Transitioning Times

As an advocate working in the field of domestic violence and sexual assault, I talk a lot about power and control. It's funny, when you recognize the dynamics of power and control; you start to see it everywhere. I am glad I am able to recognize it now and point it out to clients, in order to help them recognize the power of it. What is power and control? Here's a little graphic for you. (http://www.lfcc.on.ca/HCT_SWASM_5.html) Simply put, it is someone's need to feel power and control over another person. This can manifest in many different ways and severities. It could be something as simple as changing the time of a person's plans from 5 to 5:15. (Of course, if this happens to you, it doesn't necessarily mean that the person does it to feel power and control over you.) And on the other spectrum, it can manifest in domestic violence and sexual assault. Rape is not about a desire for sex, it's a desire for power and control.  Anyway, th...

We are living in a fast moving, digital world.   Currently, there is a form of abuse or harassment being conducted on the internet called revenge porn.   Last week, there was an article in the New York Times asking for states to criminalize this behavior.   Prior to that, CNN ran a news story this summer, asking for the same. “Revenge porn” is a term given to explicit or pornographic photographs or videos that were sent to significant others when the two parties were involved in a consensual relationship, but are then distributed or posted online after they break up.   We have seen this type of behavior in juvenile sexting cases and have seen legislation passed criminalizing this behavior for children, but not for adults.   Victims and advocates (including Transitions) are calling for this behavior to be criminalized. Currently, victims can sue the perpetrators of this type of behavior with a civil suit, but beyond that, their behavior often...