards of Children facilitator

Bring the Darkness to Light Stewards of Children sexual abuse prevention program to your community---great for staff, volunteers, and parents! Facilitator Training January 30, 2008, in San Diego, CA. For more information and registration please go to the Darkness to Light website: www.d2l.org and click on "Storefront" and "Stewards Authorized Facilitator Workshop". Contact Julie Schneider at jschneider@d2l.org or 843-965-5444 with any questions.

I’m afraid a little girl I know is being molested. I have no idea what to do. I have no proof, but I can see something in her eyes. Do I try to ......

I recommend that you go to the d2l.org - Darkness to Light- web site and download the 7 Steps to protecting our children, guiding responsible adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. This guide will tell you how to talk to adults about suspicion of abuse and where to go for help for reporting.

I encourage you to follow through on your "gut" feeling or intuition about this little girl. It is adults responsibility to protect all kids. Perhaps you are the only one that has this insight about this little girl, perhaps the only one that could possibly stand up for her.

If you would like more encouragement or confidence around reporting then you can take the Stewards of Children training online at the d2l.org web site. The Darkness to Light Stewards of Children is a prevention training program that educates adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse, and motivates them to courageous action. You can also see there if there are trainings being offered in your town.

I have facilitated this training for almost 3 years now. It is a really powerful tool to educate adults about the issue of CSA and prevention. I highly recommend it!

Thank you for noticing this little girl!

Female Sexual Violence

Ophelia can sing!

Working with others

Hello, and thanks for reading my contribution to this blog. When Angela first asked me to contribute, I immediately said "Yes, of course, I'd love too", and then I wondered, what would be important from my perspective? First, I think it's important for you to know about Bikers Against Child Abuse - BACA. If you aren't familiar with us, go to www.bacausa.com for our mission statement, videos, and general information. Also, I would like to say that everything I write in this blog is my opinion, based on my experience, and does not necessarily represent any "official" BACA position.

I found out about BACA from Angela Shelton, and got involved in September of '06. I founded, and am President of the L.A. chapter. I love BACA because I get to ride my motorcycle ('91 Harley FXR) and help kids. What we do is hands on - we become part of these kids lives, and they become part of us. We are a family. We are all volunteers, and BACA is a 501c3 non- profit. People often ask me why I do this, and why am I willing to put so much of myself into BACA? I do this because I am inspired. I believe in being of service to others. We make a real difference in the lives of abused children. When these children join our family, they become less afraid of the world around them. They can sleep at night. They find the courage within themselves to grow from victims of abuse into empowered survivors. I feel honored, privileged, and humbled by the opportunity to participate in these kids lives.

The cycle of abuse is something that all of us, together, have the power to change. I believe helping these kids will contribute to breaking that cycle. I also believe that survivors can use their experience to empower others, and that makes everyone involved stronger. With that in mind, I encourage everyone involved to work together in this fight against abuse, and to help each other on the road to recovery, healing, and empowerment. Victims of abuse can, and do, grow into very strong survivors.

But what if you are in the middle of it right now? What do you do? Where do you go? What happens now? If you believe your life or the lives of your children are in danger, make an exit plan, and get out. Right now. Call someone you trust and tell them what's happening. Ask them to help you find resources in your community - medical care, law enforcement, shelters, therapy. Would you help someone close to you if they were in your situation? Of course you would. Reach out. Ask for help. If you're afraid, all you need is enough courage to take the first step. Make the first call for help. It's tough, but you can do it. Do it now.

Healing through Creativity Survivor Art Event and Forum

Healing Through Creativity has an art event and forum focused towards healing from trauma, domestic violence and sexual assault. Visit healingthroughcreativity.org/forum. Aside from the discussion of art as a method for healing and areas in which you can share your art form, they have forums in which you can share your story of survival, vent your frustrations, tell jokes, share the good things in your life, and talk about anything you wish. There are also forums providing you with various resources and tips for the healing process.

You can post your poetry/writings and music and also showcase your work in the Annual survivor art event.

Happy International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Happy Day... November 25th marks the 16 days of activism. These 16 days call for organizations and individuals around the world to take action to eliminating violence of all types. It culminates on December 10th with International Human Rights Day.

Check it out!

Girls Fight Back!

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Here is me talking to Erin Weed http://girlsfightback.com/

That was a funny day. And I'm wearing my fabulous Earth Bitch shirt! (plug plug)

Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Viseral, and Semato Emotional Release

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I went to see Sam MacArthur who practices Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Viseral, and Semato Emotional Release. She is in Weaverville, NC 828-775-2327. For those near to her, I highly recommend her. It was an amazing experience. After an hour treatment I walked away feeling incredibly centered and awake. She also picked up on some pains in my body that I did not tell her about before I arrived. That was pretty wild. I highly recommend going to Sam if you can or finding another healer near you.

More resources and ways to find a practitioner near you:

Milne Institue 831-667-2323

Upledger Institute 800-233-5880 upledger@upledger.com

Givin' it up for Shelton

My name is Erin Weed, and I'm the founder of Girls Fight Back! While I am not a survivor of violence myself, one of my favorite girlfriends was murdered in 2001 by a stranger who broke into her college apartment. Through her death and the subsequent pain that followed (especially the murder trial for her killer) I have heard a lot of stories. Today I try to supply hope to people who have forgotten how incredible they are. I attempt to make amazing women like you realize you are worth fighting for!

Angela has asked me to contribute to this blog, which is a real honor. I thought I'd start out my first post by saying what Angela would never do herself...tell you all the attributes she has which are so key to healing. There are two major things about her that have brought the movement so far. First up is her honesty. In my six years traveling the US speaking to women about their personal safety and self-defense, I have learned two things. #1: Everyone has a story and #2: Nobody is sharing them. To share our deepest hurt and pain is to really expose ourselves to some scary stuff...but it also exposes us to angels who can help.

The second thing I love about Angela Shelton is her humor. Just last night I was watching her movie "Searching for Angela Shelton" and I literally laughed at loud during the climax of the movie...when she is confronting her abusive dad on Father's Day. It was the part when she was marveling about how a little kid would ever come up with the idea of putting a broomstick up his ass without the help from a twisted adult. Or when she came on my radio show a few weeks ago, I asked her: "How do you move on, as an adult, after a childhood of being so horribly abused?" Her response was, "I don't know...become an addict?" (Listen to the whole interview here) The thing is, if you're reading this blog you've likely lived through, seen or experienced some pretty awful shit. And I really believe we have to find something to laugh about, even if it's dark, twisted and horrifies the rest of the population. Being able to laugh is the same as taking back the power...which I think Angela is really targeting with giggle therapy and so many of her other projects.

So overall, I just want to say it's great to be here in your lovely community. And I'm happy to blog about anything in regards to helping you reclaim your personal safety and learn to defend yourself. I'm sending a big CHEERS to Angela and her army of angels everywhere.
Strong. Resilient. Spirited. Unified.