November's Newsletter Theme:
"Gratitude"
|
|
NAASCA is Grateful for the Support of Volunteers to Accomplish Our Mission!
|
|
Meet This Month's NAASCA Volunteer!
Make a Difference for Others!
|
|
a non profit 501(c)3
Because of you and our simple MISSION, more
kids are being protected, more adult survivors served!
NAASCA has a single purpose, to address issues related to childhood abuse and trauma including sexual assault, violent or physical abuse, emotional traumas and neglect .. and we do so from two specific perspectives
:
- educating the public, especially as related to getting society over the taboo of discussing childhood sexual abuse, presenting the facts that show child abuse to be a pandemic, worldwide problem that affects everyone
- offering hope for healing through numerous paths, providing many services to adult survivors of child abuse and information for anyone interested in the many issues involving prevention, intervention and recovery
Building a survivor / activist / professional community ... because
together we can do what we cannot do alone
.
|
|
Welcome to the November 2019 NAASCA Newsletter
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter mailing list!
Please encourage others to get in touch by suggesting they
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This month's newsletter theme is:
"Gratitude"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Upcoming November Dates
National Gratitude Month
National Adoption Month
National Inspirational Role Models Month
November 13 – World Kindness Day
November 17-23 - National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week
November 16 - International Day for Tolerance
November 18 - National Adoption Day
November 21 - National Parental Involvement Day
November 23 - International Survivors of Suicide Day
A NOTE FROM BILL
I've many things for which to be grateful. Some seem 'incidental.' Recently I was shown a film that mirrored my life's path and feel compelled to share it with you. They say eventually you'll hear your own story.
"
By the Grace of God
" is now being shown in select theaters around the country. Set in France, it is the well-told story of three male adult survivors who come together to expose the priest who'd abused them as children, as well as the institution what had always protected him.
In gratitude to each of you, I am .. yours in service,
Bill
|
|
Dedicate your birthday to supporting NAASCA
by Bill Murray
Recently, and all of a sudden, it was that time again .. my BIRTHDAY !!! .. (March 26, 1953)
It seems like this happens every year! LOL
There are numerous ways to support our truly unique organization.
|
|
Or, if you prefer, join our
LinkedIn
group!
We're building a survivor / activist community!
|
|
NAASCA's SCAN Shows Now on Three Platforms!
All our "Stop Child Abuse Now" talk radio shows are now available as 'on-demand' podcasts on three different platforms!
by Bill Murray
It's amazing, but NAASCA and our 'sister effort' LACP (Los Angeles Community Policing) will soon have produced 2800 "Stop Child Abuse Now" and "Community Matters This Week" talk radio shows!
We do our shows on BlogTalkRadio five-nights-a-week, all but Saturday and Sunday evenings, and each is recorded as it's being aired. It doesn't take long for the library to add up.
Now there are three ways to access these podcasts:
1. Directly through our
NAASCA web site
's 'ARCHIVES' by simply clicking on the episode's name (a number)
2. By using
APPLE Podcasts
for iPhone-style mobile devices – thanks to Dwight Hurych, North Carolina, for setting this up as a NAASCA volunteer!
3. Through
GOOGLE Podcasts
for those who use Android phones – thanks to Charm Isom-Asenime for explaining how to hear our shows on the GOOGLE Podcast platform, too,
NAASCA's 'ARCHIVES' are accessed through the NAASCA website's HOME page where it says 'current schedule'. Each year is listed there.
Please see full details, including how to download the Apple and Google Podcast apps, on the NAASCA website page:
I am so pleased that NAASCA has increased its outreach through these two additional venues!
Please help us SHARE about these new platforms by spreading the word to as many survivors and advocates you can.
We hope this enhances our ability to execute our mission: educating the public about childhood abuse, and offering hope and healing to survivors.
|
|
Be Grateful for the Small Victories
Let’s talk football for a moment. As football fans, we want our team to win the Big Game. We eat, sleep, and breathe football for 18 weeks to see if our team is going to win it all. And usually, we are disappointed. Our team is at home with 29 other teams watching the 2 best teams in the NFL battle it out to win the title we all wanted.
But, this does not mean that we wasted the entire season because we did not get to, let alone win, the big game. No. The season was where life happened, and fun occurred. Without the season, the Big game would be just another game. As football fans, we have learned to be grateful for the little victories, so we do not waste 18 weeks to be let down in the end.
Each season of our lives is like a football season. We set goals. Many of the goals we set may be obtainable, but not this season and not this year. However, there are small goals that can be set along the way that helps us reach the end goal. For instance, maybe we want to forgive our abusers. A small goal would be understanding that forgiving the abuser is about letting it go. The next small goal would be to attempt to write a letter of forgiveness and then never send it. It may take quite some time to reach true forgiveness in the way it is meant to be reached. Yet, we must be grateful for reaching each small goal as it comes.
Learning to be grateful for the small victories keeps your life in perspective. It allows you to appreciate the journey, thereby realizing the time is not wasted reaching the end goal. So, treat yourself like your favorite football team and be grateful for your small victories.
Deb Ferguson
NAASCA volunteer
|
|
|
|
Bailey Smith -
Volunteer of the Month for November
This month, NAASCA is pleased to introduce Bailey Smith, who is the Social Media Manager at NAASCA and handles our Instagram and Twitter messaging.
NAASCA:
Welcome, Bailey! Thank you for taking time to be interviewed as NAASCA’s Special Volunteer for November. How did you first connect with NAASCA?
Bailey
:
Thank you! I had connected on LinkedIn with Lisa Zarcone, who introduced me to NAASCA. I talked with Bill Murray and was a guest on one of the NAASCA "Stop Child Abuse Now" shows.
|
|
Sharing my story was empowering and healing to me, and I encourage others with whom I connect to do the same – to share their story as a NAASCA show guest for their own growth, empowerment, and healing.
NAASCA:
Thank you for taking on the responsibility of Social Media Manager at NAASCA. Please tell us about your experience with the various social media.
Bailey
: Social media is a big platform, with a variety of venues. I told NAASCA how I connect with people through LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Because of my interests, I was asked to be the volunteer Social Media Manager – a position I love and enjoy.
NAASCA:
Please catch us up with your current life.
Bailey
: I had been leading a peaceful life since August/September of last year. In July 2018 my abusive ex-husband went to jail for stalking and harassing me. He was released 4.5 months later, and he was supposed to spend the rest of the year on probation in Florida, plus getting mental health treatment, which is the deal I made. I divorced him in October, along with gaining custody of my youngest child and filing a restraining order against him. While on probation, he left Florida and moved to New York.
When a concerned person saw his post and contacted me that he was hashtagging me on Instagram, I went to the police on his violation of my restraining order as well as his parole violation by moving out of state. The police said there was nothing they could do, even though my ex had posted threats about New York being his turf and I should watch out if I ever go there. For 10-12 months, he has been stalking and harassing me on Instagram with my name. He can write everything he wants, even with a warrant for his arrest and a restraining order. What is the use of laws if they’re not working?
He posted threats to me, underneath a picture of my minor child, where he wrote how I have alienated his children from him. My children have made their own decisions.
After the police didn't think these were violations, and triggered by the lack of help from the police after having my life threatened on Instagram, I had a setback and created an Instagram page, posting all of his posts and including a picture of his arrest warrant and mug shots. That’s where he sent me direct messages and posted inappropriate pictures, which he also sent to my oldest child. I have not gone to the police about this cybersexual stalking yet because I feel so mistreated and violated when, in the past, the police had accused me of antagonizing him when he harassed me, so I almost feel like, do I want to put myself in that position again?
NAASCA:
Looking back on that, how do you feel now about creating that Instagram post?
Bailey
: I was angry. I am responsible for the safety of my children, and my ex was sending inappropriate pictures to my oldest child, in my ex’s cybersexual attacks against me. He bragged that he knows my current address and threatened me if I came to New York – which I must do because my middle son has cancer and is being treated in New York. I was angry at the police for doing nothing about it.
My ex spent only a few months in jail and now is doing whatever he wants. Why would anybody stop doing what they’re doing if they can get away with it? This narcissistic sociopath will never leave me alone. My ex is a dangerous and sick person, but my anger and frustration resulted in me stooping to his level. I spent a day in bed crying from my actions. I know that I will not take that approach, stoop to such a low level, again.
NAASCA:
What is the message you wish others to take from your experience?
Bailey
: I believe people in authority, such as police and the courts, need training in how to handle domestic violence situations.
According to a
UN repor
t
, domestic violence is the most common killer of women around the world.
I am advocating, educating, and fighting for the rights of survivors of domestic violence. I listen to people, not as a therapist, but as an empath and a survivor myself.
My job in the health insurance industry, which itself is a never-ending broken system, has shown me that we must break the cycle. Our cries for help can no longer be swept under the rug. The entire system – including close-knit communities who consider the topic of domestic violence as taboo – need to be educated, trained, and overhauled for the benefit of our children.
I don't want my experience to turn people off from ever going to the police. If they feel safer, they should go to women’s shelters, advocates that work for the DA's office, etc. Not Every State is like Florida. For example, New York has their own Domestic Violence Unit.
I am currently taking all the training I can, and I want to become involved with an organization willing to push for change. There is so much that can be done.
NAASCA:
Thank you, Bailey, for the work you are doing with and for survivors of domestic violence. We are proud to have you in the NAASCA family.
|
|
NAASCA's Grateful to All Our Members & Volunteers !
|
|
We Need YOU!
We Need Each Other!
|
Fighting For Kids,
Serving Adult Survivors
|
|
Did you know that NAASCA is
entirely staffed by non-paid volunteers
including the Board of Directors?
All the services, programs, tools, resources, and social media efforts that we offer entirely
FREE
to anyone, anytime, anywhere in the world are staffed by volunteers from our NAASCA family!
It literally would not be possible without
YOU
.
There are many ways you can volunteer with NAASCA. If you have a little time or a lot, your help is greatly appreciated and needed. Check out our list of available positions here:
|
|
This was created for us by Terri Lanahan, Butte, Montana: NAASCA Secretary and Coordinator of Volunteers, author of
"
Hear My Voice
"
Here's a tool anyone can download and use as a help whenever making a presentation on child abuse and trauma. It's a set of some two dozen PowerPoint slides that one can show on a laptop, send in an email, or can project on a screen for a larger group. Activist members of the NAASCA family might want to use it to explain any number of aspects of child abuse and trauma.
Terri's FINAL PowerPoint presentation is located on NAASCA web site's '
Promotional Tools
' page and in our social media groups.
"
Show off NAASCA -- our mission, services and tools !
R
EMEMBER .. On the NAASCA web page you'll find links to
how to get
even
more great help
when making presentations or during fundraising:
|
|
Have You Listened to Our Talk Radio Show Lately ?
|
|
|
|
Monday through Friday evenings we broadcast an internet-based live streaming talk show. This is one of the best
FREE
SERVICES we offer to our NAASCA members!
All shows start at
8pm EST
so that's
7pm CEN
,
6pm MTN
&
5pm PAC
.
We really want to hear from you!
Anyone can participate or just listen to the show by calling:
(646) 595-2118
|
|
Are You a Survivor of Child Abuse Looking for Support?
|
|
In need of support in your local community?
NAASCA provides listings for your local area in our
Recovery Groups and Services
page.
We have gathered ALL the English speaking recovery groups and services we can find,
not only in
North America but from around the world. This list can connect you with numerous agencies, therapy, support groups and other resources in your local area.
Looking for support after hours or from home?
Can't find a group you can get to easily or want to connect when it is after business hours? Needing a way to talk about your story but want to stay anonymous? We also provide a link to another separate listing for
Online Groups and Services
, for Internet-based recovery groups.
As you can imagine, keeping this listing current and updated is a huge task. You can help other survivors find the support they need.
Submit updates for the
Recovery Groups List
to Carolin O'Hara:
Submit any updates for the
Online Resource List
to Valerie:
|
|
You are not alone, and never have to be, a day at a time!
|
All members of NAASCA are part of our 'NAASCA family', and that's not just something we say. We care about each other and that includes YOU.
We want you to feel comfortable reaching out to any of our volunteers, with any of your questions about what NAASCA offers, or for help navigating the website.
Even if you simply want someone to talk to when you are dealing with a difficult moment in your recovery as a survivor... we are here for you.
|
Some are listed as night owls, some as available 24/7, others are part of our International community, still others are young or helping some specific types of survivors. Try it!
|
|
A Note from Our Founder and CEO:
|
|
Healing from child abuse and trauma can be a very lonely journey .. but you'll never be alone again, a day at a time, if you don't want to be !!
|
|
NAASCA belongs to no other group and receives no outside funding. We're self-supporting through our own members' voluntary contributions.
|
|
Please consider a one time
or recurring donation
.
|
|
Thanking you for all you do in the fight against child abuse and trauma and welcoming you to engage with your NAASCA family, I remain, as always,
Yours in service,
Bill Murray
, Founder and CEO
National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
