Transitioning Times

Well, they say that by the Fourth of July summer is half over and school is just around the corner, so I guess that’s how it is.  Some folks may already have their vacations in the books for this year and some may still be in the planning stages but if you are one of those who are still looking for some fun and safe things that will continue to entertain your kids for the rest of the summer, we may have some ideas.  If you have yet to head off on your family vacations to the beach or maybe to a popular amusement park, or maybe your kids are going with friends and their families, it’s a perfect opportunity to talk with your kids again about their safety when they are away from home and away from you.  Make sure they have a cell phone loaded with minutes for them to call you when they want, especially if they are going away without you.  Kids won’t admit it, but they miss us when they are away, even when they are having fun.    Also, talk to them about ...

Prior to today, July 1st, the only people who could be granted restraining orders in Pennsylvania were those who qualified for a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order.  One of the qualifications is that the parties must be related by blood or marriage or have had a dating or intimate relationship.  Thankfully, this has changed!  PA's legislature realized the loopholes this created for victims of crime and has passed the PSVI Act , which allows for victims of sexual violence or intimidation to receive restraining orders, Sexual Violence Protection Orders (SVPOs) or Protection from Intimidation Orders (PFIs). Sexual Violence Protection Orders will be available to anyone who has been a victim of sexual violence but is not related to the person according to the PFA requirements.  Protection from Intimidation Orders will be available to minor children who are being harassed or stalked by an adult.  PCADV has created some great information which I encourage you to read....

Revenge porn is a term used to describe sexually explicit media that is published online for the general consumption of the public.  This content is distributed without the consent of the individual pictured in the image or video.   The use of the term “revenge porn” stems from the fact that, in many cases, this sexually explicit content is posted by ex-lovers as a way to shame, humiliate, or otherwise harm the victim. In February 2015, Kevin Bollaert was convicted in the state of California for identity theft and extortion, crimes committed for the purpose of operating a revenge porn website.  Bollaert would accept nude or otherwise sexually explicit images/videos from jilted exes, post the images on his website, and then demand that the victims pay him to remove the content from the site.  Bollaert’s conviction followed shortly after Noe Ineguez’s conviction in December for posting a topless photo of his ex-girlfriend on Facebook, calling her a slut, and...

This is hands-down one of the best Public Service Announcements I have seen.  It not only brings up issues of consent, but it also encourages bystander intervention. This scenario is a great example of how someone is still awake, waking around, somewhat engaging with others, but is not in a position to consent to sexual activity.  You can see her glassed-over eyes, her swaying, her vacant stare, her complacency.   There is a lot of discussion about consent intellectually , but on the street, on campus, in the bar, I don't think people know the difference between who is a person having a fun time, making informed decisions and who isn't.  How do you solve a problem like that?  ASK!  I once read an article that encouraged people to just ask others "are you ok?" if you suspect anything...domestic violence, child abuse, human trafficking, anything that smells fishy, just ask the person.  If they aren't ok, it gives them the opportunity to say no, a...

     When society hears of sexual violence, the assumption is typically that a man has assaulted a woman. This is happening, at rates that are far too high, but so is sexual violence against men. Imagine how hard it is for a woman to report being sexually assaulted or raped? Now, think how difficult it is for men to report the same type of sexual violence.      Texas Association Against Sexual Assault states, “In the United States, 10% of all victims are male.”   “ About  3% of American men  — or  1 in 33  — have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. From 1995-2010, 9% of rape and sexual assault victims were male.   2.78 million men in the U.S. have been victims of sexual assault or rape.”   (RAINN.org)      These men are fathers, brothers, friends, partners, sons, and grandfathers who are looked at as being masculine, aggressive, and self-confident, but men can also be sensitiv...

When I read headlines like this it gives me a sense of dread that students in our institutions of higher learning lack the conscience, morality, and basic human goodness that would prevent them from  behaving in such a manner.   The blatant disregard these fraternity members showed for other people’s bodies, their rights, feelings, and very lives exposes a disturbing level of ignorance about what is right and what is wrong in regards to our relationship with other people.  Kappa Delta Rho’s website claims that it has been over a century that this fraternal order has been charged with developing “educated gentlemen who promote human dignity, positive relationships among men, and moral excellence of the highest ideals.”  Excellent - except for the fact that the frat members on Penn State campus evidently thought it was perfectly okay to use a private, invitation-only Facebook page to post photos of nude and partially nude women in sexual or otherwise embarr...

You would think in this day and age that sexual orientation and sexual harassment/bullying would cease to exist.   That one would be free and encouraged to be true to oneself and that others would be found to be supportive and loving to those perhaps different then themselves.   The biases continue to be prevalent in our communities.   One of the passages from childhood into adolescence is the development and understanding of sexuality. This includes understanding one’s body, gender identity, sexual orientation, and values about sexual activity. During this time many teens begin to explore their sexuality and can be a very challenging time of transitioning. When a teen is questioning their sexual orientation it can be a very lonely and difficult time in their lives. What Is Sexual Harassment? Sexual harassment occurs when a person is subject to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature to such ...