Rotherdam: Cowardice must never be an option
Child protection officials in Rotherham, England are facing worldwide scorn for saying that they did not report the sexual abuse of 1400 children because they feared being branded “racists.” The child...
View ArticleA back-to-school “Must Have” that can save your child from abuse
It’s that time of year again. You’ve made the rounds to the local big box and office supply stores. You have scoured every children’s clothing section in a 20-mile radius for “fashion-forward”—yet...
View ArticleInternet Safety for Parents – Costa Mesa Speakers Series
Upcoming speakers will include experts on Bullying Prevention, Child Sex Abuse Awareness and Prevention (read: me), and Substance Abuse The event is free and open to the public. Hope to see you there.
View ArticleWe need to end our love-affair with shame
Slut-shaming, fat-shaming, victim-shaming, political shaming … we are a society in love with shame. And our children pay the price. Note: Guilt is the nasty and usually appropriate feeling people have...
View ArticleA novel peek into the “convoluted world” of grooming
A very good friend of mine pointed me to a recent review of Eimear McBride’ novel A GIRL IS A HALF-FORMED THING. The author of the review, Paige Reynolds, includes this very intuitive and honest...
View ArticleMy latest interview in HuffPostParents
Journalist and blogger Heather Mundt and I discuss: A Back-to-School Rule for Kids: Trust Your Gut, 5 Guidelines to Help Kids Self-Protect
View ArticleJerry Brown vetoes victims’ civil rights bill
In case you were wondering who Jerry Brown REALLY wants to protect: Yesterday, Brown vetoed SB 924, a bill which would have given victims of child sexual abuse until age 40 to file civil lawsuits...
View ArticleWhat do you do when a friend says, “I was abused as a child”
With the recent news about 7th Heaven star Stephen Collins, everyone is talking a little bit more than usual about child sexual abuse. As the Collins story is unveiled and we learn more details,...
View ArticleJohn Grisham and the “I was just looking” argument
UPDATE: Grisham apologized. Looks like he finally read the memo. And he got people talking …. Child pornography is criminal for a reason: It’s gross, vile, and extremely damaging to the children who...
View ArticlePredators in Pretty Packages: Five lessons for parents from the Stephen...
Hollywood couldn’t have written a better plot: an all-American man plays a respected pastor and father of seven. Add in good looks and charm, and you’ve got the makings of a beloved television...
View ArticleInternet Safety: Five tips for parents
The Internet puts the world at your child’s fingertips. With a few clicks of a keyboard, the swipe of a phone, or the tap of a iPod or tablet, your child can bring the beauty of the world to the palm...
View ArticleCelebrity nude photos and … your teenager
The celebrity nude photo “scandal” is old news these days. But in case you missed it: dozens of celebrities’ iCloud accounts were hacked and nude photos in those accounts were stolen and published on...
View ArticleWhen your district says it’s okay for teachers and kids to have sex …
It’s time to find a new district and consider class action. The Los Angeles Unified School District recently argued that a 14-year-old middle school student can legally consent to sex with an adult...
View ArticleWhat if the parents had no clue?
Amy Berg’s new documentary “An Open Secret” recently had its first (and probably only) public screening. Roger Freedman, writing for Showbiz411 had an honest and evocative review. But it was this...
View ArticleBill Cosby, Jerry Brown, and a lawsuit
If I were Bill Cosby, I wouldn’t tweet thank yous to Jill Scott and Whoopi Goldberg. I’d be visiting Sacramento and planting a great big kiss on the lips of California Governor Jerry Brown. Why?...
View ArticleThe OC Register: He’s just not that into me anymore
It had all of the signs of a romance in doom. First, there was The Rush: Despite cutbacks and layoffs and closures at other newspapers across the country, the Orange County Register issued promises...
View Article28 Texting and Internet acronyms every parent should know
From CNN: A great list of acronyms that teens use to keep their attentive parents “in the dark” about the subject matter of their texts, internet exchanges, and social media posts. A great read for any...
View ArticleGuam: When ordinary people do extraordinary things
I hate watching sports … but I LOVE stories about sports. The minutiae about how any particular game is played is usually lost on me. For me, going to a live sporting event is about the spectacle,...
View ArticleMy interview on Lawpreneur Radio: Civil rights for crime victims
Last, week, I spoke with Miranda Dempsey McCroskey of Lawpreneur Radio about the importance of civil rights for crime victims, how plaintiffs’ attorneys have been instrumental in exposing abuse … and,...
View ArticleNew feature: Ask a Question Friday
I get TONS of questions. Lots. So many in fact, that I ended up writing a book. But there are some questions that don’t really have a place in the book. There are others with answers that need to be...
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