Saturday, February 23, 2019
New Bill by Senator Jerry Hill Requires Clergy to Report Child Abuse and Neglect Under Any Circumstances
New Bill by Senator Jerry Hill Requires Clergy to Report Child Abuse and Neglect Under Any Circumstances
February 20, 2019
For Immediate Release – Office of State Senator Jerry Hill – February 20, 2019
Media Contact: Leslie Guevarra, 415-298-3404, leslie.guevarra@sen.ca.gov
New Bill by Senator Jerry Hill Requires Clergy to Report Child Abuse and Neglect Under Any Circumstances
SACRAMENTO – State Senator Jerry Hill introduced legislation today to require clergy of all faiths to report suspected child abuse or neglect to law enforcement without regard to the circumstances under which the clergy member learns of the suspected crime.
Although current law includes clergy members in the list of 46 professionals – which also includes physicians, teachers, peace officers, therapists and social workers – who are mandated to report suspected child abuse or neglect to law enforcement, the law also exempts clergy from such reporting if they gain their knowledge or suspicion of the crimes during “a penitential communication.”
Senate Bill 360 would remove that exemption.
“SB 360 is about the safety and protection of children,” said Senator Hill, D-San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. “Individuals who harm children or are suspected of harming children must be reported so a timely investigation by law enforcement can occur. The law should apply equally to all professionals who have been designated as mandated reporters of these crimes – with no exceptions, period. The exemption for clergy only protects the abuser and places children at further risk.”
Outcry from survivors of childhood sex abuse has led to growing revelations of the extent of the crisis in faith communities where clergy have been accused of sexually abusing children or of perpetuating the problem by covering up for alleged sex abusers who are clergy themselves or lay members of the faith.
“This is a public safety issue for all religions, businesses and governments, and it needs to end so we can protect our children,” said a California man who described being raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, was allegedly abused by two members of his church as a child, and was devastated when elders did not pursue the matter. Instead, he was shunned for speaking out. Now, he is a survivor advocate for Stop Child Abuse – Advocates for Reform and Safety, better known as SCAARS.
Also speaking in support of the legislation, Ethan Gregory Dodge, technical director and a co-founder of the Truth and Transparency Foundation, said: “The TTF unequivocally supports California SB 360. It both protects survivors of abuse and holds religious institutions accountable while respecting the constitutional right to religious freedom. Religious repentance should always include restitution, and in all criminal situations, like that of abuse, restitution can only be made when justice is served by the laws of the land.”
“The Child-Friendly Faith Project fully supports Senator Hill’s bill that requires clergy to report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect, without exception,” said the Rev. Dr. Jaime Romo, president of the Child-Friendly Faith Project. “For too long, religious authorities have been protected from reporting these cases, leaving children vulnerable and unsafe. Like teachers, physicians and other mandatory reporters, members of the clergy often spend much time with families, and so they are in an ideal position to notice or learn if a child is being, or has been, harmed.”
Judy Klapperich-Larson, vice president of Survivor Network of those Abused by Priests’ Board of Directors, expressed strong support of the legislation on behalf of SNAP, which was founded 31 years ago and now has supporters throughout the world.
“Children cannot make sense of the trauma they are suffering,” said Ms. Klapperich-Larson. “They have been told to go to a trusted adult when something bad has been done to them. We grownups must be the voices of the traumatized children every time a child confides in us, no exceptions. If a child believes no one will help them, they hold the secret and shame inside and question their perception of reality. Those children grow up to be broken adults, coping however they can with what was done to them, distrusting people in authority, self medicating, acting out against others. If it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to abuse a child. Don't let our abused children feel alone and helpless in their trauma filled worlds.”
The call for transparency and greater accountability is gaining momentum. A report by a Pennsylvania grand jury in August 2018 on sexual abuse by Catholic priests spurred investigations by attorneys general in more than a dozen states. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced in November that his office would be collecting reports from state residents about incidents of clergy sex abuse, although the office has not confirmed or denied whether it is pursuing an investigation. Several Catholic dioceses in California have publicly released the names of priests who have been “credibly accused” of sexually abusing children; the most recent was the Diocese of Oakland, which issued its list on Monday.
At the Vatican, clergy sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults will be the subject this week of a summit called by Pope Francis for presidents of Catholic bishops’ conferences worldwide. The pope defrocked former American cardinal and archbishop of Washington Theodore McCarrick on Saturday, after the church found him guilty of sexually abusing minors and seminarians over a period spanning decades.
The bill will be available online within 24 hours at http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/
Text of SB 360:
https://sd13.senate.ca.gov/…/…/files/sb360_bill_language.pdf
Fact Sheet for SB 360:
https://sd13.senate.ca.gov/…/sd13…/files/sb360_factsheet.pdf "
This is a long overdue bill and one that needs to be passed!
The F.A.C.T. Team
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Open Letter Allegations Against Sakyong Rinpoche Shambhala International
"To Ex Tibetan Buddhist Blog,
We are writing to you because you have previously written an article about Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the head of Shambhala International.
This is a statement from previous, close, long-serving staff in regards to the allegations brought against him from both the Wickwire Holm and Project Sunshine reports.
We are confirming many of the findings and addressing wider concerns.
For the full statement, please see the attached statement or via the publicly available google drive:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W3fN12nEY-l0U2yejz3O4vcqaCMfusIa/view
Sincerely,
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
Do not reply to this Email - no one monitors this account"
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
We are writing to you because you have previously written an article about Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the head of Shambhala International.
This is a statement from previous, close, long-serving staff in regards to the allegations brought against him from both the Wickwire Holm and Project Sunshine reports.
We are confirming many of the findings and addressing wider concerns.
For the full statement, please see the attached statement or via the publicly available google drive:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W3fN12nEY-l0U2yejz3O4vcqaCMfusIa/view
Sincerely,
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
Do not reply to this Email - no one monitors this account"
Monday, February 18, 2019
Traveling Sales Crews
A recent complaint filed with our office.
"Subject : Another Kind Of Cult - Traveling Sales Crews
Your Message : My nephew got caught up in another sort of cult - the traveling sales crew. The young adults are often a bit adrift, no marketable job skills and they see an ad in a newspaper promising fun and big money if you join their "team." These kids have to make a decision right away! The team is leaving soon! They get shipped off to some other part of the country where they know no-one. They are never alone. They have "sales meetings" every morning, lots of manipulation, threats, and coercion. If the kid doesn't sell enough sketchy home energy plans as in the case of my nephew, they will not be allowed to eat, or they will often get left behind thousands of miles from home. The team leaders pocket the money and the kids only get a pittance and often go home with the same amount of nothing the started out with. The brainwashing techniques are similar to what you shared in you video. Amway and other personal selling pyramid schemes also take on a cult like feel as well."
In a report by the anti-trafficking charity Polaris, entitled "Knocking at Your Door: Labor Trafficking on Traveling Sales Crews provides an in-depth analysis of the factors that allow this crime to persist and encourages greater understanding of the extensive abuses within the industry.
The report makes several recommendations, including:
The F.A..C.T. Team
"Subject : Another Kind Of Cult - Traveling Sales Crews
Your Message : My nephew got caught up in another sort of cult - the traveling sales crew. The young adults are often a bit adrift, no marketable job skills and they see an ad in a newspaper promising fun and big money if you join their "team." These kids have to make a decision right away! The team is leaving soon! They get shipped off to some other part of the country where they know no-one. They are never alone. They have "sales meetings" every morning, lots of manipulation, threats, and coercion. If the kid doesn't sell enough sketchy home energy plans as in the case of my nephew, they will not be allowed to eat, or they will often get left behind thousands of miles from home. The team leaders pocket the money and the kids only get a pittance and often go home with the same amount of nothing the started out with. The brainwashing techniques are similar to what you shared in you video. Amway and other personal selling pyramid schemes also take on a cult like feel as well."
In a report by the anti-trafficking charity Polaris, entitled "Knocking at Your Door: Labor Trafficking on Traveling Sales Crews provides an in-depth analysis of the factors that allow this crime to persist and encourages greater understanding of the extensive abuses within the industry.
”Cult-like tactics on Sales crews” It was a freaking cult!
We lived with our co-workers who took every opportunity to end your contact
with the outside world beyond your door-to-door ventures... We started every
morning with JUICE [Join Us In Creating Excitement] chants, and were not
allowed to drive our own cars to the work sites. When we came back after a long
8 hours of walking in dress shoes, we were not allowed to lean against the
wall. I was once pulled to the side and told not to lean because it was a sign
of weakness and it would bring the rest of the group down. The group was taught
to ignore people who leaned or showed any ‘negative’ gestures."
The report makes several recommendations, including:
- Congress should amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in order to cover door-to-door sales,
- The Federal Government should investigate abuses of the J-1 visa program
- Law enforcement should pursue bad actors at the top of the sales network instead of focusing on crew members violating local anti-solicitation laws,
- Service organizations should recognize crew members as victims of labor trafficking so they can receive support,
- The publishing industry should ensure transparent business supply chains in their magazine sales, and
- Consumers should use caution when buying magazines or other items from sales crews."
The F.A..C.T. Team
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
An Epidemic of Pedophile Priests
"20 Years 700 victims: Southern Baptist sexual abuse spreads as leaders resist reform."
"It's not just a recent problem: In all, since 1998, roughly 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers have faced allegations of sexual misconduct, the newspapers found. That includes those who were convicted, credibly accused and successfully sued, and those who confessed or resigned. More of them worked in Texas than in any other state.
They left behind more than 700 victims, many of them shunned by their
churches, left to themselves to rebuild their lives. Some were urged to
forgive their abusers or to get abortions.
About 220 offenders have been convicted or took plea deals, and dozens of cases are pending. They were pastors. Ministers. Youth pastors. Sunday school teachers. Deacons. Church volunteers."
Read Full article and watch videos footage here: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investigations/article/Southern-Baptist-sexual-abuse-spreads-as-leaders-13588038.php
Our churches are riddled with pedophiles and abusers from the Catholic Church to Baptist Churches to Jehovah's Witnesses to the little country no-name church in the middle of nowhere. Why is this such an epidemic?
Joe Navarro is an American author, public speaker and former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and supervisor. Navarro specializes in the area of nonverbal communication and body language and has authored numerous books, including What Every Body is Saying, Dangerous Personalities, and Louder than Words. Here is a glimpse of what Joe Navarro has to say about Why Predators are Attracted to Careers in the Clergy:
"1. Predators have access to a ready available pool of potential victims. Within a religious order, those potential victims are identified for the predator, who knows how often they will get together and where (Sunday worship service at 11 a.m., at the local chapel, for example)
2. Some religious organizations require members to expose their faults, since or frailties in public. This is "manna from heaven" for predators who then use that information to better access or target their victims. Information like that serves to provide all the exploitable weaknesses a predator needs.
3. People gossip in most organizations, and in religious organizations it is no different. These informal social channels can be very effective in divulging who got promoted and has extra cash; who is going on vacation; whose spouse is overseas for seven months; who is naive and gullible: who needs financial help; or who is having marital problems and is now lonely or vulnerable.
4. Within a religious organization, individuals of different social strata associate with one another with greater ease than in society. This gives the predator of low social status access to people who often live and socialize within restricted or gated communities and who otherwise would be impossible for them to target.
5. Many religious organizations preach forgiveness, even for felonies. For predators this is truly a godsend. This means that if they get caught, they can ask for forgiveness and chances are it will be given.
6. Another advantage for the predator in a religious organization is that if caught, he/she can very conveniently say it was "Satan's" fault.
7. If the predator is in a position of authority within a religious organization, he or she can claim persecution by the "enemies" of the church or the organization. Any outside scrutiny subjecting the predator to the sanitizing rays of light is thus characterized as "them", the unbelievers "against us"..
8. If the predator becomes a leader or the head of a church of religious group, then he or she is immediately cloaked with power and authority (moral power). Keep in mind that most people still have a high respect for their church leaders and are willing to give them greater latitude and the benefit of the doubt.
9. Parents may be more trusting of a religious leader than of the average person. As history has taught us, they may dismiss allegations made by their own children as to sexual abuse by a religious leader or they will remain quiescent so as to not "rock the boat".
10. In most cultures, children pay deference to authority figures, especially religious ones. Knowing this, the predator can almost certainly count on children abiding by their sordid requests and keeping such matters "secret". There is ample evidence of this from history, social psychology, and thousands of lawsuits."
Read more by Joe Navarro on this topic here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/spycatcher/201404/why-predators-are-attracted-careers-in-the-clergy
The F.A.C.T. Team
"It's not just a recent problem: In all, since 1998, roughly 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers have faced allegations of sexual misconduct, the newspapers found. That includes those who were convicted, credibly accused and successfully sued, and those who confessed or resigned. More of them worked in Texas than in any other state.
About 220 offenders have been convicted or took plea deals, and dozens of cases are pending. They were pastors. Ministers. Youth pastors. Sunday school teachers. Deacons. Church volunteers."
Read Full article and watch videos footage here: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investigations/article/Southern-Baptist-sexual-abuse-spreads-as-leaders-13588038.php
Our churches are riddled with pedophiles and abusers from the Catholic Church to Baptist Churches to Jehovah's Witnesses to the little country no-name church in the middle of nowhere. Why is this such an epidemic?
Joe Navarro is an American author, public speaker and former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and supervisor. Navarro specializes in the area of nonverbal communication and body language and has authored numerous books, including What Every Body is Saying, Dangerous Personalities, and Louder than Words. Here is a glimpse of what Joe Navarro has to say about Why Predators are Attracted to Careers in the Clergy:
"1. Predators have access to a ready available pool of potential victims. Within a religious order, those potential victims are identified for the predator, who knows how often they will get together and where (Sunday worship service at 11 a.m., at the local chapel, for example)
2. Some religious organizations require members to expose their faults, since or frailties in public. This is "manna from heaven" for predators who then use that information to better access or target their victims. Information like that serves to provide all the exploitable weaknesses a predator needs.
3. People gossip in most organizations, and in religious organizations it is no different. These informal social channels can be very effective in divulging who got promoted and has extra cash; who is going on vacation; whose spouse is overseas for seven months; who is naive and gullible: who needs financial help; or who is having marital problems and is now lonely or vulnerable.
4. Within a religious organization, individuals of different social strata associate with one another with greater ease than in society. This gives the predator of low social status access to people who often live and socialize within restricted or gated communities and who otherwise would be impossible for them to target.
5. Many religious organizations preach forgiveness, even for felonies. For predators this is truly a godsend. This means that if they get caught, they can ask for forgiveness and chances are it will be given.
6. Another advantage for the predator in a religious organization is that if caught, he/she can very conveniently say it was "Satan's" fault.
7. If the predator is in a position of authority within a religious organization, he or she can claim persecution by the "enemies" of the church or the organization. Any outside scrutiny subjecting the predator to the sanitizing rays of light is thus characterized as "them", the unbelievers "against us"..
8. If the predator becomes a leader or the head of a church of religious group, then he or she is immediately cloaked with power and authority (moral power). Keep in mind that most people still have a high respect for their church leaders and are willing to give them greater latitude and the benefit of the doubt.
9. Parents may be more trusting of a religious leader than of the average person. As history has taught us, they may dismiss allegations made by their own children as to sexual abuse by a religious leader or they will remain quiescent so as to not "rock the boat".
10. In most cultures, children pay deference to authority figures, especially religious ones. Knowing this, the predator can almost certainly count on children abiding by their sordid requests and keeping such matters "secret". There is ample evidence of this from history, social psychology, and thousands of lawsuits."
Read more by Joe Navarro on this topic here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/spycatcher/201404/why-predators-are-attracted-careers-in-the-clergy
The F.A.C.T. Team
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Here's How Sexual Predators Groom Their Victims
Some may find this post offensive or triggering. This posting is to help raise awareness about the specific, well thought out and planned tactics used by predators to groom their victims.
This week in Florida -
"ORMOND MAN ARRESTED IN PLOT TO RAPE 3-YEAR-OLD GIRL
**Warning: Difficult to read, and not for young audiences**
Volusia County sheriff’s detectives have arrested an Ormond Beach man on charges of conspiracy to commit sexual battery on a child after the discovery of a series of text messages containing a plot to groom and rape a 3-year-old child.
Lafe Best, 37 (DOB 2/26/1981, pictured at left), of Golf Avenue in the Ormond Beach area, was arrested Tuesday evening and taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail, where he remained in custody today without bond.
His arrest stems from another case in Ormond Beach involving Best’s friend and sexual partner, 39-year-old Benjamin Worster (DOB 5/25/1979, pictured at right). Worster was arrested by Ormond Beach police in January on charges of lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious conduct and 21 counts of possession of child pornography.
That case was prompted by the discovery of text messages on Worster’s phone. The 3-year-old victim and her mother had moved into Worster’s apartment on Hand Avenue in December. Soon, the 3-year-old girl told her mother Worster had touched her. On Dec. 17, Worster was taken to the hospital after an apparent overdose, and the victim’s mother found his phone lying on his bed. That’s when she discovered a text message thread with someone named “Lafe,” and a sickening description of a plan to groom and rape the 3-year-old girl, whether she was conscious or not.
A portion of the messages are included below because they demonstrate how predators work to groom young children for sexual abuse.
***WARNING: These aren’t a complete record of the text messages exchanged between Worster and Best, but they’re still graphic.***
Worster: “Single mom&Has a 3 year old daughter&Shes not a very good mom and she ignored her daughter constantly&2nd day of meeting her daughter she ran up to give me a hug and buried her head right in my crotch&So im gonna get to work on that”
Worster: “And at 3 im working with memories that wont stick”
Worster: “Think I migbt casually accidently let her see it a few times see how she reacts maybe bring her by to watch a movie at your place when your roomates aren't home get her used to you too"
Worster: “Im looking up things under an anonymous browser on things that will safely make kids pass out for a couple hours:”
Best: “Cant wait lol”
Worster: “Me either&Gotta take this opportunity while I can at my age who knows when something like this will land in my lap again"
Best: “I know right. I've got all kinds of Visions dancing in my head right now lol”
Best: “Would love to bury my tongue in some little (REDACTED). Among other things lol"
Best: “You never know if her junkie mom can't come up with rent one month she might ust give her to you lol wishful thinking”
Best: “I'd prefer awake if we can manage it without repercussions”
Worster: “Yeah but beggers cant be choosers&Gotta feel this one out and see what shes like and how she can keep secrets and how easily she can be trained before I worry about the drastic things”
Worster: “But im over 100% sure I can at least get her knocked out alone and naked to at least fondle a d defile to my hearts content”
On Friday, the State Attorney’s Office notified a sheriff’s detective of Best’s involvement in the Worster case, and the Sheriff’s Office took over that aspect of the investigation as Best lives in an area of Ormond that falls inside county jurisdiction. Sheriff’s detectives executed a search warrant at Best’s residence on Tuesday, and discovered what appeared to be child pornography on his cell phone, in addition to his texts with Worster. Additional charges are expected as the evidence is forensically examined and the investigation continues.
Best was living in a home with two people who have a child who’s about 20 months old. At this time, it’s not believed he was a victim of any abuse; however, authorities will continue to follow up as the investigation continues."
In a comment on this facebook posting the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said:
This week in Florida -
"ORMOND MAN ARRESTED IN PLOT TO RAPE 3-YEAR-OLD GIRL
**Warning: Difficult to read, and not for young audiences**
Volusia County sheriff’s detectives have arrested an Ormond Beach man on charges of conspiracy to commit sexual battery on a child after the discovery of a series of text messages containing a plot to groom and rape a 3-year-old child.
Lafe Best, 37 (DOB 2/26/1981, pictured at left), of Golf Avenue in the Ormond Beach area, was arrested Tuesday evening and taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail, where he remained in custody today without bond.
His arrest stems from another case in Ormond Beach involving Best’s friend and sexual partner, 39-year-old Benjamin Worster (DOB 5/25/1979, pictured at right). Worster was arrested by Ormond Beach police in January on charges of lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious conduct and 21 counts of possession of child pornography.
That case was prompted by the discovery of text messages on Worster’s phone. The 3-year-old victim and her mother had moved into Worster’s apartment on Hand Avenue in December. Soon, the 3-year-old girl told her mother Worster had touched her. On Dec. 17, Worster was taken to the hospital after an apparent overdose, and the victim’s mother found his phone lying on his bed. That’s when she discovered a text message thread with someone named “Lafe,” and a sickening description of a plan to groom and rape the 3-year-old girl, whether she was conscious or not.
A portion of the messages are included below because they demonstrate how predators work to groom young children for sexual abuse.
***WARNING: These aren’t a complete record of the text messages exchanged between Worster and Best, but they’re still graphic.***
Worster: “Single mom&Has a 3 year old daughter&Shes not a very good mom and she ignored her daughter constantly&2nd day of meeting her daughter she ran up to give me a hug and buried her head right in my crotch&So im gonna get to work on that”
Worster: “And at 3 im working with memories that wont stick”
Worster: “Think I migbt casually accidently let her see it a few times see how she reacts maybe bring her by to watch a movie at your place when your roomates aren't home get her used to you too"
Worster: “Im looking up things under an anonymous browser on things that will safely make kids pass out for a couple hours:”
Best: “Cant wait lol”
Worster: “Me either&Gotta take this opportunity while I can at my age who knows when something like this will land in my lap again"
Best: “I know right. I've got all kinds of Visions dancing in my head right now lol”
Best: “Would love to bury my tongue in some little (REDACTED). Among other things lol"
Best: “You never know if her junkie mom can't come up with rent one month she might ust give her to you lol wishful thinking”
Best: “I'd prefer awake if we can manage it without repercussions”
Worster: “Yeah but beggers cant be choosers&Gotta feel this one out and see what shes like and how she can keep secrets and how easily she can be trained before I worry about the drastic things”
Worster: “But im over 100% sure I can at least get her knocked out alone and naked to at least fondle a d defile to my hearts content”
On Friday, the State Attorney’s Office notified a sheriff’s detective of Best’s involvement in the Worster case, and the Sheriff’s Office took over that aspect of the investigation as Best lives in an area of Ormond that falls inside county jurisdiction. Sheriff’s detectives executed a search warrant at Best’s residence on Tuesday, and discovered what appeared to be child pornography on his cell phone, in addition to his texts with Worster. Additional charges are expected as the evidence is forensically examined and the investigation continues.
Best was living in a home with two people who have a child who’s about 20 months old. At this time, it’s not believed he was a victim of any abuse; however, authorities will continue to follow up as the investigation continues."
In a comment on this facebook posting the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said:
"Just
want to say it was difficult to post some of these details on Facebook,
and we really do apologize to anyone who finds it offensive and
disturbing. It absolutely is. The reason for posting it was not to shock
or offend, but to show the type of grooming
behavior that takes place when a predator has access to a child. Please
be alert, protect your children and call our Child Exploitation Unit if
you believe your child may be a victim. 386-323-3574"
Please share this to help us raise awareness and educate people about the grooming tactics of predators.
Thank you,
The F.A.C.T. Team
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