I give you two predators: One fictional. One real. The similarities will stun you. “It’s very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl,” he went on. “But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathectic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. No one’s ever understood me…Continue reading Shattuck-St. Mary’s Part Three: Inside the mind of a predator
A boarding school. Naked dance parties. Child pornography. Molestation. An arrest. A suicide. Allegations. Lawsuits. A cover-up. Total institutional ethical failure. When I first heard about the scandal at Minnesota’s Shattuck-St. Mary’s (I’ll refer to it from now on as SSM), I had a hard time wrapping my arms around the extent of the criminal…Continue reading The Total Failure of Shattuck-St. Mary’s
I didn’t … and note: these children can be as young as 11 From today’s OC Register (emphasis mine): Though there isn’t a single background or profile that describes all those girls, summit presenters said there are typical risk factors – including poverty, family dysfunction, learning disabilities, childhood sexual abuse, isolation, emotional distress and…Continue reading Do you know the signs of child sex trafficking?
(Note: Yes, I am actually posting this on a Friday. Shocker.) How can I learn more about the Survivors’ Movement and SNAP, that organization with whom you do so much work? Is there anywhere I can hear the best and brightest speakers on the topic and meet people who are working for justice for adult…Continue reading Ask a Question Friday: How can I learn more about the Survivors’ Movement
THE WELL-ARMORED CHILD: A PARENTS’ GUIDE TO PREVENTING ABUSE has found a home (before it ends up in your home and the homes of all of your friends). The manuscript has been accepted by the Greenleaf Book Group and will be published under the River Grove imprint. Expect to see the book on Amazon and…Continue reading Book Announcement
Joelle, you constantly stress how important it is to “armor” your child against abuse from as early as infancy and toddlerhood. I don’t agree. My child is too young to know about sex. Why do you insist on exposing children so early and ruining their innocence? Armoring your child does NOT include talking about sex.…Continue reading Ask a Question Friday: My kid is too young for prevention education
Talking to teenagers about their social media presence can be a drag. But if you have a teen and that teen is online, talking to your kid about his or her “online presence” can make the difference between a free college education and a lifetime of student debt. Don’t believe me? Just ask the high schooler…Continue reading Naughty Twitter Feed? Say Adios to that scholarship, my friend!
This week’s question, two days late. Joelle, how do scandals in places like Penn State and the Catholic Church start? I mean, these aren’t bad people in these institutions, right? Will new policies by these organizations and others make sure that men and women who abuse children are reported and stopped, instead of protected? This…Continue reading Ask a Question Friday: Reporting and Institutions
I get TONS of questions. Lots. So many in fact, that I ended up writing a book. But there are some questions that don’t really have a place in the book. There are others with answers that need to be reiterated … and reiterated … until you feel like you’ve been bludgeoned by Mjolnir. (Just ask my…Continue reading New feature: Ask a Question Friday
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
** UPDATE: The folks at the Register have fixed the problem. Not just for me (the squeaky wheel) but for the whole neighborhood. Insert Happy Dance *** It had all of the signs of a romance in doom. First, there was The Rush: Despite cutbacks and layoffs and closures at other newspapers across the…Continue reading The OC Register: He’s just not that into me anymore
If I were Bill Cosby, I wouldn’t tweet thank yous to Jill Scott and Whoopi Goldberg. I’d be visiting Sacramento and planting a great big kiss on the lips of California Governor Jerry Brown. Why? Because Jerry Brown vetoed a bill that would have given civil rights to Cosby’s alleged victims who were under the age…Continue reading Bill Cosby, Jerry Brown, and a lawsuit
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”
