[Tbtn] Help Sexually Abused Children

Tue Feb 24 13:46:33 CST 2004

>===== Original Message From cluttsm at awomansfund.org =====
Hey Everyone,
Kelly received this email and wanted you all to hear about it.  Please take
a minute and read the info and if you could sign the petition it would be
you stellar activist activity of the week!
~Michelle

Hey Everyone- I hardly ever forward things but I think this is important-
On the web site, Stop Family Violence, they have links and archives about
the case. I hadn't heard at all about this documentary. I encourage all of
you to at least go to the web site and look up what is going on. If we
think that the average pedophile sexually abuses/assaults approximatly. 118
children, and the average child has to tell 7 times, what a disservice this
film is doing to the courageous children who keep telling. I think I am
most appalled at the money from this film is being used to help release
child sex offenders from jail.

Hello Stop Family Violence Activists!
First, welcome to our new members  400 since our since our mailing on
Saturday. And many thanks to our 30,000 current members for forwarding our
message to keep our movement growing.
(NOTE: we apologize for the unusual "spelling" of some of the words below.
We've found that our messages get caught in spam filters because of the
language we need to use to talk about our issues)
Today is a big day at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences  the
day the votes are cast. It is critical that they hear from as many of us as
possible TODAY about not awarding an Oscar to the film "Capturing the
Friedmans" - a "documentary" about pedophilia and child s~xual abuse that
distorts the truth and perpetuates myths that will harm victims and protect
pedophiles. If you've sent one message, send again  let's make sure they
hear our voices as we support the victims and call for the truth to be told
about child s~xual abuse.
(we’ve sent some 8000 messages already  let's keep it up!)
Here are 3 things you can do today that will make a difference.
ONE:
If you are a member of the "general public" please visit
http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org/sfvo/oscar.html
to send a free, pre-written email to the Academy and ABC urging them not to
give an Oscar to "Capturing the Freemans", and that instead they should
have a celebrity talk about the seriousness of child s~xual abuse and make
time to air a series of public service announcements that tell people where
to get help.
If you are a professional who works with, or whose work concerns victims of
interpersonal violence or abuse, (advocate or service provider, medical,
legal, law enforcement, therapist, researcher, religious leader, etc) we
ask you to visit
http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org/sfvo/oscar_so.html
to indicate your individual or organizational support for this campaign.
Deadline for signing on is Wed Feb 25 at 2pm EST. We'll fax the letter with
list of organizational and professional supporters to the Academy and ABC
Wednesday afternoon.
TWO:
After you've sent your email or signed on, please give the Academy a call!
Their switchboard is open from 9am-5pm Pacific Time.
310-247-3000
Please be polite at all times! Tell them your name and that you are calling
regarding "Capturing the Friedmans" Then say:
"Please don't give an Oscar to a documentary that distorts the truth and
perpetuates myths that will harm victims and protect pedophiles.
Please have a celebrity talk about the seriousness of the issue of child
s~xual abuse. Also, please make time to air a series of public service
announcements that will tell people where to get help. Thank you."
After you've made the call, please let us know, so we can tell the media
how many calls were placed. Use the following link to log your call and see
how many others were placed.
http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org/sfvo/oscar_calls.html
Below is an opinion piece concerning the distortions in "Capturing the
Friedmans" written by members of the Leadership Council on Child Abuse and
Interpersonal Violence. There is additional information about the film and
the myths it perpetuates at
http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org/sfvo/oscar.html
THREE
Please forward this message to others right away.
It's up to all of us to be the voice for the children who are being abused.
Our strength is in our numbers.
Thanks for your support!
Together we can.. http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org
Irene Weiser
-------------------------------------------------------
WHO ARE THE REAL VICTIMS? ACCLAIMED FILM RAISES MONEY FOR CONVICTED S~X
OFFENDERS
February 18, 2004
Who are the true victims? Arnold and Jesse Friedman or the children they
confessed to r~ping? This is the question raised by Andrew Jarecki's film
"Capturing the Friedmans," nominated for an Oscar for best documentary.
Technically accomplished and widely acclaimed, the film portrays a
dysfunctional family swept up by events that leave Arnold Friedman and his
son, Jesse, in prison after pleading guilty to s~xually abusing 13 boys in
Arnold's in-home computer classes. While claiming to be neutral, director
Andrew Jarecki creates dramatic tension by sacrificing the truth in favor
of provocative, artistic ambiguity. Clear evidence is omitted, facts
distorted, and uncertainty is created about the guilt of these two
confessed pedophiles.
A different perspective emerges from readily available public documents,
television interviews, and journalistic accounts. The most glaring omission
of the film is the existence of a third defendant, Ross Goldstein. Mr.
Goldstein, the then 19-year-old friend of Jesse, confessed to the crimes,
corroborated the testimony of the children, identified the victims from
photos, and was prepared to testify against the Friedmans. Nor did the film
mention the 1989 Geraldo! episode where Jesse, by phone from prison and
against the advice of his attorney, tearfully described his own prior
s~xual abuse by his father and confessed to molesting three of the boys.
Instead, the film repeatedly questions the veracity of the charges against
the Friedmans based on the fact that none of the boys initially told their
parents or showed obvious physical evidence of abuse. Yet, failure to
disclose abuse is often the rule rather than the exception, and boys tend
to have a particularly difficult time disclosing abuse - especially s~xual
abuse by another male. In addition, physical injuries tend to be rare and
s~x offenders are often skilled in the use of grooming techniques that
silence victims by making them feel complicit in their own abuse --
techniques repeatedly noted in priest abuse cases and described in detail
by the Friedman's victims.
Furthermore, by focusing on children who were not the source of the
original complaints, Jarecki's film misleads the audience into thinking
that many of the Friedman's accusers have now recanted. In reality they
have not. In fact, a number of the victims have hired an attorney to
counter Jesse Friedman’s recently filed motion to overturn his conviction.
Also, both the lead detective and the judge involved in the case deny that
any of the testimony against Jesse was coerced or elicited through hypnosis.
The painful irony for those of us who work with abused children is not only
that the film distorts the truth and misinforms viewers about a major
public health crisis, but that the film is being used in an effort to free
other convicted s~x offenders from prisons around the country. A non-profit
group calling itself The National Center for Reason and Justice (NCRJ)
recently held a private screening of "Capturing the Friedmans" in New York
City. The screening, which was attended by Jarecki, was used to raise funds
to aid in the release of a number of convicted s~x offenders who claim to
be innocent. Jesse Freidman, an organizer of the fundraiser, stated, "It
has always been important to me that 'Capturing the Friedmans' would raise
awareness about the issue of imaginary crimes."
Unfortunately, these so-called "imaginary crimes" are all too real to
thousands of child abuse victims, their families, child abuse experts, law
enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges. In fact, research shows that
the majority of r~pe victims in the U.S. are children and adolescents, and
27% of girls and 16% of boys will experience some form of s~xual abuse
before the age of 18.
In the end, "Capturing the Friedmans" captures an unsuspecting public under
its spell of cultural denial and empowers s~xual predators at the expense
of victims. The popularity of the film sends a chilling message to abuse
survivors as well as those currently suffering in silence. Whether
Jarecki’s film is a winner or loser on Oscar night, it is children who
stand to lose the most when the public is misled about these crimes.
---------------
Paul Fink, M.D., President, Leadership Council; Past President American
Psychiatric Association
Joyanna Silberg, Ph.D., Executive Vice-President, Leadership Council
Wendy Murphy, J.D., Vice-President, Leadership Council; New England School
of Law
Anna Salter, Ph.D., Leadership Council; Author, Predators: Pedophiles,
Rapists and Other S~x Offenders.
Eli Newberger, M.D., Leadership Council; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics,
Harvard Medical School
The Leadership Council on Child Abuse & Interpersonal Violence191
Presidential Blvd., Suite C-132Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
The Leadership Council on Child Abuse & Interpersonal Violence is a
non-profit scientific organization composed of national leaders in the
fields of mental health, law, medicine, and education. We are committed to
supporting justice, protecting children, and promoting responsible research
and information on child abuse and interpersonal violence. Further
information is available at www.leadershipcouncil.org
--------------------
Stop Family Violence urges you to ACT NOW
If you are a member of the "general public" please visit
http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org/sfvo/oscar.html
to send a free, pre-written email to the Academy and ABC urging them not to
give an Oscar to "Capturing the Freemans", and that instead they should
have a celebrity talk about the seriousness of child s~xual abuse and make
time to air a series of public service announcements that tell people where
to get help.
If you are a professional who works with, or whose work concerns victims of
interpersonal violence or abuse ( advocate, medical, legal, law
enforcement, service provider, therapist, researcher, religious leader,
etc) we ask you to visit
http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org/sfvo/oscar_so.html
to indicate your individual or organizational support for this campaign.
Deadline for signing on is Wed Feb 25 at 2pm EST. We'll fax the letter with
list of organizational and professional supporters to the Academy and ABC
Wednesday afternoon.
Please forward this message to others.
Our strength is in our numbers.
Together we can.. http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org
Irene Weiser
____________________________________________________
If you or someone you know is a victim of child s~xual abuse, or if you're
worried that there might be a problem call this toll free hotline
1-866-FOR-LIGHT (367-5444) or visit Darkness to Light’s website at
www.darkness2light.org
If you or someone you know is possibly a pedophile call the Stop It Now!
toll-free helpline at 1-888-PREVENT or visit their website at 
www.stopitnow.org
Stop Family Violence receives no government funding. We depend on the
generosity of our members. Please support our work by credit card at
http://tinyurl.com/f51v or send checks, payable to Tides/Stop Family
Violence to Stop Family Violence, 331 W. 57th St. #518 New York, NY 10019.
Stop Family Violence is a project of The Tides Center, a nonprofit public
charity exempt from federal income tax under Sections 501 (c) 3 and 509 (a)
1 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Join our mailing list at http://capwiz.com/sfvo/mlm/ Our mailing list is
strictly confidential. Stop Family Violence will not give, sell or rent
your name or information to any person or any organization without your
permission.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence call the
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3244
(TTY) for support, shelter, or services. Free, confidential, 24 hrs.
If you know a child who is being abused or neglected call the Childhelp USA
National Child Abuse Hotline for advice and information. This is not the
same as reporting the abuse  the purpose is to give you information on
options. 1-800-4- A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) Free, confidential, 24 hrs.
If you or someone you know is a victim of s~xual violence call the R~pe
Abuse and Incest National Network at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) Free,
confidential, 24 hrs.
If you or someone you know is being stalked, contact the National Center
for Victims of Crime Stalking Resource Center at 1-800- FYI-CALL M-F, 8:30
am- 8:30 pm EST or visit their website http://www.ncvc.org/src/index.html
If you or someone you know is in the military and needs confidential advice
or services re: domestic or s~xual violence, contact the Miles Foundation
203-270-7861 or e-mail them at mailto:milesfdn at aol.com
I enjoy reading your comments, and hearing about the actions you are taking
to prevent family violence in your home or community. Please send comments
to mailto:actnow at stopfamilyviolence.org
Please mail your suggestions about issues you’d like to see us cover, or
feedback about the issues we are covering to
mailto:actnow at stopfamilyviolence.org .
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scroll down, enter your old e-mail address, then update accordingly.
If you do not wish to receive further mailings
mailto:sfvo_list at capwiz.mailmanager.net and type "unsubscribe" in the
subject line. Leave the body of your message blank. If you’re willing to
take the time, I’d appreciate any feedback about why you’re leaving the
list. Mail feedback to mailto:actnow at stopfamilyviolence.org
Thanks again for your support.
Together, we can..... http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org
Irene Weiser