April's Newsletter Theme:
"Child Abuse Awareness"
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New! FIVE Helpful Articles! Look Inside! |
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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
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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.
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Welcome to the April 2021 NAASCA Newsletter
from NAASCA's Newsletter Editor: Kara Smith
Thank you for subscribing to our monthly newsletter !
Please encourage others to get in touch by suggesting they
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This month's newsletter theme is:
'Child Abuse Awareness'
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Upcoming April Dates
- Child Abuse Awareness Month
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month
- Alcohol Awareness Month
- Autism Awareness Month
Apr 02: Good Friday
Apr 04: Easter & the end of Passover
Apr 07: World Health Day
Apr 08: Holocaust Remembrance Day
Apr 12: Ramadan starts
Apr 22: Earth Day
Apr 30: Arbor Day & Lag B'Omer starts
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Or, if you prefer, join our LinkedIn group!
We're building a survivor / activist community!
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My Birthday Wish is Fundraising for NAASCA thru April !
from Bill Murray
NAASCA founder and CEO
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My birthday is March 26th. This year I'm raising money to assist the many NAASCA volunteers all around the world. I'll keep the fundraiser going through April, Child Abuse Awareness month, so as to promote the mission at NAASCA.org during this time.
As you may know, NAASCA receives no outside money or grants. We have no dues or fees for anything we offer and are entirely self-supported through our own contributions. We depend solely on the voluntary donations of our NAASCA family members and friends.
I'm asking anyone who cares about children to participate. National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (NAASCA) family members and friends can contribute throughout April in whatever amount they can .. large and small .. because it all matters !
Together we can do what we can not do alone !
Please .. do this. And find other ways to support NAASCA financially. DONATE !
Yours in love and service,
Bill
NOTE: You can easily donate to NAASCA with PayPal, simply by going here:
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Tell your survivor story ! |
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Help us procure SCAN talk show 'special guests'
There's a new tool on the front page of our web site at www.NAASCA.org !
It should help us find 'special guests' for upcoming episodes of our popular "Stop Child Abuse Now" (SCAN) talk radio shows.
Now, just below the schedule of this week's guests, is a list marked clearly in GRAY of the NEXT 5 OPEN DATES for 'special guest' episodes (which we produce on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).
NAASCA family member Pamela Lockridge will coordinate this new effort.
Please .. help Pamela fill in the blanks ahead of time. Too often we find ourselves with a need to book open slots on an emergency basis.
And remember, we want to have a combination of new people who've never told their child abuse trauma and recovery story, as well as returning previous guests.
One need not yet be a member to appear on the show. We have a single purpose at NAASCA, to address issues related to childhood abuse and trauma including sexual assault, violent or physical abuse, emotional traumas and neglect.
Each of us can be of service to the adult survivor community by honestly telling our story, and it especially makes an impression on the newcomer.
Please pass this message on. Especially important is to SHARE it in other groups and non-NAASCA organizations which share a similar mission.
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Bill Murray, founder / CEO
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NAASCA’s "Stop Child Abuse Now" (SCAN) shows are broadcast live 5 nights a week, Monday through Friday, LIVE at 8pm EST (so 5pm PST) for 90 minutes, at this link: www.BlogTalkRadio.com/NAASCA
The dedicated call-in number is: 646-595-2118
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"Can You Spot A Child Abuser?"
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April is child abuse awareness month. Unfortunately, millions of children are physically and sexually abused every year. Child abuse affects children as young as newborns and as old as 17. The long-term effects of child abuse can destroy a child well into their adult years. |
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While we try so hard to protect our most vulnerable section of our population (our children), the truth is we cannot always be at every turn to stop the abuse. Many times, people we thought we could trust turn out to be the worst abusers of all.
So, can you spot a child abuser? I mean, we all think we can look at a person and assume they will abuse a child in a heartbeat. We have our stereotypes of an abuser in our heads based on the stories we heard and the movies we watch. But, in all honestly, stereotypes are never going to be accurate or help you spot a child abuser.
Child abusers are often the people you least expect. They are people that appear to be loving, well-mannered parents. They are aunts and uncles. They are priests and rabbis. They are teachers. Child abusers are anyone with access to children within the community.
Many times, they look “normal.” They are social and try to appeal to everyone’s sense of trust and security. But they do exhibit small signs that you need to be careful.
Some signs that a person may be a child abuser would include:
- They spend an abnormal amount of time speaking with your child.
- They are childish in their own way.
- They own toys and other childish play items.
Be wise. Child abusers are men and women. They can be kind or angry. They may be addicts, yet they may be clean and sober. However, if someone appears to frighten your child, take that warning, and get away as quickly as possible. Sometimes, a child’s instinct is the best indicator of an abuser.
The reality is many of us have experienced abuse and have come out as a survivor. We want to help others. However, we must be wise and always be careful. The best way to help children is to be a safe person for them. They will open up and reveal information when they feel safe and secure. And if a child confides in you, your friends at NAASCA can help you get the support and
help you and the child need.
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Deb Ferguson, NAASCA volunteer
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"Child Abuse
Awareness Month:
A Month of Hope"
Awareness. The word of the month nestles neatly among its companions, Child Abuse Awareness.
They are words we’d rather not utter. Words we’d rather avoid or overlook--but too many of us bear the consequence of others disregarding awareness and have the battle scars to prove it. Depression. Chronic illness. Broken relationships.
This is our opportunity to give hope to the children whose wounds are not yet calloused. To stop shrugging off the inclination that involvement is futile, and heed the nagging inner voice that compels us to respond when the woman next door bellows and curses at her toddler day after day or the child in the classroom arrives in the same dirty clothes for nearly a week.
But in a world altered by social distancing and quarantines, how do parents, teachers, faith leaders, and others promote and maintain awareness? The ideas below provide a starting point.
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Child abuse awareness begins with your inner circle. Recognize that abuse is most frequently exacted by family members or trusted individuals. If a child reveals abuse, believe him or her.
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Be cognizant of symptoms of abuse. While physical symptoms of abuse are easily explained away, emotional behaviors indicating abuse are more noticeable. The Mayo Clinic has a short list available here.
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Recognize the link between domestic violence and child abuse. If you are aware of domestic violence in a family, remain vigilant. Research indicates that between 30%-60% of children in homes with domestic violence also experience child abuse. With a substantial increase of domestic violence since the beginning of the pandemic, individuals who have direct contact with children--educators, Sunday school teachers, doctors, and neighbors--must be alert.
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Consider hosting an event in your home or backyard. Whether you are sharing about NAASCA or a local nonprofit that promotes child abuse awareness, invite a few friends or colleagues over as part of an awareness event. Ask a speaker from the group to present a short video, share ways in which others can get involved, and enjoy simple appetizers.
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Go live. Hop on Instagram, Facebook, or your favorite social media platform and share a quick message about Child Abuse Awareness month. Ask your friends and family to donate to a cause supporting child abuse prevention and share the information in your feed.
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Become a trainer. If you would like to share information with groups in your area, search for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) training programs. Many are affordable and provide the opportunity to speak at educator conferences, schools, churches, and more.
Child Abuse Awareness month is our chance to give voice to the children we were and to all the children who need us to speak up. It is about creating a well-informed public that refuses to turn away.
This month is about hope.
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Tammy Kennington, NAASCA Volunteer
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"My Truth Carries Echoes"
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I remember the first time I ever told my truth. I was around 32 years old. I sat in a chair across from my counselor, this big 6-foot tall man with kind eyes. It flowed from me like I was singing a song that needed to be heard, a song I had been playing in my head for years. I knew I had to find my tune if I was to save my life. |
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My mother sexually abused me and many other family members. I’d been beaten so many times as a child my head scans read like a road map. As I told my story, this big guy I would grow to feel safe with, whispered, “Malisia, I will cry for you until you can cry for yourself,” as tears flowed out of his eyes reaching the floor.
My biggest fear when coming forward was that I didn’t want others to carry the darkness I had been guarding. I didn’t want people to look at me different, like I was broken.
I found out it was quite the opposite. There were people open and ready to hold my hand through it. My hero, the advocate, who talked to me every day for a year while I felt like I was losing my mind. “No, you are just finding it, my dear,” she would say. She saved my life!
I’m 46 now. I can cry for myself. I cry for others before me, and after, on this healing journey. That’s why, my friends, awareness is so important. I’m not saying everyone has to stand up and say, “Me too,” but those called to share your stories are paving the way for others to feel safe and free to tell theirs in an environment of their choosing.
It was through reading and hearing advocates share their stories that I knew I wasn’t alone and found my own voice. It is through awareness, that new laws and prevention take place.
You are important and your story is important. Through telling your story in your safe space, you open the door to healing.
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By: Malisia McKinney
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"The Importance of
Child Abuse Awareness "
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Many child abuse survivors struggle with accepting the truth that they were abused. It was incredibly difficult for me to face that painful reality and that I was helpless to it. However, this awareness is necessary in order to begin our healing journey.
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There is another awareness that needs to take place, and that is spreading awareness about child abuse to others. That said, it takes tremendous courage to share our story. We are often terrified of being looked at or seen differently by others. Many of us feel ashamed and fearful of being shamed by others.
I decided to start my blog, Surviving Mom Blog, to bring awareness about taboo topics. These topics include child abuse. It is through this platform that I shared my detailed account of being emotionally and psychologically abused by my mother.
With events going on in the world today, I have learned more than ever about the importance of awareness. Awareness comes in many forms; those who need to be aware that what they endured was indeed abusive, and awareness of others to acknowledge and support someone else’s abuse. Complacency will not allow for change, and there is so much change that needs to take place.
We cannot control how others will respond, but it is essential that we share our story with others. We know firsthand about the many ways abuse can rear its ugly head, and that awareness needs to be spread. If only one person gains a better understanding of child abuse, that is a success in my book. It is one more person who gained awareness and understanding.
We also take our power back by speaking our truths. We were powerless as children and nothing can change what happened to us. However, we can take control of our present and future. It is through awareness that we begin to do so.
I hope that my words give you the courage to share your story with even one person, and that it allows us to take one step closer to a world of empathy, awareness, and change
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“If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive.” - Brené Brown
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Randi B. Latzman, NAASCA Volunteer
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NAASCA's Grateful to All Our Members & Volunteers !
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We Need YOU!
We Need Each Other!
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Fighting For Kids,
Serving Adult Survivors
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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:
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Have You Listened to Our Talk Radio Show Lately ?
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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
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Are You a Survivor of Child Abuse Looking for Support?
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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:
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You are not alone, and never have to be, a day at a time!
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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.
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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! |
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A Note from Our Founder and CEO: |
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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 !! |
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NAASCA belongs to no other group and receives no outside funding. We're self-supporting through our own members' voluntary contributions. |
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Please consider a one time
or recurring donation.
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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.
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