Last, week, I spoke with Miranda Dempsey McCroskey of Lawpreneur Radio about the importance of civil rights for crime victims, how plaintiffs’ attorneys have been instrumental in exposing abuse … and, of course, THE WELL-ARMORED CHILD. The podcast is up and you can listen here. Or, you can check out the interview on iTunes.
From CNN: A great list of acronyms that teens use to keep their attentive parents “in the dark” about the subject matter of their texts, internet exchanges, and social media posts. A great read for any parent who understands the importance of keeping tabs on their children’s online lives. Note: Since these acronyms are being picked…Continue reading 28 Texting and Internet acronyms every parent should know
Amy Berg’s new documentary “An Open Secret” recently had its first (and probably only) public screening. Roger Freedman, writing for Showbiz411 had an honest and evocative review. But it was this paragraph that caught my eye: Ryan’s parents are devastated, as are all the parents. But none of them explain how their sons could be lured…Continue reading What if the parents had no clue?
It’s time to find a new district and consider class action. The Los Angeles Unified School District recently argued that a 14-year-old middle school student can legally consent to sex with an adult teacher. Because of the way that the civil law evolved through previous court decisions, the LAUSD won the argument, but lost a public…Continue reading When your district says it’s okay for teachers and kids to have sex …
The celebrity nude photo “scandal” is old news these days. But in case you missed it: dozens of celebrities’ iCloud accounts were hacked and nude photos in those accounts were stolen and published on various internet sites. Hacking is a crime, and having your privacy violated in such a personal way can be devastating to…Continue reading Celebrity nude photos and … your teenager
The Internet puts the world at your child’s fingertips. With a few clicks of a keyboard, the swipe of a phone, or the tap of a iPod or tablet, your child can bring the beauty of the world to the palm of her hand. Unfortunately, this same power allows your child to invite predators directly into…Continue reading Internet Safety: Five tips for parents
Hollywood couldn’t have written a better plot: an all-American man plays a respected pastor and father of seven. Add in good looks and charm, and you’ve got the makings of a beloved television character. And the perfect cover for a predator. Stephen Collins, who played Eric Camden, the dad/pastor on the long-running TV series 7th…Continue reading Predators in Pretty Packages: Five lessons for parents from the Stephen Collins case
UPDATE: Grisham apologized. Looks like he finally read the memo. And he got people talking …. Child pornography is criminal for a reason: It’s gross, vile, and extremely damaging to the children who were exploited. But someone didn’t get the memo. John Grisham (yes, THAT John Grisham) said recently in an interview that men who…Continue reading John Grisham and the “I was just looking” argument
With the recent news about 7th Heaven star Stephen Collins, everyone is talking a little bit more than usual about child sexual abuse. As the Collins story is unveiled and we learn more details, chances are that many adult victims of child sexual abuse—victims who were too scared or ashamed to come forward earlier—may confide in you or…Continue reading What do you do when a friend says, “I was abused as a child”
In case you were wondering who Jerry Brown REALLY wants to protect: Yesterday, Brown vetoed SB 924, a bill which would have given victims of child sexual abuse until age 40 to file civil lawsuits against organizations that cover up and abet child sexual abuse. The bill was entirely prospective, meaning that it would only…Continue reading Jerry Brown vetoes victims’ civil rights bill
Journalist and blogger Heather Mundt and I discuss: A Back-to-School Rule for Kids: Trust Your Gut, 5 Guidelines to Help Kids Self-Protect
Slut-shaming, fat-shaming, victim-shaming, political shaming … we are a society in love with shame. And our children pay the price. Note: Guilt is the nasty and usually appropriate feeling people have when they have DONE something bad. Shame is the nasty and usually inappropriate feeling people have when they believe that they ARE bad. In cases of slut-,…Continue reading We need to end our love-affair with shame
Upcoming speakers will include experts on Bullying Prevention, Child Sex Abuse Awareness and Prevention (read: me), and Substance Abuse The event is free and open to the public. Hope to see you there.
It’s that time of year again. You’ve made the rounds to the local big box and office supply stores. You have scoured every children’s clothing section in a 20-mile radius for “fashion-forward”—yet “tastefully modest”—school wear. You have soccer snacks, cleats, football gear, cheer uniforms and a brand new lunch box. But there is one more…Continue reading A back-to-school “Must Have” that can save your child from abuse
Child protection officials in Rotherham, England are facing worldwide scorn for saying that they did not report the sexual abuse of 1400 children because they feared being branded “racists.” The child victims were horrifically molested and trafficked by men of Pakistani descent over a 16-year period. At the time, government officials knew about approximately a…Continue reading Rotherdam: Cowardice must never be an option
My op-ed in today’s Lafayette Advertiser: Releasing priests’ names a matter of public safety
1) Call the cops, not your college president. There has been a ton of press about the problem of sexual assaults on campus. Recent government intervention—telling universities that they must have better “policies” and “procedures” to handle the crime—is ALL wrong. Why? Check out this article from (the most unlikely of places) the Harvard Gazette.…Continue reading Two parenting must reads
I teased last week that I had secured an agent for THE WELL-ARMORED CHILD. Now that the paperwork is signed and the deal is sealed, I am very excited to disclose the big news that Katie Reed at Andrea Hurst and Associates Literary Management (knows a good thing when she sees it and) is representing my parents’ guide…Continue reading Katie Reed at Andrea Hurst agrees to represent THE WELL-ARMORED CHILD
I am very excited to announce that I have found a literary agent for THE WELL-ARMORED CHILD. Since I haven’t “signed on the dotted line” yet, I’ll keep the name under wraps. Besides, everyone loves a little suspense. It builds character. And yeah … I’m excited.
I know it’s been a little quiet here at The Worthy Adversary. I have been pounding away at the manuscript for The Well-Armored Child, and it’s summer, so there’s not a lot of quiet time around the house. But things have not been quiet in the Archdiocese of Hagatna, Guam. And every time I think that things…Continue reading Wandering Wadeson: A banned priest is exposed
