What Is Happening Today On Gather ~ Monday April 09, 2012

Question:

How did you get started being active in promoting National Child Abuse Prevention Month?

Answer:

I got started after I went to be with Eric. I was just starting the process of learning to deal with my years of abuse as a child, as helping to raise now another survivor. I knew James as many couldn't do anything nor I could do anything about my past. I had a very hard time talking to counselors other then a few that I now lived too far from.

I started on myspace speaking to others who was going through the same thing soon realizing I wasn't alone. I originally formed what I call the "angry form" of Baby James Law. I call this my angry form because it was wrote completely out of anger and honestly in no way would ever pass. As my confidence grew on discussing my own story, I then rewrote Baby James Law and started what we now know as Baby James Law. I knew there was no way to save the ones already abused, but knew there was many others to save and maybe our stories could do that. I wanted others to know they wasn't alone, for I never ever wanted another person to hide their past for thirty eight years as I did.

 

Question:

 
What kind of things do you do to make others aware of child abuse?

Answer:

That just because a family looks perfect doesn't mean they are. A lot of times what is behind those closed doors lies a horror story.

To not live in fear but be aware and educate our children to all forms of abuse at a young age. No age is too young to teach a child no one puts a hand on you.

That survivors many times act the way they do from their past. I for one is not a social person, I stay in a lot and too myself. Speaking our through online has been my so to speak body guard from being hurt. If you try to break through my body guard I fight back. For me to do the rallies each year is something many don't understand for me is a huge step. However, this step each year brings out panic attacks, and fear. As a counselor told me some years back what I am doing is the best counseling for me and to continue get farther with baby steps. This is hard for many to understand that never lived through it, but every survivor has their own obstacles they need to fight. As I told one "When a person falls and breaks a hip they don't just get up and walk again. They start with baby steps to get back up and walk again. Their injury happened within hours before getting help. For a child of abuse who survived they went days, months, and years before getting help. As me it was thirty eight years before that help was in front of me. ". We don't like being this way anymore then others like us this way but with a little understanding and patience we can learn to live again.

 

 Question:
What can we as normal citizens of the United States do to help insure that our children are safe?

 

Answer:

Be aware and educate themselves. We can say we would know but how many times do you hear on the news "They was always happy" "They loved that child". If I can't stress it enough ... Child Abuse statistics show majority of victims know their abuser many times the ones who was to love them.

Question:

 What are the signs of abuse?

Answer:
Behavior changes (extremely compliant or extremely demanding; extremely passive or extremely aggressive)
wetting bed all of a sudden
parents refusing to get help for medical and physical issues
always watchful (remember above where I said I stay inside my walls being my body guard?)
excessive withdrawn, fear or anxious of doing wrong (again think about my example above)
Goes to school early or leaves late not wanting to go home
Rarely loving actions between child and parent
Lots of blame from parent onto the child
unexplained injuries
Running away from home
Sore in genital areas or buttocks again unexplained reasons
Developmental delays
Failure to thrive such as weight gain

These are just a few there are many more signs

 Question:

What are the statistics for child abuse in the United States?

Answer:

1 report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds
5 children die every day from child abuse
80% of children that die from child abuse is under 4
About 80% of 21 year olds that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder
14% of all men in prison in the USA were abused as children
36% of all women in prison were abused as children 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys are sexually abused before they become an adult
More than 80 percent of abusers are a parent or someone close to a child. Child abuse is far more likely to occur in the child's home than in a day care center..
One in thirteen kids with a parent on drugs is physically abused regularly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where To Find Things On Gather

 

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There is a wonderful post written by Gather support Chuck McGuire. It has just about everything you need to know in a simple to read format.

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