Time to Think About Women's Rights!

The summer has come and gone and we are here ready for a new election. I hope all of you are aware that Mc Cain and Sara Palin are against abortion. Palin is against abortion even in cases of rape and incest. This is amazing to me- what is more amazing is that women can call themselves feminists who believe this. !!!!! If you are old enough to vote I urge you to look at the facts about women's rights before you vote- The Obama ticket is for women's rights and Biden Obama's Vice Presidental running mate actually wrote and was instrumental in passing the Stop Violence Against Women bill to protect girls and women!! Here is what Joe Biden has to say about that bill:

"I consider the Violence Against Women Act the single most significant legislation that I’ve crafted during my 35-year tenure in the Senate. Indeed, the enactment of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 was the beginning of a historic commitment to women and children victimized by domestic violence and sexual assault. Our nation has been rewarded for this commitment. Since the Act’s passage in 1994, domestic violence has dropped by almost 50%, incidents of rape are down by 60%, and the number of women killed by an abusive husband or boyfriend is down by 22%. Today, more than half of all rape victims are stepping forward to report the crime. And since we passed the Act in 1994 over a million women have found justice in our courtrooms and obtained domestic violence protective orders." – Senator Joe Biden

What are your thoughts on this election? My biggest political concern has always been women's rights- Love xo Dr. Patti

Camp CADI In Full Force!!

Hi girls!! Thank you all for reaching out to me through the blog and email so that I could help to sign you up for Camp CADI, the only camp for sexually abused girls! Amy has come up with such wonderful activities for Camp CADI- The Girlthrive Scholarship Fund has awarded 10 camperships to girls from all around the country!! We have girls coming from the South, Mid-West, New England, Pennsylvania and New York City. I am so proud of all of you girls that are blogging and reaching out! Look forward to lots of pics in a future blog after the Camp. Amy hopes to run Camp CADI all over the country soon. There will be spa nights, camp fires, music, poetry, dance, talent shows, rope courses, and more. So please stay tuned! After the camp the girls will share their experiences on our blog. We will keep you all posted! xox dr. patti

The Court Ruling No Death Penalty For Rapists of Children

Not sure if you are all aware that there was a court ruling this week that rapists will not face the death penalty. This ruling is basically for men who rape children. At first I was upset, but very quickly I began to think about the survivors. It would be a terrible responsibility for a child to know they were responsible for someones death. I also believe that it would make it much harder in incest cases in particular. What child really wants to be responsible for their father, or uncle dying? Also who knows if the child would always be blamed by other family members. So I concluded that it makes sense for the survivor not to have the death penalty for the rapist. It is hard enough for so many survivors when their abuser is convicted and locked up. Often she/he is blamed for the abuser being locked up, and that is bad enough, can you imagine being responsible for the death of a father?..... Your thoughts........ xo dr. p

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