June 22, 2007

 

Happy Anniversary Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse!

It's our anniversary! We've been raising awareness through our Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse for a whole year now.

6/24/07 UPDATE: Ok. Most colors/fonts right now and all links work.

Memorial Edition

I dedicate this first anniversary memorial carnival edition to the memory of Jodi Larson, a fierce advocate for child sexual abuse survivors. Jodi survived CSA herself, but did not survive cancer. She passed at the age of 52 on May 20, 2007. Her memory lives on and I know the legacy of her work will survive as well. I spoke to Jodi's son, Keary Larson, several days ago, and he is looking for assistance to continue his mother's work. If you didn't see my post on May 30, please check it out and check out Jodi's website which remains as well: www.theshowofhands.com.

Carnival Awards Top Participants

I didn't end up getting a lot of repeat article posts, so I decided not to do the "best of" category this month. However, the overall response I received to my request for submissions to our first anniversary Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse was much stronger than I ever could have hoped for or anticipated. Thanks to all 24 participants who helped me compile a total of 30 posts for this edition. It's our biggest carnival ever!

I want to recognize several bloggers who have had the courage to get involved in order to raise awareness on this critical issue month after month over the first year. These bloggers have participated in the carnival at least a half dozen times each, some since the very first debut edition. Some of them have also taken on the added responsibility of hosting a carnival edition. They are the backbone of our carnival and I award them with the Top Carnival Participant Award. (I hope to create and distribute a little award icon soon.) The top participants, in alphabetical order, are: Annaleigh at Blessed Fearscapes, April at Thriver's Toolbox, Emily at Doing It All Again, Lisa at Sadly Normal, and Mike at Child Abuse Survivor.

In total, we have a dozen repeat carnival participants (including me) and seven brand new carnival contributors in this edition. A hearty welcome to all our new participants joining us for the first time! Please visit all these brave bloggers using the links below and leave comments with your support. Please use caution when reading any of these carnival posts. Child abuse is a volatile subject. Destroying the innocent trust of a child is a heinous act. Any and all of these accounts are potentially triggering and disturbing.

Poetry

I'd like to start this edition off with a poem. We're celebrating here--it's our first anniversary! And I'd like to celebrate you! This poem is called, Your Beauty. It was posted under the title, Do You Know That You Are Beautiful?

Another poem I received is from Austin of The People behind My eyes. It's a powerful poem called Your Secret. In the submission form remarks, Austin stated, "Speaking out is power. When I learned that I could talk about the abuse it felt overwhelming, like the memories could kill me. I also saw the more I spoke the more nervous my mother became. People would know the real her and come to know what she put her children through. For me, speaking out about abuse means a form of justice is served for the little girl who was forced to live in silent fear. Speaking out breaks silence but it also serves as a warning that you can't do this to me anymore. I won't be quiet. "

Advocacy & Awareness

I've got nine posts to put up in this category. Yay for us, because raising awareness and advocating for children and abuse survivors is what this carnival is really all about! I'm listing them here in the order in which they were received.

First up is Megan at Imaginif. She did a wonderful job hosting the May edition of the carnival, then got her June article submission right in. Her educational post is called Brush Up On Good and Bad Touch. When submitting this, Megan remarked, "The difference between good and bad touch can be a difficult concept for children to understand. At a protective behaviour training, a little Aboriginal woman shared a fantastic idea of using different brushes to help children understand good touch, warning touch and bad touch. Brush up on protecting your kids by using this fantastic protective play idea. "

The Threat Assessment & Management Specialist over at the Threat Assessment & Management blog writes about pedophiles and the sex offender registry at the post, Public Safety--We Need to Know!

When Summer, at Wired for Noise, submitted her post, We Need Better Daycare, she remarked, "The working poor in America cannot afford quality childcare, and often are forced to leave their children with cheaper caregivers that can be abusive and neglectful."

I got a repeat carnival article from Dr. Deb. It's so important, that I whole-heartedly include the information again here. The post title speaks for itself: What Parents Need to Know About Child Sexual Abuse.

When S'onnie, of Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, wrote a post simply called, Bullies, several of us who commented on it agreed that allowing a child to continue to be severely bullied is abusive. S'onnie herself remarks, "Bullying is a silent epidemic and often those who are being abused by adults are also being abused by their peer group."

John W is married to Keepers who is a multiple. Together they run a wonderfully helpful, informational and supportive website and blog for survivors and their loved ones. It is called Keepers Korner. John wrote this article to help the significant others to those who suffer from DID/MPD. It is called, DID/MPD--Special People With a Special Message.

Anne-Marie writes a blog called A Mama's Rant. She reminds us how important it is to Google prospective coaches, teachers and instructors of our children to do our own background checks in a post called, A Mistake that Still Makes Me Cringe.

Ani, of My Dissonance, reminds us that child sexual abuse continues to go under reported in a post that says just that: Child Sexual Abuse Goes Vastly Under Reported.

Last, but certainly not least, in our Advocacy & Awareness category, is Mike of Child Abuse Survivor. Mike is one of our bloggers receiving my Top Carnival Participant Award and he's a past host of our carnival. He also contributes to a blog called Friends in Tech and presents this Child Safety Online flier. Mike says, "I am a member of Friends in Tech and recently we put our heads together and came up with a flier with information on keeping kids safe on-line. I think it's a pretty handy resource for parents and others to have around."

In The News

Only some of the child abuse cases that we want to raise awareness about are covered by the traditional news media. Anne-Marie, a new carnival contributor who writes A Mama's Rant (see above), also writes for Teacher Smackdown. The post she submits here highlights a news story involving a teacher that was granted parole after serving only six months of his original ten-year prison sentence for sexually abusing a student. The post is similarly entitled, Teacher Randy Eddy Gets Paroled After Serving Six Months (Out of 10 Years) for Sexually Abusing Student.

Sheppard Salter at Salterblog is another new carnival contributor who also watches the news for the type of insanity that perpetuates child abuse. Here's a post called Insanity At School (Yawn...Nothing New.)

Another recipient of my Top Carnival Participant Award is Emily of Doing It All again. In this post, Emily reveals, I am The One In Nine, and remarks with a question: "Is treatment better than lock and key for child abusers?"

Survivor Stories

As you may have guessed or already know, many of us who contribute to the Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse are, indeed, child abuse survivors ourselves. We write about our own experiences and often find that other survivors are drawn to us. In this first Survivor Story post, Faith of Feminist Nation follows a forum discussion about a 20-year-old woman severely sexually abused throughout most of her life.

Austin, of The People Behind My Eyes, offers a survivor proclamation: I will Not Withdraw. She also remarks about, "how regaining a hopeful outlook moved me to seek out others as well as seek out assistance with healing."

Keepers, of Keepers Korner, is a survivor who shares how she learned to appreciate her alters in a post called Our ALTERnate Lifestyle.

Aftermath

You cannot abuse a child without there being serious consequences. Even if the perpetrators think they've "gotten away with it" because there is no legal recourse, our society as a whole pays for child abuse, generation after generation. Children are the future of our species, after all. The writers in our Aftermath category remind us of this fact. First, we have Lisa of Sadly Normal. She is another winner of my Top Carnival Participant Award. Her post is called, Dear Sex Offender And Those That Defend You.

For many multiples--as well as singleton survivors--there is a facade of "looking good." Fallen Angels, of A Safe Place, talks about how her system is designed to uphold this facade in You Look Good.

Jumping in Puddles, of Life Spacings, wrote this Mother's Day post "thanking" her mother for all the tough "lessons" she learned through her abuse. The post is Yeh, Thanks Mum.

JIP, as Jumping In Puddles' blogging friends call her, also wrote this Aftermath post: Imagine If. She warns that this post is "highly sensitive" as it may be quite triggering for readers. I commend JIP for her courage in sharing what a multiple (and possibly many a survivor) goes through in therapy while remembering abuse.

Healing & Therapy

I am proud of this blogger group for raising awareness and advocating for children and survivors as well as presenting their hopeful articles in the Healing & Therapy category. We have nine posts here today. If I had to pick the one top Top Carnival Participant Award recipient, it would probably be April, or April_Optimist, of The Thriver's Toolbox. I believe she's contributed to at least seven carnival editions with at least ten articles, and she usually contributes to the Healing & Therapy category. April is one healing and optimistic thriver!

Today, April has three posts appearing in our carnival. It is a series on relationships: Relationships and Change, The Upside Of Changing Relationships and Relationships Part 3. "I believe that connection with others is a profound human need. And I believe that it is one of the biggest challenges for survivors of abuse," says April. She goes on to remark, "I can't think of anything that impacts our lives more than our relationships or any part of healing that can be more difficult."

Along with Megan, Jeanette Harvey is a contributing writer for Imaginif. Her article, Cultural S.P.I.C.E.S. of Life, talks about the culture of family and offers tough questions that we parent survivors can ask ourselves about our own parenting, with the aim of breaking the cycle of abuse.

Lisa also contributes articles to Imgainif. In Circles of Intimacy, she talks about an important survivor recovery issue: developing healthy personal boundaries.

I was diagnosed with PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, about eight years ago. I wish I would have read our next contributor's article back then. She's a new participant, Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., at Keyboard Culture--Heaing Is Possible. her article is called Helping People Understand You Have PTSD. I appreciated the remarks left by Patricia's blog manager, Lori: "We just found your wonderful site and blog carnival. We are submitting this in hopes that you feel this could be of service to your readers."

I'm proud to call Annaleigh my blogging buddy. Annaleigh runs a website called "As Waters Passing By" and a blog called Blessed Fearscapes. Annaleigh also wins my Top Carnival Participant Award. She's been contributing here since the very first debut edition. I have enjoyed watching Annaleigh heal and grow. She writes about healing, and forgiveness, in her post, Father's Day, Forgiveness & Healing. In her submission remarks, Annaleigh says, "Father's Day, which just passed, is a difficult day for me. Since it was just a little while ago, I decided I would share my feelings about the day."

Here again we have Mike from Child Abuse Survivor. Now, he's writing for his own blog about the healing nature of change in The One Constant. Mike remarks, "I think the idea that things change every day should be a source of hope to survivors as they struggle in their healing."

Jewellybeano is a welcome new contributor to our blog carnival. She writes The Real Me and shares her story of faith and healing for her 12-year-old alter in The Dead Shall Live Again.

Thanks to all the participants, new and old, who contributed to this awesome anniversary edition of our blog carnival. You all are what makes the carnival stay on the road, raising awareness.

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Comments:
ZOWWIIEEE!!! I have some reading to do!

Link to the carnival is up at may place.

W
 
Happy Birthday/Anniversary. Thank you for keeping this up. It is such a source of inspiration to me.
 
Fallen Angels & Enola: Wow! I haven't even gotten the thing looking right yet and you guys are commenting. thanks!

And thanks so much for the link, Fallen Angels. You rock!
 
Wow, thanks for the kind words! On the other hand, none of us have worked harder for this than you have Marj. Make sure you give yourself an award as well :)
 
Thanks for this blog!

http://emilysmemories.blogspot.com/
 
thanks, mike! *pats self(ves) on back*
 
Emily: thanks for stopping by and commenting. Nice to meet you.
 
Congratualtions on this achievment. I know that many get support from coming here.


Peace,
Deb
 
Thanks, Dr. Deb! I can see from the visitor comments at your blog, that the same can be said of you!
 
I want to acknowledge the e-mails that I've gotten, showing support of this carnival (you know who you are). I am going to work this week on a little "button" that folks can use (kinda like the Thinking Blogger doo-hickey) and I'll update you all on that.
 
A new Blogger bungle, botch, blunder? What is it today? Well, I had a broken link on the blog carnival (sorry JIP) and tried to fix that, along with some template changes. Blogger won't publish anything new today...except comments. Thank God for small favors.
 
Marj,

You are such a blessing to us all! Now I'm off to do some reading. I'm going to try to put a link to the carnival in my blog post later today.
 
Hello Marj,

Happy anniversary blog carnival... and my deep condolence to Jodi Larson's family.

Congratulations to all the top participates who won the Top Carnival Participant Award.

SHZ.
Self Help Zone
 
April: saw you got the link up there already. Oh, you're good!
 
SHZ: thanks, thanks, and thanks. I appreciate your stopping by. Nice to "see" you again. Hope all is well with you and your projects.
 
Hi Marjean,
Happy Anniversary,
Bless you for the hard work, and to all the survivors of abuse. Take care of each other.
Blogger friend Holly
 
I have to definitely get reading!!!!

Happy Anniversary!! :)

hugs

Cassandra
 
Holly: thanks and bless you, too!

Cassandra: Thanks so much for stopping by AND for reading!
 
awesome job marja many thanks
 
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you......I've been away Marj and am so happy to come back to the 1st birthday edition.
Well done to everyone.
Megan in Australia
 
JIP: thank YOU for all your courage and participation & support.

Megan: Welcome back and thanks! So glad your colleagues got to participate as well.
 
Marj,
I am late, as usual... but once again you have set us all up with a wonderful carnival, full of awareness and information, and caring and compassion.
I also wanted to thank you for the award. It's very generous.

I would also like to host again. If you dont have anyone scheduled for August, I would be more than willing.

Thank you for all of your hard work, Marj!!!
 
ORPHAN BOY
About 3 years ago I dropped into a black hole – four months of absolute terror. I wanted to end my life, but somehow [Holy Spirit], I reached out to a friend who took me to hospital. I had three visits [hospital] in four months – I actually thought I was in hell. I imagine I was going through some sort of metamorphosis [mental, physical & spiritual]. I had been seeing a therapist [1994] on a regular basis, up until this point in time. I actually thought I would be locked away – but the hospital staff was very supportive [I had no control over my process]. I was released from hospital 16th September 2004, but my fear, pain & shame had only subsided a little. I remember this particular morning waking up [home] & my process would start up again [fear, pain, & shame]. No one could help me, not even my therapist [I was terrified]. I asked Jesus Christ to have mercy on me & forgive me my sins. Slowly, all my fear has dissipated & I believe Jesus delivered me from my “psychological prison.” I am a practicing Catholic & the Holy Spirit is my friend & strength; every day since then has been a joy & blessing. I deserve to go to hell for the life I have led, but Jesus through His sacrifice on the cross, delivered me from my inequities. John 3: 8, John 15: 26, are verses I can relate to, organically. He’s a real person who is with me all the time. I have so much joy & peace in my life, today, after a childhood spent in orphanages . God LOVES me so much. Fear, pain, & shame, are no longer my constant companions. I just wanted to share my experience with you [Luke 8: 16 – 17].
PEACE BE WITH YOU
MICKY
 
Micky: thanks for sharing. I'm glad you found something that works for you. ...and I don't believe you deserve to go to hell.
 
Wow, thanks for all the great reading & links!

I posted as well.

Subject: Child Abuse.

Personal Blog: http://cubeville.wordpress.com/

Professional Blog: http://blog.freecolorprinters.com/

Thanks for the heads up!

-Perry
 
Thanks for posting to raise awareness about child abuse, Perry. I'm glad someone's on the ball--I fell really out of it after cracking my ribs and getting a concussion. I hope to be back in the groove this coming week and maybe get caught up while my son is in school.
 
Hi I am new to this community and am looking to network with other survivors of child sexual abuse. I was wondering if we could link websites? Yours is very informative. Thanks!
 
Hi I am new to the community and am looking to network with survivors of child sexual abuse. I like your blog. I was wondering if we could link each other. Thanks.
 
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