“It’s important for all those who want to protect kids from abuse to know that oftentimes abusers are very popular; they are so good; they are so sought-after. They’re attractive. That’s how they get away with years of abuse. It’s this disguise they are highly adept at wearing that lets them unleash years of soul-destroying…
“We’ve known for a long time that only a relatively small number of abuse cases come to the attention of the authorities, but this report by the Children’s Commissioner for England is a comprehensive attempt to measure and understand abuse that is hidden from view. Its conclusion that only one child in every eight facing…
“There are important warning signs — knowing them could save someone close to you.” If you have teens, or spend a lot of time working with teens, reading this and learning the signs wouldn’t be the worst idea. Teen Depression and Suicide: The Tough Lessons I Learned
“For months, Erin Hagerty tried to get the young boy to open up about his traumatic past. Instead, he spent entire sessions avoiding eye contact, staring at the wall and refusing to speak. But Hagerty, a clinical psychologist with the Advocate Childhood Trauma Treatment Program didn’t give up on the child, who had been abandoned…
“The experiences of abuse take us to a dark and heavy place that no one should ever know. It’s ugly, it’s painful, and it can swallow up everything good we ever knew. Moving on from these times isn’t a step-by-step process you can get from a therapist. It’s a journey. A lifetime of learning from…
“In the aftermath of the horrific episode, things went from bad to worst. Instead of sharing empathy with the victimized Imran, locals embarrassed him by sharing rumors about his “homosexual relationship” with Athar. The word spread like wildfire. “Boys started taunting me,” he says. “They thought it was a consensual relationship while as the truth…
