Sexual Abuse In Religion: Mother's Sending Their Daughters to Hell...

I have been so grateful to read the comments from the young women involved in the Morman Religion and other religious groups. One thing I do not specifically address in "Invisible Girls" is abuse in religion. It is so much like incest. It seems that the girls are told to marry and to have sex with these men by the religion and also by their mothers. I am guessing that just as with incest, the mother refusing to protect her daugher, is the most upsetting and traumatizing for the girls. After all, if your own mother tells you to marry when you are 15,16,17, 18 years old.... who can you trust? Who will protect you? Not only do these discusting men say you belong to them, they actually say that God speaks to them and that you are obeying God by marrying ... Oye Vey.... I never stop being amazed by the strength and honesty of all of you. I am so thrilled that some of you have found Girlthrive and feel you can reach out to us here on this blog. So.... What have some of your mothers done to make you feel that you had to give in to sexual abuse......??? When a mother actually stands by and watches her daugther marry an old man who has many wifes, how can this girl feel? This has to be so confusing and upsetting to all sexual abuse survivors. But when you share you realize you are not crazy or alone. As always thank you all so much for sharing. xxoo dr. patti

Texas Polygamy Compound

I have been so upset and confused by the latest bust of the polygamy compound in Texas. I am totally confused about how this is possible. How is it that in the United States that men are allowed to marry more than one woman- or should i say girl.... What I do not understand is how it is possible that this bust has taken place because of one girl calling and saying she has been abused. Don't the police know about this compound?! How come it has taken this long to go in and take the children away from this crazy abuse?????!! I saw the women on the news and they seemed so robotic, so totally hypnotized into believing that all is well with their lifestyle. I also saw some of the gross 50 and 60 year old men that "marry" these 15,16,17,18, year old girls. YUCK! This is incest, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, you name it. It is totally WRONG!!!! I know that many of my clients get triggered when this kind of thing is on the news. I am sorry that it is happening in this Century, and I am sorry that as a nation we are all so blind and helpless that this goes on. Thank goodness someone came forward - thank goodness that the judge is taking time for these children to have time away from the compound while details are being sorted out. Thank goodness one young woman came forward and TOLD!! I can only hope that this will set some sort of precedent for other polygamist compounds- instead of hiding, I hope we will bust in and take the children and the women and De-program them- Thanks for listening to my rant! xo dr. patti

April Sex Abuse Awareness Month

Well each April we acknowledge sexual abuse a bit more. I believe every month should be sexual abuse awareness month. This month I was able to speak on speaker phone to a class at Ithaca College in Upstate New York about "Invisible Girls". The teacher has used my book for three semesters with her health ed undergrad teachers in training. It was great to speak to the students directly. Also I will be taking the train to Washington DC tomorrow to participate in "Stop The Silence" march. I will be personally giving away books through my Girlthrive Education Fund. So if any of you are in Washington on Sunday April 13, stop by the march! And remember every day you tell someone sex abuse exists you are breaking open Pandora's box of secrets!
What have you done on a personal level that has broken open Pandora's box?? Please share. xo love, dr. p

Have any films resonated for you?

Well day two of the Girlthrive blog. Thanks so much for all your comments! I am wondering if any films have resonated for you? I saw the film "Hard Candy" last year, and I thought it was quite amazing. I won't be giving anything away by telling you that the teen girl in the film is strong, smart, cunning and gets to torture the abuser. If you are faint of heart, this film may be too much for you. It does deal with the anger of being a survivor, the anger of all sex abuse, and it is a revenge film. I loved it- but of course it was too strong for women to really make it by Hollywood standards. It was not in the theaters for very long. But if you can get it on dvd I reccomend it. I would love to hear your reviews of this film or any other that you felt was strong for survivors and girls in general. xxoo dr. patti

my first post

hi everyone! i am really excited to start this blog. i can not wait to hear what so many of you have on your minds. i am getting so many emails from girls telling me that they are healing from sexual abuse. recently i heard from a girl that was 13 years old. she took "invisible girls" out of her local library and after reading it she told her mother about her abuse. her mom actually was able to help her - this 13 year old says that now she has stopped pulling her hair, she sleeps at night, and her nitemares have stopped!!! yeaahhh.
i can not tell you how amazing it is to hear these kinds of experiences. what is on your mind? do you want to share an experience? tell us about a film you have seen recently that was powerful for you? tell us what helps you heal? i would love to hear from you. xxoo dr. patti