Hollywood

The Hollywood Child Abuse Epidemic No One Wants to Talk About

Its time to cut into the darkness nobody wants to talk about.

In the late 1990s, during the swollen stages of the dot-com bubble, Marc Collins-Rector founded Digital Entertainment Network. A sort of proto-Netflix, it would broadcast original serials on the Internet. One of them, called Chad's World, was written and produced by Collins-Rector, and followed a young man as he moved in with his brother and brother's boyfriend.

His associates might have observed that the dynamic of the show was reminiscent of Collins-Rector's own circumstances, as he shared a house with his partner Chad Shackley and a 17-year-old former child actor, Brock Pierce. They might or might not have known that Collins-Rector was a pedophile sexual predator who preyed on his youthful recruits. Digital Entertainment Network eventually collapsed, taking with it tens of thousands of dollars from investors such as The Usual Suspects and X-Men director Bryan Singer.

This is just one of the awful episodes detailed in the 2014 documentary An Open Secret. Powerful yet restrained, it explores the underbelly of the child performer industry, where, it alleges, young boys and girls are commonly abused by agents, executives, and other insiders. These abusers are often well-connected. For example, Brian Peck, who was convicted in 2003 of raping a young Nickelodeon performer, worked with veteran Nickelodeon executive Dan Schneider and Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen, and did commentary for a DVD release with Usual Suspects and X-Men director Bryan Singer.

Despite critical acclaim and an Oscar-nominated director— Amy Berg—An Open Secret received “zero Hollywood offers to distribute the film.” It did not help when former child actor Michael Egan, who appeared in the film, dropped his case against Masters of the Universe director Gary Goddard, Singer, and two Hollywood executives after his lawyers accepted the weakness of his case and he was convicted on an unrelated charge of fraud. Egan was discredited as a witness, though Goddard would go on to be accused of sexual abuse by eight of his former students. Goddard's last project had been the musical Broadway 4D, co-directed with Singer, who faced a separate accusation of rape in the same month.

Amid the furor of the “Me Too” campaign, adult victims of sexual abuse have received more attention than child victims. Kevin Spacey, who the actor Gabriel Byrne claims held up the filming of The Usual Suspects due to his inappropriate behavior, was found to have exploited underage boys. Still, most of the attention has focused on harassers with adult female victims. When Asia Argento, who revealed her abuse at the grubby hands of Harvey Weinstein in a groundbreaking New Yorker article in 2017, stood onstage at Cannes Film Festival and roared to an enthusiastic ovation that Weinstein would “never be welcome here again” and that men would be “held accountable for their conduct against women,” she made no mention of boys and girls who had endured abuse. (Ironically, Argento would herself be accused of plying a 17-year-old actor with alcohol and assaulting him. Her case is being investigated by Los Angeles police.)

The formation of this narrative is unsurprising. Adult victims have larger platforms and far more security when they speak for themselves. “It takes that inner strength to come forward,” said Paul Espinosa, commanding officer at the LA Police Department Juvenile Division in an interview with Sky News. “With children that inner strength is not the same as with adults.” Still, as people debate the merits and flaws of the “revolution” that “Me Too” is held to represent, I think an argument can be made that it is insufficiently radical, that it has failed to strike through the guts of show business and hit its rotten core.

Making children famous, as I have previously written, is a bad idea. The bizarre environments of the film and music industries warp their minds and expose them to predators. Parents, desperate to help their children realize their dreams (or just exploit them for financial gain), allow strangers access to them on a level that would be acknowledged as absurd and sinister in other situations. In An Open Secret, for example, it's revealed that one abusive agent took child actors to his house for sleepovers and screening parties. As the children mature, they are often exposed to alcohol, drugs, and sex. Elijah Wood, himself a former child actor, said after watching An Open Secret that there are “a lot of vipers in this industry” and credited his mother with protecting him from “bizarre…paths of temptation.”

The film industry is strangely forgiving of child abusers. I am one of many who think Roman Polanski is a child rapist and a cinematic genius but his friends and collaborators have always gone further by behaving as if his talents mitigate his appalling crime. Victor Salva was convicted of molesting a child actor, filming the molestation, and possessing child pornography, but went on to direct several films, one of which included “tasteless, cursory allusions” to a character's abuse. Brian Peck continued to work in Hollywood after his conviction. He was hired as a vocal coach on Anger Management at the alleged insistence of Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen.

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/the-hollywood-child-abuse-epidemic-no-one-wants-to-talk-about/

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#MeToo Hops the Pond

Trust and Mistrust in Churches

Such abusers are able to operate in industries where sexualizing children is disturbingly common. Media figures have, for example, been accused of eroticizing the young cast of the show Stranger Things. Thirteen-year-old actress Millie Bobbie Brown was included by W magazine among the stars who were proving “Why TV is Sexier than Ever,” while 13-year-old Finn Wolfhard had to wade through leering comments on social media. At home, of course, perverts are free to sexualize child performers. The former child star of Matilda, Mara Wilson, spoke of her disgust at finding herself featured on “a foot fetish site that catalogued scenes in movies where children's feet could be seen.” This should prompt some reflection from former Nickelodeon executive Dan Schneider, who, as reported in The Outline after his unexplained firing in 2018, posted pictures of his young stars' feet and solicited pictures of feet from fans.

Critics of “Me Too” often accuse the movement of abandoning due process in favor of trial by social media. There is something to this. Especially where famous people are concerned, making false accusations of abuse can be a good means of acquiring attention or money, and Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can spawn a kind of febrile mob mentality. Where children are concerned, it is especially important that the courts, and not anonymous rumormongers, determine guilt and innocence. Yet rumors flourish when institutions are closed, corrupt, and unaccountable. Decades of abuse and impenetrable institutional silence have fostered a desire for a full and verifiable reform of organizational attitudes towards child performers and adult abusers. Hollywood, which thrives on telling other people's stories, has to be more open about its own.

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/the-hollywood-child-abuse-epidemic-no-one-wants-to-talk-about/

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Oklahoma

Child abuse charges have been filed against a southeastern Oklahoma school principal in connection with the paddling of two students.

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) — Child abuse charges have been filed against a southeastern Oklahoma school principal in connection with the paddling of two students.

Pittsburg County court records indicate 50-year-old Gary Gunckel was charged with two counts of child abuse by injury on Friday. A preliminary hearing conference is scheduled Oct. 12.

The McAlester News-Capital reports that Gunckel, principal at Indianola Public Schools, is accused of "using unreasonable force" when he used a wooden paddle to spank two elementary school students, ages 10 and 11, on Sept. 6.

A statement by Indianola Superintendent Adam Newman says Gunckel has been placed on administrative leave. Gunckel didn't immediately return a telephone call seeking comment and court records don't list an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oklahoma/articles/2018-10-02/oklahoma-principal-charged-with-child-abuse-over-paddlings

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JAPAN

Welfare workers slammed in report on grim child abuse case

A panel commissioned by the welfare ministry to look into a harrowing case of fatal child abuse faulted welfare officials for not being on the ball and preventing the tragedy.

The death of 5-year-old Yua Funato drew extensive media coverage after it emerged she kept a notebook begging for her parents' love and their forgiveness.

Yua was subjected to a near-starvation diet as well as beatings. The soles of her feet bore traces of frostbite.

Her stepfather and mother were arrested on suspicion of abandoning their parental responsibility resulting in her death last March in Tokyo's Meguro Ward.

The panel's report, compiled on Oct. 3, cited 10 problem areas among the child welfare centers and local government offices that were supposed to oversee Yua and her parents.

It said a number of offices were way too lax in putting out the word that Yua was desperately in need of close supervision by government workers.
The panel questioned staff at child welfare centers in Kagawa Prefecture as well as Tokyo, where the Funatos moved to early this year. Local government officials were also asked about how information about Yua was passed on from Kagawa to Tokyo.

The report faulted the child welfare center in Kagawa for failing to conclude that Yua faced a high danger of abuse. Center officials were informed by local medical institutions about injuries that Yua suffered at the hands of her stepfather as well as the child's own insistence that she did not want to go home.

The child welfare center was also blamed for failing to create an assessment sheet that would normally serve as the basis for judging if the child should be placed in temporary custody for her safety.

Kagawa officials were also faulted for the manner in which they passed on information to Tokyo officials in connection with Yua's case. The document compiled by Kagawa officials did not contain specific information about the abuse Yua had suffered, such as photos taken of her injuries, or other characteristics of the case, including background information related to the parents.

The panel concluded that the gist of the documents was unclear and that conversations over the phone to provide additional information were also insufficient.

Officials involved in the case said the distance between Kagawa and Tokyo hampered their efforts to directly convey vital details about the case.

The panel said the danger Yua faced was not adequately transmitted through the phone conversations and documents sent to Tokyo.

Among the problems pointed out was a failure by child welfare officials in Tokyo to consider that the level of abuse might spike due to a deteriorating family environment brought on by the move from Kagawa to Tokyo.

After the family moved to Tokyo, officials of the local child welfare center and local ward office twice visited the Funato residence, but were blocked from meeting Yua.

The panel report faulted Tokyo child welfare center officials for not realizing they faced a critical and emergency situation. It noted that they had not been able to assess Yua's well-being as her mother had twice refused officials access to her daughter.

The panel said Yua died before officials could confirm the danger she was in.

http://www.asahi.com/sp/ajw/articles/AJ201810030041.html

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Australia

Child Abuse Victims

The Scout movement in Australia has apologized to victims of child sex abuse within the organization which has recently joined a national compensation program.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Scout movement in Australia on Friday apologized to victims of child sex abuse within the organization that recently joined a national compensation program.

Scouts Australia Chief Commissioner Phil Harrison said the apology was part of his organization's commitment to acknowledge and address the harm that some of its members have suffered through Scouting.

"Scouting sincerely hopes that the apology will help those who suffered through their time in Scouting, as well as their families who have also been affected," Harrison said in a statement.

"The apology is a genuine and heartfelt admission that, for some young people, their time in Scouting was a negative experience. For this, we are truly sorry," he added.

Allegations of years of abuse within Scouts were heard during the government-commissioned Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which made its final report in December.

Australia's longest-running royal commission — which is the country's highest form of inquiry — had been investigating since 2012 how institutions responded to sexual abuse of children in Australia over 90 years. The inquiry heard the testimonies of more than 8,000 survivors of child sex abuse.

Scouts Australia joined a national redress program that was recommended by the royal commission and began on July 1. The plan covers people who were sexually abused as children by institutional figures over decades. Payments are capped at 150,000 Australian dollars ($106,000), with previously received compensation being deducted from any new amount.

Scouts, Young Men's Christian Association, better known as YMCA, Catholic Church, Anglican Church and Salvation Army were among the first organizations to sign up to the government's redress program.

Harrison said Scouts Australia had listened to the royal commission, survivors' groups and individual survivors who have said an apology might help with victims' healing.

Scouts Australia national general manager Cathy Morcom said while scouting organizations in some other countries participated in similar redress programs, she was not aware of any other national organization making a formal apology.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-10-04/australian-scout-movement-apologizes-to-child-abuse-victims

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About 20 people per minute are suffering from intimate partner violence

NO ONE IS 100 PERCENT exempt from the consequences of alcohol and drug abuse – not even celebrities like American actress and model Teri Copley, who sought intervention from Dr. Phil on behalf of her daughter, Ashley. In an episode on the show, viewers get to take a peek inside the twisted world of an individual whose life has been torn asunder by toxic relationships and substance abuse addiction. Ashley completely denied all the claims she made in a video about her boyfriend, Hector, who reportedly subjected her to domestic violence in front of their 3-year-old daughter. On the one hand, Ashley had been sending pictures of bruises on her body to her mother, but during the episode, Ashley publicly admitted that she was drunk while she made that video with her mother, who allegedly edited it to make it look like Ashley was talking about Hector. Was Ashley lying to cover up for her boyfriend?

Unfortunately, scenarios like Ashley and Hector's are much too common, and the link between domestic violence and substance abuse is extremely complex. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, about 20 people per minute are suffering from intimate partner violence, or IPV, which is equivalent to more than 10 million men and women annually.

Common Lies to Cover Up Domestic Violence

It's very common for victims of domestic violence to lie and hide their partner's behavior (i.e., saying that they "fell" when their partner actually pushed them). Under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, the offending partner strikes with hurtful words and physically harmful actions, such as hitting, punching, kicking, beating or forcing sex. Intimate partner violence can occur in any kind of relationship and is not strictly limited to physical abuse.

Since victims of IPV already lie and justify to cover up for their partner, adding meth, marijuana, alcohol and other drugs to the relationship further complicates the situation and makes it difficult for addiction professionals and therapists to detect the truth. Who's lying? Who's really the survivor of domestic violence here? When people are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, it's hard to tell when they're telling the truth or if they are exaggerating their story. Dr. Phil noticed the contradictions in Ashley's story and said, "You're either lying then or you're lying now." According to Dr. David Sack, the seven reasons why addicts lie include: avoidance of reality and confrontation, which could have easily been at play in Ashley's situation. It's entirely possible that Ashley's "altered consciousness" has constructed an alternate reality where she gets confused about who really gave her the bruises on her elbow or broke her jaw. Ashley claimed it wasn't Hector who she was talking about, after all; it was some other ex. Teri thinks it's Hector.

By the end of the show, Dr. Phil strongly urged his listeners to "get courage to get real," and in order to get the help you need, you must tell the whole truth. Giving therapists and addiction professionals half the truth will only give you half the solution, which is really no solution at all. New Method Wellness is one of the best alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers in the nation, offering dual diagnosis treatment for substance abuse addiction and post-traumatic stress disorders resulting from domestic violence. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and trauma-informed care are available for both alcohol-dependent victims and offenders in IPV relationships; to ensure prevention relapse, holistic therapy is integrated for the benefit of the clients and their families. The importance of dual diagnosis treatment lies in getting to the root of substance abuse addiction, which could be the cause or result of domestic violence. Addressing this connection between the two will yield long-lasting positive treatment outcomes long after program completion.

https://health.usnews.com/health-care/for-better/articles/2018-08-31/the-link-between-substance-abuse-and-domestic-violence

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Abuse by a sibling can profoundly affect a child's mental health.

Don't ignore signs of a possible issue, like if a child withdraws or seems depressed.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF kids 18 and under live in a home with at least one other sibling. In fact, kids spend more time with their siblings than anybody else. By far, sibling relationships are the longest-lasting family relationships in an individual's life.

Some sibling relationships are healthy and sustaining, while others are broken and unhealthy. The complexities of these unique relationships can often be hard for an outsider to understand, since there are often invisible rules at play. Take for example the love-hate relationship in which it's OK for siblings to fight with one another but when a third party enters the picture, the gloves come off and the siblings become highly protective and defend one another. Most would say this type of relationship is completely normal, but if siblings are constantly at each other's throats, persistently trying to outdo the other and continue tearing each other down with their words, the relationship is far from normal.

The constant bantering between siblings can turn into physical and psychological warfare, leading to bullying, tormenting or worse. In a battle to exert control and power, one sibling may end up dominating the relationship, making the home environment an unsafe place. While most sibling relationships have their ups and downs, some of these relationships are downright abusive. Young people who survive an abusive sibling relationship can carry their physical and emotional scars into adulthood.

A study in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence estimates that between 50 and 80 percent of youth experience some form of sibling abuse. This violence can involve physical, emotional or even sexual abuse, with reports indicating it's more common than parent-initiated child abuse or intimate partner abuse. It's estimated that 3 in 100 youth are in a dangerously violent sibling relationship. In regards to sexual trauma, sibling sexual abuse is reported to occur at a higher rate than parent-child incest. Unfortunately, data on abusive sibling relationships are lacking, as many families either keep their secrets under lock and key or have normalized the unhealthy relationship to the point they don't see the signs of abuse. One way that sibling abuse stands apart from other forms of abuse is that the perpetrator, usually an older sibling (most commonly occurring between an older brother and younger sister), has more access to the victim, making it a dangerous and unsafe situation.

Sibling abuse often goes undetected and unreported. Survivors of sibling abuse frequently struggle with depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, promiscuity and drug misuse. Many survivors are confused about what constitutes a healthy relationship and often feel guilt and shame over what happened to them. As a result, they may experience long-term relationship problems.

With a culture that normalizes sibling rivalry, it's important for parents to know the telltale signs of rivalry and when it crosses the line into abuse.

Here are five reasons for teen sibling rivalry:

They are too similar in personalities. They are like two peas in a pod, and that causes stress and tension in the relationship.

They are as different from one another as night and day. This difference can cause arguments over every little thing.

They are space invaders. For example, one infringes on the other's space and doesn't allow breathing room. Teens definitely need their space.

They are competing for attention, often from a parent.

They are jealous and feel inferior to the other.

These are some signs of teen sibling rivalry:

Physically and verbally attacking one another, such as shoving, pinching and hitting or name-calling, insults and put-downs

Fiercely competing for attention and trying to outdo one another, such as in academics and sports

Constantly bickering or bantering back and forth

Overly critical and jealous of the sibling

Unreasonably territorial

Extremely frustrated and easily agitated more times than not with their brother or sister

Sometimes it can be difficult for parents to draw the line between what constitutes rivalry and abuse. And often rivalry can turn into abuse that can be physical, emotional and sexual. There are some signs the sibling being abused and the one doing the abusing may exhibit, and these signs should not be ignored or dismissed.

The following signs may indicate a child is being abused by a sibling:

Fears of being left alone with the sibling

Avoids being at home

Complies often with sibling's requests

Changes in behavior (e.g. more stressed, anxious or depressed)

Changes in eating habits (e.g. eats less or more than usual)

Has unexplained bruises, cuts or scrapes

Experiences sleep disturbances or nightmares

Acts out in sexually inappropriate ways

Disengages from the family

Shows signs of insecurity and low self-esteem

These signs may indicate a sibling is abusive:

Acts out aggressively to exert superiority and control

Engages in inappropriate sexual contact

Exhibits rough and violent behavior

Seeks out a brother or sister to hang out with, but companionship is not reciprocated

Ignores healthy boundaries for privacy and space

Makes decisions for the sibling, silencing that child's voice

Exhibits jealousy and possessiveness

Frequently displaces anger and frustration on the sibling

Shows signs of poor impulse control

As you can see, it can often be difficult to distinguish rivalry from abuse, and most teens don't report the abuse. But if you are the parent of a teen who is in an unhealthy relationship with his or her sibling, don't ignore or miss the signs. In some families, the conflict between siblings is so severe that it adversely affects how the family functions.

If you suspect abuse, first and foremost, don't leave your kids alone. Next, when they are in each other's company, be present and supervise their interactions by paying special attention to signs of abuse. Last, keep an open relationship with your teens, so they know they can talk with you about anything. Spend time alone with each of them so they have space to talk openly about any concerns with you.

Youth need to feel that home is a safe place. It needs to be their haven away from the world, not a place where they live in fear. If your teen musters the courage to tell you about the abuse, you need to believe him or her. Your ability to intervene immediately can help both of your kids. If you believe sexual abuse is occurring, separate the siblings immediately and seek professional help. The wounds of sibling abuse can heal if they are treated.

https://health.usnews.com/wellness/for-parents/articles/2018-07-03/what-parents-need-to-know-about-sibling-rivalry-and-abuse

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Childhood Abuse Be Contributing to Your Depression?

Childhood trauma can have damaging health effects that span a lifetime.

At a particularly vulnerable period in a person's life when one's brain and very sense of self are still developing, abuse can affect a child on a deeply personal and even biological level.

The ripple effects of childhood abuse extend well beyond the immediate time surrounding the abuse and can continue to cause significant disruption throughout a person's life, even if on the surface things seem calm.

Studies show that so-called adverse childhood experiences – stressful or traumatic events including physical, emotional or sexual abuse and physical or emotional neglect – can raise the risk of everything from substance abuse and mental health issues to sleep disruption, obesity, heart attack and diabetes and even shortened lifespan. Research has found childhood abuse is associated with depression not only in kids, adolescents and young adults, but in later life as well.

“Time just doesn't magically heal,” says Adria Pearson-Mauro, an assistant professor of family medical and psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and a clinical psychologist at CU's Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center in Aurora. She says these kinds of threats and the impact they can have on neurodevelopment of someone who is abused as a child physically or sexually always matter. “It doesn't become less important with age,” Pearson-Mauro says.

At a particularly vulnerable period in a person's life when one's brain and very sense of self are still developing, abuse can affect a child on a deeply personal and even biological level. That's not to say that everyone who is abused as a child will necessarily go on to experience depression or that everyone who experiences depression endured adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, neglect or other stressors like living with an alcoholic parent. But, experts say, those so-called ACEs certainly increase one's risk of suffering from depression.

Many people who faced early life adversity don't experience mental health issues later. “Some people may have more resilience, some have less,” says Dr. Robert Shulman, associate chair of psychiatry and director of clinical services at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. The reasons why some end up suffering from depression while others don't vary – and aren't fully known; but they range from biological, or epigenetic predisposition – influencing how genes are expressed during a person's life – that may make them more vulnerable to mental health concerns, to so-called psychosocial risk factors, such as having a limited social network.

Recent research set out to better understand the psychosocial factors, or mediators, that may contribute to depression later in life in people who experienced childhood abuse. The study published last month in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found an association between childhood abuse and depression in older adults and additionally suggests that a smaller social network and feelings of loneliness may help explain the link between childhood abuse and early-onset depression in older adults, or depression beginning before age 60. “Our findings suggest that smaller social networks and feelings of loneliness are important factors in late-life depression in older adults with a history of childhood abuse and with an early-onset depression,” the researchers wrote. The study did not find any psychosocial mediators that might help explain the association between childhood abuse and higher rates of late-onset depression, or that beginning in people 60 and older.

“We concluded that it is important to give more attention to childhood abuse in depressed older adults, not only early in life, but also later in life,” lead study author Ilse Wielaard, a PhD student working at the psychiatric department at the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands, wrote in an email. “It is somewhat more common to develop a depression earlier in life in [the] case of childhood abuse. However, there is still a strong and robust association with middle-age (40-60 years) and late-onset (60 years and older) depression,” she adds.

More study is needed, and the researchers as well as other experts note that various factors that weren't measured in the study, like chronic disease, can contribute to depression. Generally speaking, the risk for depression is increased in older adults – for reasons ranging from brain changes to higher rates of isolation to more chronic conditions. But mental health experts reiterate that the effects of childhood abuse are wide-sweeping, including often making it harder to form and preserve close relationships, or maintain a robust social network years later. By the same token, the depression a person may experience later in life could have to do with other factors unrelated to childhood abuse.

Clinicians say it's important a history of childhood abuse is at least discussed to determine if it is a factor, and that health providers should ask about past trauma, including abuse, given the far-reaching effects it can have and since patients might not mention it unless their health provider inquires about the subject. “People might not volunteer that information [for] various different reasons. They might not think it matters. It was a long time ago,” Pearson-Mauro says. There are generational differences when it comes to transparency as well; some older people may be especially reluctant to broach a conversation about abuse they experienced as a child. With the #MeToo movement, “just now people are starting to talk more openly about having been a victim of sexual abuse,” Pearson-Mauro says.

Many people have never talked about or had a chance to emotionally process abuse that happened decades ago, or had those feelings validated by another person, whether a family member, friend or therapist. “An unprocessed event can lend itself to thoughts that are inaccurate about that person's self-worth, about the world around them, about their personal safety, and about other people and their trustworthiness,” Pearson-Mauro says. “And that impacts mood of course.”

While there's no specific therapeutic prescription for a person with depression who experienced childhood abuse, mental health experts say seeking to discern if there's a link between the two, and particularly if so, talking more about that past abuse as part of treatment is important. If, for example, a person is advocating for an older parent who has depression and a history of childhood abuse, Shulman recommends going beyond simply taking that parent to the primary care doctor to get a prescription for an antidepressant. “Having the opportunity to get the parent in to see a counselor is very important,” he says. “I have to tell you that all the counselors – the psychologists and social workers I've known that work with older adults – are incredibly kind people, who are so willing to listen and to be supportive and caring.”

In addition to getting depression under control – such as with medication and therapy – dealing with the trauma can help improve outcomes, experts say.

“If an older adult has childhood abuse experiences, I think it is important to create a safe context in which the patient can be open and honest about it,” Wielaard says. If it's too difficult to talk about, that might mean initially expressing oneself in other ways, like writing about the abuse. “When appropriate, the focus in therapy could be on childhood trauma,” she adds.

“If it is relevant, I would look at the necessity of doing some intervention – psychotherapy intervention – to address post-traumatic stress symptomology as well as depression. Because you're kind of treating both in a way,” Pearson-Mauro says. “You don't want to like necessarily delve right into the trauma and do intensive trauma treatment with someone who's quite depressed, because they might not have the coping skills to handle revisiting those memories right away,” she says. The point is to integrate addressing the trauma to the extent it's related to the depression, and in due time, as makes sense for the patient, experts say.

Much better to do that than trying to bury it, until it resurfaces again. For an older person who has a history of childhood abuse, it may have been a long time since the abuse took place, but experts emphasize that doesn't mean it's forgotten – or that it doesn't still have the potential to hurt that person.

https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/2018-02-15/could-a-history-of-childhood-abuse-be-contributing-to-your-depression

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POLITICS

Trump: 'I Am Totally Opposed to Domestic Violence of Any Kind'

The president's comments come days after a White House aide resigned amid domestic violence allegations.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP on Wednesday unequivocally condemned domestic violence in his first comments on the subject since a former White House aide resigned last week amid allegations of spousal abuse.

"I am totally opposed to domestic violence of any kind, everyone knows that," Trump said in response to a reporter's question following a White House meeting with local government and business leaders. "And it almost wouldn't even have to be said. So, now you hear it, but you all know."

His comments come after days of silence in the wake of accusations against White House staff secretary Rob Porter.

Some have questioned the president's priorities after he said last week he was "surprised" by the allegations and wished Porter well in his future endeavors. In a vague tweet over the weekend, Trump lamented how allegations against those accused can ruin reputations before due process is served.

"People's lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation. Some are true and some are false. Some are old and some are new," he tweeted. "There is no recovery for someone falsely accused – life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?"

Despite leaving his position, Porter has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2018-02-14/trump-denounces-domestic-violence-amid-allegations-against-former-aide

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POLITICS

Reports of child sex abuse raise pressure on Trump admin to reunite migrant families

SAN DIEGO – The Trump administration is under increasing pressure to speed up the reunification of immigrant families it separated at the Mexican border, following allegations three youngsters were sexually abused while in U.S. custody.

The government of El Salvador said the three, ages 12 to 17, were victimized at shelters in Arizona, and it asked the U.S. to make their return a priority.

“May they leave the shelters as soon as possible, because it is there that they are the most vulnerable,” Deputy Foreign Relations Minister Liduvina Magarin said in San Salvador on Thursday.

The U.S. government already is facing heavy criticism over its slow pace in reuniting more than 2,600 children who were separated from their parents last spring before the Trump administration agreed to stop the practice. Most have since been reunited, but hundreds remain apart more than a month after the deadline set by a judge.

Before the Trump administration reversed course, many of the parents had been deported to their home countries while their children remained in shelters in the U.S.

Attorneys for the U.S. government and the immigrant families discussed how to accelerate the process at a hearing Friday in San Diego in front of U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw, who set the deadline.

Magarin gave few details on the three cases other than to say they involved “sexual violations, sexual abuses.” She said her government is ready with lawyers and psychologists to help the families, adding: “The psychological and emotional impact is forever.”

“It's unbelievable that children who were fleeing violence here were met in the United States with the worst violence a child could encounter,” said Cesar Rios, director of the Salvadoran Migrant Institute.

More information is needed to investigate, the U.S. Department Health and Human Services said in a statement Friday, that adding that “without additional details, we are unable to confirm or deny these allegations took place” at a facility overseen by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. It contracts with nonprofits and other third parties to run shelters for unaccompanied minors arriving at the border.

In trying to reunite families, the Trump administration has put the onus on the American Civil Liberties Union, asking that the organization use its “considerable resources” to find parents in their home countries, mostly Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

The governments of those countries and non-profit organizations have been trying to locate the families. Those efforts have included posting public notices and putting hotline numbers on billboards in the hope a parent missing a child might see the signs and call.

“Every day that these children are separated and left in government facilities does more damage,” said Lee Gelernt, an ACLU attorney representing separated families. “Even if the facilities were palaces, the separation of young children from their parents causes potentially permanent trauma.”

The government and ACLU indicated in the hearing Friday that the process should start to speed up.

Gelernt told the judge as many as 200 cases could be resolved in the next week or two. Those include families who want to be reunited in their home countries and those who want to waive their right to reunification and keep their child in the United States to pursue asylum.

The judge also said the administration can expedite cases where families have expressed the desire for the child to be sent back and not worry about it violating a temporary halt on deportations of families seeking asylum.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4422651/immigrant-family-reunions-child-sex-abuse/

Missouri Lost Track of More Than 1,200 Registered Sex Offenders, State Audit Finds

The Missouri State Highway Patrol headquarters, which maintains the state's public registry data of sex offenders. According to a state audit, the registry of Missouri's sex offenders is not always updated correctly.

Law enforcement officials in Missouri don't know the whereabouts of more than 1,200 registered sex offenders — nearly 8 percent of those required to register there — according to a state audit that highlights the difficulties of maintaining such lists.

“Local officials need to do more to hold these predators accountable for not following the law,” State Auditor Nicole Galloway said in an interview on Tuesday, adding that the inaccurate records represented “a public safety issue.”

“Right now it is providing a false sense of security,” said Ms. Galloway, who oversaw the audit. “The public assumes information in the sex offender registry is correct, when in fact it is not.”

The audit, which was released Monday, found that more than 60 percent of the offenders who were unaccounted for were categorized as Tier III, the most serious classification. That includes those convicted of crimes like rape, sodomy and molestation of a child younger than 14. Under Missouri law, Tier III offenders are required to register with a local law enforcement official every 90 days for the rest of their lives.

All convicted sex offenders, regardless of their tier, must register their name and address with law enforcement officials, typically the county sheriff, and verify that information regularly. If they don't, officials are supposed to follow up, and issue a warrant if the offender cannot be found.

According to the audit, about 91 percent of noncompliant sex offenders did not have warrants outstanding for their arrest.

It was unclear whether some people were missing from the registry entirely, or whether the total number of sex offenders who are unaccounted for was in fact 1,259, the number identified in the audit.

“We believe that this could be a conservative figure because we were unable to get complete information from the courts,” Ms. Galloway said.

The Missouri Sheriffs' Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

“What we heard from law enforcement is that other priorities were put ahead of tracking these sex offenders,” Ms. Galloway said, adding that there were “limited resources at the local level.”

The audit called for law enforcement officials to follow up on sex offender registration requirements and asked that the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which maintains the public registry data, do more to ensure the accuracy of the database that it is maintaining. The acting superintendent of the Highway Patrol responded to the critique in a lengthy letter that said “the identified accuracy issues” would be addressed in “future training sessions.”

The audit also called for a revision in Missouri law that would require background checks for school volunteers to ensure those volunteers were not in the registry.

Although the registry can become a tool for local law enforcement officials when a new offense happens, “the larger the registry, the less often it's going to be useful for those purposes,” said Franklin Zimring, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who has written about criminal violence, imprisonment and capital punishment.

Federal law requires states to register sex offenders and to notify the public when a convicted sex offender moves into a community. But despite the law's good intentions, it has been criticized for invading the privacy of those who have already been punished, then continuing to punish them. Those who remain on the sex offender registry often have difficulty finding work or a place to live.

In addition, the registry is limited in how it can help. In many cases the victims of sex crimes know the offenders. Often, and especially when it comes to child sexual abuse, perpetrators are friends and family. According to the Department of Justice, only about 10 percent of perpetrators of child sexual abuse are strangers to the child.

Studies have shown low recidivism rates among sexual offenders. The Bureau of Justice Statistics released a study in 2003 that showed an estimated 3.3 percent of the 4,300 child molesters released in 1994 were rearrested for another sex crime against a child within three years.

“Most sex offenses are committed by people who are never going to be on the registry when they commit them because they've never been on the sex offender registry before,” said Ira Ellman, a retired law professor who now serves as a scholar at the Center for the Study of Law and Society at the University of California, Berkeley.

Maintaining a sex offender registry that is available to both law enforcement officials and employers makes sense, said Mr. Ellman, but he questioned whether a public database was needed.

“If we're trying to allocate resources in public safety to figure out the best bang for our buck to reduce offending,” he said, “the registry is unlikely to be a good investment.”

The Missouri State Highway Patrol headquarters, which maintains the state's public registry data of sex offenders. According to a state audit, the registry of Missouri's sex offenders is not always updated correctly.

Law enforcement officials in Missouri don't know the whereabouts of more than 1,200 registered sex offenders — nearly 8 percent of those required to register there — according to a state audit that highlights the difficulties of maintaining such lists.

“Local officials need to do more to hold these predators accountable for not following the law,” State Auditor Nicole Galloway said in an interview on Tuesday, adding that the inaccurate records represented “a public safety issue.”

“Right now it is providing a false sense of security,” said Ms. Galloway, who oversaw the audit. “The public assumes information in the sex offender registry is correct, when in fact it is not.”

The audit, which was released Monday, found that more than 60 percent of the offenders who were unaccounted for were categorized as Tier III, the most serious classification. That includes those convicted of crimes like rape, sodomy and molestation of a child younger than 14. Under Missouri law, Tier III offenders are required to register with a local law enforcement official every 90 days for the rest of their lives.

All convicted sex offenders, regardless of their tier, must register their name and address with law enforcement officials, typically the county sheriff, and verify that information regularly. If they don't, officials are supposed to follow up, and issue a warrant if the offender cannot be found.

According to the audit, about 91 percent of noncompliant sex offenders did not have warrants outstanding for their arrest.

It was unclear whether some people were missing from the registry entirely, or whether the total number of sex offenders who are unaccounted for was in fact 1,259, the number identified in the audit.

“We believe that this could be a conservative figure because we were unable to get complete information from the courts,” Ms. Galloway said.

The Missouri Sheriffs' Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

“What we heard from law enforcement is that other priorities were put ahead of tracking these sex offenders,” Ms. Galloway said, adding that there were “limited resources at the local level.”

The audit called for law enforcement officials to follow up on sex offender registration requirements and asked that the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which maintains the public registry data, do more to ensure the accuracy of the database that it is maintaining. The acting superintendent of the Highway Patrol responded to the critique in a lengthy letter that said “the identified accuracy issues” would be addressed in “future training sessions.”

The audit also called for a revision in Missouri law that would require background checks for school volunteers to ensure those volunteers were not in the registry.

Although the registry can become a tool for local law enforcement officials when a new offense happens, “the larger the registry, the less often it's going to be useful for those purposes,” said Franklin Zimring, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who has written about criminal violence, imprisonment and capital punishment.

Federal law requires states to register sex offenders and to notify the public when a convicted sex offender moves into a community. But despite the law's good intentions, it has been criticized for invading the privacy of those who have already been punished, then continuing to punish them. Those who remain on the sex offender registry often have difficulty finding work or a place to live.

In addition, the registry is limited in how it can help. In many cases the victims of sex crimes know the offenders. Often, and especially when it comes to child sexual abuse, perpetrators are friends and family. According to the Department of Justice, only about 10 percent of perpetrators of child sexual abuse are strangers to the child.

Studies have shown low recidivism rates among sexual offenders. The Bureau of Justice Statistics released a study in 2003 that showed an estimated 3.3 percent of the 4,300 child molesters released in 1994 were rearrested for another sex crime against a child within three years.

“Most sex offenses are committed by people who are never going to be on the registry when they commit them because they've never been on the sex offender registry before,” said Ira Ellman, a retired law professor who now serves as a scholar at the Center for the Study of Law and Society at the University of California, Berkeley.

Maintaining a sex offender registry that is available to both law enforcement officials and employers makes sense, said Mr. Ellman, but he questioned whether a public database was needed.

“If we're trying to allocate resources in public safety to figure out the best bang for our buck to reduce offending,” he said, “the registry is unlikely to be a good investment.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/us/missouri-sex-offender-registry.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FChild%20Abuse%20and%20Neglect

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RELIGION

Chile

Pope Defrocks Fernando Karadima, Priest at Center of Abuse Outrage in Chile

SANTIAGO, Chile — Pope Francis has defrocked a once-prominent priest whose case has been at the center of public outrage about clerical sexual abuse and its concealment in Chile — a rare move that Vatican officials said showed his determination to tackle a scandal that has roiled the Catholic Church here and around the world.

The priest, the Rev. Fernando Karadima, was found guilty of sexual offenses by the Vatican as long ago as 2011. But his case has proved particularly toxic for Francis, who long defended a bishop accused of covering it up, Juan Barros, including during a visit to Chile in January.

A month later, following a storm of protest, Francis sent sex crimes investigators to the country, beginning an about-face that was to result in all 34 of the Roman Catholic bishops in Chile offering their resignations.

“It is one more step in Pope Francis' determined stance against abuse,” a Vatican spokesman, Greg Burke, said of the decision to defrock, which was announced on Friday. We were before a very serious case of putrefaction that had to be pulled out from its roots.”

Mr. Burke described the move as “an exceptional measure,” justified because “Mr. Karadima's serious offenses have caused exceptional damage to Chile.”

The investigators, led by Charles Scicluna, archbishop of Malta and a veteran of the Vatican justice system, delivered a scathing 2,300-page report, concluding there was a “culture of abuse” and a pattern of inaction and concealment within the Chilean church. It accused church leaders of failing to investigate credible allegations — even destroying documents to conceal them — and transferring priests accused of abuses to other parishes.

After receiving the report, the pope invited three of Mr. Karadima's victims to the Vatican to hear their testimonies and ask for their pardon.

In May, he summoned the entire Chilean Bishops' Conference to Rome. All offered to resign. So far, Pope Francis has accepted seven resignations, including those of Bishop Barros, another bishop who was a disciple of Mr. Karadima, and others accused of sexual misconduct.

Jaime Coiro, adjunct secretary general of the Bishops' Conference, said that, “Causing a major fracture within the church is one of the main reasons for defrocking a clergy member, and in effect, the Karadima case generated a major fracture in the Chilean church, as is evident in the Scicluna report.”

The defrocking took effect immediately, meaning that Mr. Karadima is no longer a priest, but he can still form part of the church as a lay member and, for example, take communion.

Over the past two decades in Chile, at least 17 of the 44 members of the clergy condemned for abuses by the Vatican or criminal courts have been expelled from the church or dismissed from the clerical state, Mr. Coiro said.

The pope's decision comes nearly eight years after the Vatican first consigned Mr. Karadima, who catered to wealthy conservatives in Santiago, the Chilean capital, to a life of “prayer and penance,” and more than 15 years since some of his victims first reported the crimes.

The revelations were initially met not with outrage at Mr. Karadima, but with disbelief and anger at his accusers. In 2011, a Chilean judge found that the allegations against him were “truthful and reliable” but dismissed the charges because a five-year statute of limitations had expired.

The victims' persistence and the shocking details of their abuse at the hands of a previously revered priest unleashed what seems to be an irreversible movement against clerical misconduct in Chile.

Almost 170 members of the clergy are under criminal investigation for inflicting abuses or for covering them up, including seven bishops and the archbishop of Santiago, Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, who will be questioned by prosecutors in early October on charges of covering up sex crimes.

Over the past few months, public prosecutors have raided church offices in the capital and other cities and confiscated files with accusations of abuses that were never reported to the authorities. This trove of evidence has led to the opening of dozens of criminal investigations.

The number of clerical abuse cases handled by the Public Prosecutor's Office jumped from 36 in July to 119 in September, involving 178 victims. The number of men and women charged for those offenses rose to 167, from 68.

In a public statement issued after the Vatican had notified Mr. Karadima of his defrocking, Cardinal Ezzati vowed to collaborate in “repairing all damage caused to victims and anyone who has suffered or is suffering because of this.”

Cardinal Ezzati faced protests by churchgoers while offering Mass in July, as prosecutors picked up the pace of their inquiries, and he declined to preside over a symbolically important service to celebrate Chilean independence on Sept. 18.

This month, the pope defrocked another prominent Chilean priest, the Rev. Cristián Precht, who in the 1970s was a director of the Catholic church's Vicariate of Solidarity, the main human rights organization during the Pinochet dictatorship. In 2012, Mr. Precht was sentenced by the Vatican to a five-year suspension for “abusive behavior.” Now he is under a new investigation because of fresh allegations that surfaced after the suspension ended.

“This is all tremendously important and I am grateful to the pope,” said Juan Carlos Cruz, one of Mr. Karadima's victims. “I hope this is a signal of future drastic action against high-ranking church officials accused of abuses or complicity, not only in Chile, but also in other parts of the world.”

Mr. Karadima, 88, has been living in a nursing home in an upscale district of Santiago paid for by the archbishop's office. Now that he is no longer a priest, his conviction to a life of seclusion has been lifted and he may move about freely, but the church will no longer support him.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/29/world/americas/chile-pope-francis-fernando-karadima.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

POLITICS

Watch This If You're Confused About Why Kavanaugh's Accuser Didn't Speak Up Sooner

CA commentator just made a powerful plea to the Senate Judiciary Committee concerning the sexual assault accusation made by Christine Blasey Ford against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

“We have to all take a step back and be respectful of Professor Ford. This is not only, if it is true, it is not only a sexual assault ? it's a childhood sexual assault,” New York Times columnist Charles Blow said on a Wednesday night segment of CNN's “Cuomo Prime Time.” “And if you have never been the victim of a childhood sexual assault, everybody needs to calm down and take a step back. Stop asking why she didn't say anything.”

The conversation, which included CNN anchor Chris Cuomo and two other commentators, surrounded the recent accusation of the professor, who goes by Christine Blasey professionally. She publicly accused Kavanaugh on Sunday of sexually assaulting her in 1982 when the two were at a high school party.

As a victim of childhood sexual assault himself, Blow urged the Senate Judiciary Committee and the general public to understand why Blasey didn't tell her story for so long.

“The first time I told somebody was 17 years later, a stranger. Next time I told somebody was two years after that. Next time I told somebody was eight years after that. It was 37 years before I told everybody in the world in a book,” Blow continued, referring to his 2014 book Fire Shut Up in My Bones.

Blasey had initially resisted going public with her story because she believed speaking up about Kavanaugh could ruin her life and have little effect on his confirmation. After attempting to speak anonymously to lawmakers and, later, media leaking her story, she spoke on the record to The Washington Post in a story published Sunday.

Although she remembers the specifics of the alleged assault, Blasey has said she has trouble remembering how she got to the house where she says the assault happened and the exact time frame. Blow said the things Blasey remembers and doesn't remember are understandable.

“I understand how if this happened to her and she can remember everything in that room and not the day,” he said.

If you have never been the victim of a childhood sexual assault, everybody needs to calm down and take a step back.

“For us, it is a living thing that lives in our bodies. You wrestle with it all the time. I can't say that I thought about [my assault] every day but I thought about it all the time. It was a living memory,” he continued. “It didn't move like other memories in my brain where it starts to fade. You're thinking about it all the time, so all of that minutiae — he stood there, they turned the music on — all of that is alive in you.”

Blow called for a trauma-informed investigation and backed up Blasey's request for an FBI investigation into her claim.

“Is this her first time ever going to be in a room with this man if in fact he did what [she said] he did?” he asked. “I just find that all of our discussions around this are all about politics and all about whether or not people are making the moves ? and none of it is about whether or not, in fact, this was a childhood sexual abuse.”

Kavanaugh has agreed to testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, but Blasey has yet to commit to testify. Kavanaugh's hearings before the committee concluded last week, but its vote was postponed to schedule a hearing on Blasey's accusation.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5ba3a804e4b0181540dac188

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HOLLYWOOD

Sally Field Reveals She Was Sexually Abused By Stepfather In New Memoir

In her book “In Pieces,” the “Gidget” actress describes abuse allegations.

Oscar-winning actress Sally Field is opening up about being sexually abused and her past dysfunctional relationships for the first time in her upcoming memoir, In Pieces.

The “Gidget” star writes that as a child she was sexually abused by her stepfather, Jock Mahoney, until she was 14. Field spoke to The New York Times about her book, scheduled for a Sept. 18 U.S. release by Grand Central Publishing, in which she details sexual harassment and her relationships.

Field's mother, Margaret, married actor Jock “Jocko” Mahoney in 1952, a year after divorcing Field's father. In Pieces opens with Field telling her mother that Mahoney abused her, inviting her into his bedroom for sexual encounters.

“It would have been so much easier if I'd only felt one thing, if Jocko had been nothing but cruel and frightening,” according to an excerpt of the book in The New York Times. “But he wasn't. He could be magical, the Pied Piper with our family as his entranced followers.”

Mahoney died in 1989 at age 70.

The 71-year-old actress details an encounter with director Bob Rafelson during an audition for her 1976 film “Stay Hungry” in which Rafelson allegedly said he “can't hire anyone who doesn't kiss good enough.” Field, who described herself as the “sole support for my family,” wrote that she kissed him. Rafelson denied the allegations to the Times.

In Pieces describes Field's romances with songwriter Jimmy Webb and actor Burt Reynolds, who died Thursday at age 82. The actress wrote that, after doing drugs one night in 1968, she woke up with Webb “on top of me, grinding away to another melody.”

Field told the Times that she didn't believe that Webb had any “malicious intent” but that he was merely “stoned out of his mind.” Webb told the Times he had not read the passage but recounted his time with the actress as “what 22-year-olds did in the late 60s — we hung out, we smoked pot, we had sex.”

In describing her relationship with Reynolds, Field told the Times that she “was trying to recreate a version of her relationship with her stepfather.” Field wrote in her memoir that she tried to get Reynolds help for his stress and anxiety. She claimed the actor used Percodan, Valium and barbiturates during their time together.

The actress, who won Oscars for “Norma Rae” and “Places in the Heart,” characterized Reynolds as charismatic and controlling.

“This would hurt him,” Field told the Times. “I felt glad that he wasn't going to read it, he wasn't going to be asked about it, and he wasn't going to have to defend himself or lash out, which he probably would have. I did not want to hurt him any further.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5b984cf4e4b0cf7b004474d

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India

An Indian train passenger's tweet helped save 26 girls from child traffickers

Twenty-six Indian girls have been rescued from the clutches of human traffickers thanks to a timely tweet from a train passenger.

Adarsh Shrivastava was traveling on a train in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh Thursday morning when he noticed something suspicious — in his cabin was a large group of juvenile girls, many of whom were visibly distressed.

Suspecting something untoward, Shrivastava pulled out his phone and tweeted at railway authorities to alert them to the situation.

The Ministry of Railways responded to the tweet a half hour later, tagging the Twitter account of railway police forces and asking them to take action.

A few stops later, railway police in plainclothes boarded the train, rescued the 26 girls, and arrested two men, the Press Trust of India reported, citing railway officials.

The girls, believed to be aged between 10 and 14, struggled to provide details about their names or families. They were transferred to state child welfare authorities, who worked to identify the girls' families and inform them of their whereabouts.

The rescue of the 26 girls is being hailed as an example of the power of social media to help fight the malaise of child trafficking, with many Twitter users hailing Shrivastava as a hero for his pro-activeness.

He provided the same stock response to many of the tweets of praise directed at him — “Thanks, but as a sitizen [sic] of India it's our responsibility to help people.”

The incident comes less than a month after India's Railway Board launched an awareness campaign to address the plight of vulnerable children on the country's vast railway network, and encourage railway passengers and employees to help railway police in their efforts to protect children from traffickers.

“This campaign has been launched to address the issue of protection of Children across the entire railway system & to sensitize all stakeholders, passengers, vendors, porters,” read a Railway Board press release.

Child trafficking is a major problem in India, with the country pinpointed as a hub of trafficking for purposes including prostitution, slavery and forced marriage, with young girls most at risk.

Over 9,000 Indian children were victims of trafficking in 2016, according to the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Many are lured from far-flung rural areas to cities with promises of jobs, only to be sold into slavery.

Activists say the government figures make for gross underestimates, with a large number of cases going unreported.

The ministry announced earlier this year that it was ramping up efforts to tackle the menace of child trafficking, with new legislation calling for stricter punishments for offenders, expanded support services for victims and better coordination between state and federal agencies.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4319117/india-girls-rescued-from-human-traffickers-tweet/

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HEALTH

United Kingdom

Child abuse leaves molecular ‘scars' in DNA of victims' sperm, new study suggests

Scientists found that childhood abuse was linked with changes in DNA of victims' sperm

'We already know there are a lot of behavioral mechanisms by which trauma has negative effects on the next generation... This is another possible pathway'

Child abuse may leave marks that go even deeper than psychological trauma by physically etching itself into people's DNA, according to a new Harvard study.

Research based on a small sample of men found differences in chemical marks within the genetic code of those who have experienced abuse as children.

The scientists examined a chemical process termed methylation in DNA from sperm samples, and found noticeable differences that appeared to distinguish victims and non-victims.

Brain-boosting benefits of exercise 'are passed on through sperm'

Not only do these findings suggest a long-term physical impact of trauma, the presence of these changes in sperm cells suggests its legacy may even be passed between generations.

“We already know there are a lot of behavioral mechanisms by which trauma has negative effects on the next generation,” Harvard scientist Dr Andrea Roberts told The Independent.

“Trauma obviously really affects the behavior of people traumatized. It often makes them depressed, it gives them post-traumatic stress disorder, and those mental health conditions affect their parenting and affect the kids.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/child-abuse-dna-trauma-genetics-molecular-scars-sperm-harvard-university-a8563906.html

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Canada

Nova Scotia artists produce music video to highlight child abuse program at IWK Health Centre

Nova Scotia artists came together in late April at The Sonic Temple to produce an acoustic video for Classified's “Powerless.”

Some of Nova Scotia's most recognizable musicians have come together to create a music video that raises awareness for a program that helps children who have experienced violence and abuse.

The group, which includes David Myles, Joel Plaskett, Rose Cousins, Elijah Will, Neon Dreams and Breagh MacKinnon of Port Cities, produced an acoustic version of Classified's song “Powerless” this past spring.

“We did this partnership with the SeaStar Centre to bring awareness to all the great things they are doing to help children who have been abused — all the musicians who came through really made it something special” said Nova Scotia-based rapper Classified, in a news release.

The SeaStar Child and Youth Advocacy Centre is based out of the IWK Health Centre and helps children and youth who have gone through abuse or violence in their lives. The centre offers support from law enforcement, child welfare, health care, mental health care and the justice system.

The goal, according to the centre, is to decrease trauma and improve outcomes for children.

“We see the impact that SeaStar has for children and families every day. Together, we can make sure that no child feels ‘powerless' because of what has happened to them” said Dr. Amy Ornstein, medical director of the IWK's Suspected Trauma and Abuse Response Team, in a news release.

According to Boyd, inspiration and lyrics are drawn from a letter from a young girl in Newfoundland and Labrador. The girl wrote to him and said he was her hero, after he blasted a judge on Facebook for handing a St. John's man a five-year sentence for sexually assaulting her when she was 11.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4258914/classified-music-video-child-abuse-violence/

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CHILD MURDER

16-year-old girl kills her 7-year-old nephew

A 16-year-old girl killed her 7-year-old nephew, then concealed the secret and his body as a community frantically searched, according to police. Denver's Jordan Vong was reported missing around 4:30pm on Aug. 6, hours after his mother had last seen him, prompting officers to search a 20-block radius, reports KDVR. The boy's body was discovered in one of two portable closets in the basement bedroom of his 16-year-old aunt during a second search two days later, the Denver Post reports.

Police say the teen admitted to pushing the boy off her bed, causing him to hit his head and start crying, then using her hands to cover his mouth and nose until he stopped moving, reports KUSA. Authorities say the teen was upset because Jordan came into her room and asked to play video games, and he wouldn't leave when she refused. The teen, to be charged as an adult with murder and child abuse, first hid the body under her bed before wrapping it in a blanket and moving it to the closet, authorities say.

http://m.newser.com/story/263310/cops-teen-girl-kills-nephew-hides-body-in-her-room.html

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United Kingdom

'We must act before another child is killed': Warning over abuse linked to witchcraft and possession beliefs in UK

Children have been killed over beliefs in witchcraft and possession

Thousands of children could be abused because relatives believe they are witches or possessed by evil spirits in Britain, it has been warned.

Experts fear another child will be murdered if efforts to prevent abuse linked to faith and belief are not urgently stepped up, following the horrific deaths of young victims including Kristy Bamu and Ayesha Ali.

The first ever Government statistics on the issue showed that witchcraft and possession were linked to almost 1,500 potential abuse cases across the UK in a single year but the figure is thought to be an underestimate.

“These beliefs are very real and on occasion people are going to take this to extremes where a child can be murdered,” said Inspector Allen Davis, who leads the Metropolitan Police's response to the issue.

“There are a number of ways that an adult will try to rid the child of the evil they believe is within them.

“They might try to burn it out, cut it out, strangle it out, drowning can be involved, or starving and beating.”

Several children have been killed in the UK as a result of horrific abuse meted out by guardians who believed they were possessed or witches, including an eight-year-old girl who was tortured and 15-year-old boy who drowned during an exorcism.

Victoria Climbié died at the age of eight after sustained torture and abuse by her guardians in February 2000.

Each harrowing case has sparked calls for action, but attention has quickly faded and activists are battling to raise awareness among social services, teachers, police and other authorities.

Dr Lisa Oakley, chair of the National Working Group for Child Abuse Linked to Faith or Belief, said: “We know these practices are occurring so we want to be acting now so we don't have another high-profile case.

“You've then got a child who is severely damaged or not here anymore, and that's a high price to pay.

Dr Oakley, who is a senior psychology lecturer at the University of Chester, said the abuse stems from “genuine belief systems” where people believe they are doing the right thing for a child.

Cases have been found in all regions of the UK and across a range of different communities and religions, but a survey of more than 1,300 teachers, social workers, police officers, medics, community workers and religious figures showed that only a third could spot signs of abuse.

Research by the working group indicated that only half of respondents knew how to respond properly and a quarter had training on the issue.

Insp Davis warned that abuse related to witchcraft and demons was being “hidden in plain sight” because it is not properly understood.

“We're not recognizing the signs, we're not sharing the information, we're not identifying people who are vulnerable,” he said.

“The beliefs in witchcraft and spirit possession are very broad and go across a far larger swathe of the world than you would expect.

“These beliefs are common within both Christianity and Islam and we get victims from both.

“Evidence suggests that areas of Africa are affected by it but this is not a black African problem. This is far broader, these beliefs are widespread across many parts of the world and were widespread in this country not so long ago.”

A cursory internet search demonstrates the demand for “exorcisms” and other religious services in Britain.

One self-declared Deliverance Ministry offers services in person or over Skype that claim to “cleanse demons and evil spirits” – for a price.

Its website blames the supernatural for everything from depression to sexual abuse, marriage breakdown, financial issues and health problems, proscribing “exorcism with inner healing”.

One Muslim practitioner claims to exorcise Jinn spirits in his East London home for £60 a time and similar Ruqyah services can be found in several British cities.

Mainstream Christian denominations also offer exorcisms, although the Church of England urges believers to contact advisers confidentially on psychic phenomena “because of the danger of adverse and sensational publicity”.

Leethen Bartholomew, who oversees work to tackle faith-linked abuse as head of the National FGM Centre, said the beliefs do not always result in physical action against a child.

He explained that parents who believes their children is a witch or possessed might first employ “safety behaviours” like protective talismans or amulets, and ask for deliverance through fasting and prayer before starting physical measures.

“All of these things are done for a purpose, they're not random,” Mr Bartholomew said. “The idea is that the child is no longer there, the child's body is possessed by something that's evil.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/witchcraft-possession-child-abuse-murders-warning-figures-spirits-faith-belief-action-call-a8214196.html

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Survivor recounts horror of FGM as police launch crackdown

He believes the 1,460 potential cases found in the 2016/2017 Children in Need Census is a “massive underestimate to be honest”, having worked at a local authority seeing at least 10 cases a year even before faith and belief had to be recorded as a factor.

“The information from my research is that it's much more prevalent,” said Mr Bartholomew, who is working towards a PhD adults accused of being possessed or called a witch.

“The prevalence of it internationally has also been increasing.”

He said there was “still a lot of learning to be done” as prevention work by Barnardo's and other charities continues alongside projects by the Metropolitan Police and London Mayor's office.

Research shows children are singled out for the accusations because of “difference”, which can include being a twin, albino, having mental health problems, epilepsy, bed-wetting, sleep walking, being rebellious or gifted.

“A child normalizes that abusive behavior and blames themselves, because they're very young, they're vulnerable, they will think of themselves as witches,” Insp Davis said.
“This is why there is the opportunity for professionals and communities to recognize that harm because if a child is talking about someone accusing them of being witch, they need to take that really seriously.”

He said police cannot “arrest our way out of” the issue, which can be linked to other concerns including honor-based violence and female genital mutilation (FGM).

“The beliefs that underpin the abuse are far, far wider than most people would think…we're not here to criticize those beliefs but when they turn into the abuse of children, we all have to step in,” the officer added.

“Our primary concern is safeguarding children as a preventative measure where we can intervene before a crime has taken place and ultimately before a child is murdered.”

He said raising awareness had been a “challenge” and urged agencies including police, social workers, teachers and health professionals to take up training so they can spot the warnings signs.

Dr Oakley said child abuse linked to faith and belief had not had the “same Government buy-in or support” as FGM, but public awareness and intervention was desperately needed.

“We are calling on Government ministers to consider this issue and start to give us backing to tackle it,” she added.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said: “Children must be kept safe, and no belief system can justify the abuse of a child.

“Those responsible for child abuse linked to faith or belief would be subject to prosecution. Our statutory guidance is clear that anyone who has concerns about a child's welfare should report this to children's social care or the police.”

Victoria Climbié died at the age of eight after sustained torture and abuse by her guardians in February 2000.

Victoria was born in Ivory Coast and brought to the UK by her great-aunt Marie-Therese Kouao, who moved in with her boyfriend Carl Manning in 1999.

Numerous people who came to contact with the family reported concerns to social services but no action was taken and Victoria's abuse worsened, with her aunt initially blaming her incontinence.

A childminder heard Kouao calling the child a “wicked girl” before she told pastors that she believed Victoria was possessed by an evil spirit.

Two pastors supported her claim, with one saying he would fast on Victoria's behalf and pray for deliverance from “witchcraft, bad luck and everything bad or evil”.

Days later, Victoria died after being starved for days while tied up in a black plastic bag with her hands and feet bound, lying in her own excrement without heating between being beaten and burned.

She was rushed to hospital suffering from a combination of malnutrition and hypothermia and was declared dead the next day, with a pathologist finding 128 separate injuries and scars in “the worst case of child abuse I've encountered”.

Kouao and Manning were jailed for life for murder, and the Government commissioned an inquiry into the “deeply disturbing” failures by social services, police, housing authorities and hospitals.

Two social workers from Haringey Council were dismissed for gross misconduct.

Nusayba was disembowelled by her mother after she accused her of being possessed, with her father finding her body.

Reports said the child's heart and other organs had been removed and placed in different rooms.

Her mother was detained under the Mental Health Act after allegedly being found by the corpse, rocking back and forth, chanting and listening to Quranic verses on an mp3 player.

Neighbours said they had been hearing “terrible screaming” in the night.

Kristy Bamu was tortured and drowned in a bath on Christmas Day 2010 (PA).

Kristy and four of his siblings had come to London from Paris to stay with his sister Magalie Bamu and her partner Eric Bikubi for the festive season.

The couple, who were said to be obsessed with kindoki, the word for witchcraft in their native Democratic Republic of the Congo, accused him of putting spells on a younger child and started days of sadistic abuse.

Kristy was singled out after wetting his pants and his siblings were starved of food and water for three days and nights while praying for “deliverance”.

His sisters, aged 20 and 11, were also beaten but escaped further attacks after “confessing” to being witches, while they and their brothers aged 13 and 22 were then forced to take part in the torture.

Prosecutors said Kristy “pleaded to be allowed to die” while being beaten with a metal bar, hammer, floor tiles and bottles.

The siblings were placed in a bath for ritual cleansing on Christmas Day but Kristy was too weak and slipped under the water.

He died of a combination of drowning and the beatings, with a post-mortem finding 130 separate injuries.

Ayesha's mother, Polly Chowdhury, was brainwashed by her girlfriend into believing her daughter was possessed, “evil” and had “bad blood” after her father left their home in East London.

Kiki Muddar manipulated the mother using a bizarre cyber fantasy world, bombarding her with more than 40,000 texts, including one reading: “You have no right to ever love or like your evil daughter”.

During the court case that saw both women jailed was played a recording of a telephone call to a friend where Muddar vowed to kill Ayesha, calling her a “witch”, adding: “I'll f***ing drown her in the bath.”

Chowdhury eventually believed a Muslim spirit guide called “Skyman” instructed them to abuse her daughter via text messages.

Neighbours heard Ayesha screaming and pleading “I don't want to be bad”, while a handwritten note by the child described how she “hated getting punishments” but was trying to be good.

Ayesha was found dead in her bedroom at their flat in Chadwell Heath, east London, in August 2013.

A blow to the head was ruled to be the cause of death but more than 50 injuries, including bruises, carpet burns and a bite mark, told of the extent of the abuse.

When paramedics found the child dead, the court heard that Muddar told them: “Ayesha is always naughty. She was a naughty child and her mum thought she was possessed by the devil.

Federal Prosecutors Bring Child Pornography and Other Exploitation Cases as Part of Ongoing Efforts to Combat Victimization of Children

LOS ANGELES – United States Attorney Nick Hanna and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Paul D. Delacourt today announced a series of child exploitation cases involving the victimization of minors through crimes that include the production of child pornography.

FBI agents on Thursday arrested two defendants as part of a multi-agency sweep that led to eight defendants being taken into custody over the past 10 days. Several of the cases involved agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). These cases are part of Project Safe Childhood, which is the Justice Department's ongoing initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation crimes.

The internet has dramatically increased the availability of child pornography, and digital equipment has made it relatively easy to create, distribute and collect these disturbing images. But underlying each case in which an individual uses technology, there is a young victim who was abused, molested or coerced to engage in sexual activity to fulfill the deviant interests of a perpetrator. Every child exploitation prosecution is designed to end this horrific behavior, to stop the cycle of abuse, and to bring offenders to justice.

“These cases involve acts of depravity against vulnerable young people, many of whom will continue to be victimized as photos documenting their abuse spread across the internet,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. “These cases are a reminder that child predators cannot hide behind the perceived anonymity of the internet. Those who engage in the child pornography industry – whether they create new images or collect videos – can and will be caught as a result of the concerted efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement authorities. Our aggressive investigators and prosecutors will continue to diligently work to protect innocent children and to seek justice for those who are victimized.”

“The cases being announced today range from individuals who continuously feed the demand for child pornography by sharing it, to those who document the sexual abuse of children through images and video, and others who travel abroad for the purpose of molesting children. In each case, a voiceless child is victimized for life,” said Paul Delacourt, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office.  “The FBI and our partners have a clear mission that includes rescuing these precious victims from this unspeakable abuse and delivering some justice by putting their abusers in prison.”

The two defendants arrested Thursday by the FBI are:

· Nestor Ramirez, 36, of South Los Angeles, who is charged with production, distribution and possession of child pornography. The production charge relates to images that Ramirez allegedly created, and he allegedly distributed videos over a peer-to-peer network on at least two occasions. During his arraignment Thursday afternoon, Ramirez pleaded not guilty to the charges in a four-count indictment and was ordered to stand trial on November 27. Ramirez was detained – meaning held without bond – pending trial.

· Victor Manuel Diaz Romo, 53, of Lawndale, who is named in an indictment alleging receipt of child pornography over a peer-to-peer network and five counts of possession of child pornography. During his arraignment on Thursday, Romo pleaded not guilty and was ordered to stand trial on November 27. Romo was ordered detained pending trial.

The FBI-led sweep resulted in the arrest of six other defendants last week. Each of those defendants has entered not guilty pleas and are facing trials later this year. Those arrested on September 26 and 27 pursuant to grand jury indictments are:

· Christopher Norman Strinden, 57, of Long Beach, who is charged with three counts of possession of child pornography he obtained from a now-defunct website called Playpen, which was operating on the dark web. Many of the more than 17,000 images in this case allegedly involve minors under the age of 12, including toddlers.

· Kenneth Rudy Smith, 31, of Lawndale, who is charged with one count of possession of child pornography involving victims under the age of 12 that was found during a search of his residence.

· Justin Schobey, 19, of Canyon Country, who is charged with production, distribution and possession of child pornography. Schobey allegedly used text messages to coerce a boy in another state to produce child pornography.

· Jorge De Los Santos, 31, of South Los Angeles, who is charged with two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession. De Los Santos allegedly used an online peer-to-peer network to obtain sexually explicit videos depicting young males.

· Fernando Vazquez Garcia, 30, of South Los Angeles, who is charged with receipt of child pornography, as well as possessing videos he allegedly obtained over a file-sharing network.

· Nathan Pham, 27, of Long Beach, who is charged with both receipt and possession of child pornography obtained through a peer-to-peer network. The possession count alleges images involving minors under the age of 12.

“No crime impacts us as law enforcement agents and as parents more deeply as the abuse of an innocent child,” said Joseph Macias, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles. “As these cases vividly illustrate, the internet has left our children vulnerable to exploitation by sexual predators not just around the corner, but around the globe. The staggering number of arrests achieved through interagency cooperation is a testament to our combined passion to prevent future harm to innocent children."

In recent weeks, federal prosecutors have filed cases against additional defendants who allegedly committed child exploitation offenses. Those case include:

· A former music teach from Ventura – John Zeretzke, 60– who is charged with production of child pornography, attempted enticement of a minor, and traveling to the Philippines with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.

· Members of the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force arrested a Long Beach man on charges of coercing a minor to produce child pornography and travelling to Mexico to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Jonathan Sandoval-Lepe, 31, was taken into custody by deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and FBI agents pursuant to a five-count indictment.

· Israel Sanchez, 52, of Sylmar, who was arrested on August 30 pursuant to an indictment that charges him with 13 counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession. Sanchez was arrested after he was released from state custody on child molestation charges involving one of the very young victims in the child pornography case.

· Alex Primitibo Campos, 25, of Palmdale, who was arrested on September 5 on charges of distributing child pornography and three counts of possession. The distribution charge relates to videos depicting children as young as approximately 7 that Campos allegedly made available to others via download from a peer-to-peer network.

· Joseph Natale, 24, of Lancaster, who was indicted on September 18 on two counts of distributing child pornography and two counts of possession. This case stems from an undercover FBI investigation in which agents downloaded images that Natale allegedly made available via a peer-to-peer network.

There have been developments recently in other child exploitation cases being prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office. Those cases involve:

· Michael Joseph Farber, 50, of West Los Angeles, who pleaded guilty on September 14 to one count of possession of child pornography. Farber specifically admitted that he possessed videos showing a child under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Farber is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10.

· Richard Celestino, 48, of Green Valley (on the eastern edge of the Antelope Valley), who pleaded guilty on July 30 to possession of child pornography, admitting that he used a peer-to-peer file-sharing network to distribute and possess child pornography, including images depicting children under the age of 2. Celestino's sentencing hearing is now scheduled for November 19.

· Edward Anthony Contes, 36, of San Pedro, is scheduled to be tried on January 29 on charges of traveling to Mexico for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minor boys, use of the internet in an attempt to entice a minor to engage in prostitution, and attempted sex trafficking of two boys in the Los Angeles area. Contes was arrested in June after allegedly traveling to Tijuana in May and making contact on the internet with a person he thought was a child sex trafficker, but who in fact was an undercover law enforcement agent. In addition to seeking a boy in Mexico, Contes allegedly made arrangements with the undercover agent to pay to have sex with a 7-year-old and a 9-year-old at a hotel in Long Beach. This investigation is being conducted by HSI's Long Beach Child Exploitation Investigation Group and the FBI's Long Beach Resident Agency.

· An elementary school teacher from Burbank, Sean David Sigler, is scheduled to be tried on April 11, 2019, on charges related to the sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old student. Sigler has been in custody since his arrest in May.

· Daniel Patrick Diaz, 34, of Wilmington, was arrested in July pursuant to a six-count indictment that alleges the production, distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography. Diaz is currently scheduled for trial on January 22.

· Charles Patrick Miller, 49, of Lancaster, was sentenced on August 13 to nine years in federal prison for distributing child pornography on a peer-to-peer network. Miller admitted possessing tens of thousands of images and videos depicting child pornography, and his distribution of child pornography continued even after the FBI served a search warrant at his residence. Once he completes his prison sentence, Miller will be on supervised release for the rest of his life.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

The charge of producing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

The charges of distributing and receiving child pornography carry a five-year mandatory minimum sentence and a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Possession of child pornography does not carry a mandatory minimum sentence, but a conviction on this charge can bring a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.

The recent arrests are the product of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, often working in conjunction with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, as well as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department participated in several of the investigations.

Assistant United States Attorney Devon Myers of the Violent and Organized Crimes Section is the office's Project Safe Childhood Coordinator. In addition to the cases she is prosecuting, some of the cases being announced today are being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey C. Chemerinsky, Shawn R. Andrews, Wilson Park, Lana Morton Owens, Joey L. Blanch, Damaris Diaz, Joanna M. Curtis, Joseph D. Axelrad, Bruce K. Riordan and Scott M. Lara of the Violent and Organized Crime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Robyn K. Bacon of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section, Assistant United States Attorney Kathy Yu of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Section, and Assistant United States Attorney MiRi Song of the General Crimes Section are also handling cases.

~~~

from:

Thom Mrozek, Public Affairs Officer
thom.mrozek@usdoj.gov
(213) 894-6947

www.justice.gov/usao-cdca