Special note: As this site is being built Pakistan is suffering a civil rebellion.Its Constitution has been suspended. The police have arrested the majority of opposers. The people recognize the profound importance of getting their stories told to the world. They are risking their lives to make certain their stories are told. That is the value of exposing truth to the world!
Editorial describing the need for a museum of this kind
If family abuse remains hidden in silence, denial, and ignorance, then information is with held, awareness denied, and identification becomes impossible. Solutions will never be found.
This is an excerpt from Therese Daniels's book I CRIED BLOOD
Society is made up of millions of adults who suffered child abuse. Not even 25% of them have dealt with their childhood. These are yesterdays invalidated abused children. This is the second phase--unacknowledged abuse of millions of adults. For what ever the reasons, they failed to deal with their childhood. They grew up and are attempting to assume the responsibilities of employees, husbands, wives, parents, friends and neighbors, and are failing. They are now and have been attempting to live healthy balanced lives. Adult survivors make up a large percentage of societys population (approximately 75%). NOW society is over crowded with dysfunctional families, alcoholics, drug addicts, mentally disabled people, insufficient numbers of quality foster parent homes, huge numbers of children removed by court order from their families, gang banger children, over crowded mental institutions, homelessness, over crowded jails, and on, and on and on! The judicial, educational, social, and medical systems are on over load and overwhelmed trying to deal with these problems whose numbers are in the millions. Public cost to support these agencies is in the billions. Families are going bankrupt trying to pay for the cost of private lawyers, therapists, hospitals, and doctors. "All the king's horses and all the king's men, cannot put it back together again." No day passes there isn't a new horror story in the media about some phase of child abuse,parental kidnapping, murder, child pornography, school shootings, children tortured by their care givers, children killing children, etc. etc. etc. Society is Sick! It is sick because of having grown up with the secret and
accepted practice of Child Abuse and persistent practice of ignorance, silence, and denial.
There is no solution in sight! In spite of all the articles and books written on the subject, all the information collected, it isn't enough. It isn't enough. It isn't enough! Society still refuses to take it out of the closet and expose it for all to see. Society has never been sicker. Take a look at some of the head lines of the horror stories of the past few years! They are the sensations that got media attention. They are only the tip of the iceberg of what is actually going on as I write and you read. In spite of all the information society has on this subject, it can barely fill a thimble! The secret practice of child, spousal, elder, and animal abuse is a major issue today. The devastation of the lives of millions of people who survived their horrible childhood is the secret behind the sickness of this society today. I define "survive their childhood" as still being alive and somewhat functional and those who "didn't survive" by definition of still being alive but not too functional.
Jeffrey Daumer,was convicted of murder, rape, cannibalism. Susan Smith and Amber Hill drowned their children. Ted Bundy, BTK Killer, the Green River killer, John Gayce, were found guilty of being serial killers. Menendez brothers found guilty of the murder of their parents. Ed Gein mutilated dead bodies until he finally murdered a local lady. His mother read the bible to him regularly. They all were children before they were murderers! Let us not forget Charles Manson! John Atchison a 53 year old attorney arrested October 2007 when he went to Michigan to have sex with a five year old.Who was responsible for setting up that child for this attorney? Was it her parents? Chester Arthur Styles is wanted for repeatedly raping a three year old and filming it. (October 2007) Polly Klaus was kidnapped from her bed in her home and murdered. Jon Benet Ramsey raped and murdered in her home and that pitiful John Mark Karr (not a murderer) wants the world to believe he was with Jon Benet Ramsey when she was murdered. Warren Steed Jeffs, the infamous polygamist of Utah may not have committed murder but has ruined many lives. What is especially sick about Mr. Jeffs, is he and many others are justifying their actions by claiming they are sanctioned by the Bible and this is Gods will. So in the name of God and the Mormon Religion they are committing crime against women and children. The sophists of the planet will argue in his defense it his their religious right to do so. Need I go on?
"It is estimated that there are 60 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse in America today." (Forward, 1993)
Family violence costs the nation from $5 to $10 billion annually in medical expenses, police and court costs, shelters and foster care, sick leave, absenteeism, and non productivity. Ignorance, denial, and silence are the cause for its long term continued practice. (American Medical Association, Jan. 1992)
Over 3 children died each day last year as a result of parental maltreatment.
85% of the fatalities were children under the age of 5.
Between 2 and 4 million women in the USA are victims of violence perpetrated by a male partner each year.
In 1995, US citizens experienced one violent crime every 18 seconds and 1 murder every 24 minutes.
Forcible rape occurs in the US every five minutes.
An estimated 4 million women in the US are severely abused by their spouse or partner. That translates into seven incidents of partner abuse every 60 seconds.
43% of Americans have been exposed to alcoholism in their families.
Alcohol and alcohol related problems is costing the American economy at least $100 million in health care and loss of productivity every year. (www.drug-statistics.com/alcohol)
What does society do? What can society do? How does society stop it? What has worked for other problems? Does passing more laws stop it? Will hiring more policemen, social workers, more schools, better teachers and foster homes stop it? Do we need more Bible touting religions? These and many more questions obsessed me for years. Answers came and led to more questions. There are already laws against murder and every kind of crime. Has murder or any kind of crime stopped? Is humanity so evil, it is hopeless and domestic abuse practice will never stop? Or is only one small fraction of humanity evil and the rest of society suffers because of it. Research through science has been asking why two people can go through the same experiences and one becomes a killer and the other does not. Is it in the genes, body chemistry, brain waves or development, or in the rearing and conditioning or a combination of it all? What seems to be the cause to this continued vicious practice? Though, I don?t have the answers, I do have some ideas. What I am certain is-- like it or not--society must focus upon its abusive behavior, and the belief systems that promote and condone child abuse and seek solutions. Perhaps among the solutions are changing centuries old belief systems that have sanctioned child and spousal abuse. Formal religions and governments are puny. They rise and fall every couple of centuries or so. Humanity multiplies and lives on. What has carried the world forward is the power of the human spirit and man?s basic goodness. Other wise the world would not have evolved to this point. History shows society does learn when taught. Mahatma Gandhi stood up for civil rights and independence from the British and won. Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man made it possible for all people to sit wherever a seat was available without discrimination. Her courageous act sparked Martin Luther King to take the lead in his fight for civil rights. King's speech, "I Have a Dream" inspired people all over the world. King led the Marches in the South and opened the doors against the discrimination laws. The Buddhists Monks in Myanamar are publicly demonstrating against the oppressive political system. We know and care about it in America. Forbidden to own land in other countries, the Jews founded Israel, their home land, after centuries of being without a country. The Museum of Tolerance was founded so the holocaust could be shown to the world and the war crimes of Nazi Germany never be forgotten. They believe through understanding the past we will prevent a future repetition. Now, The Museum of tolerance is the number one voice in the world against bigotry and hate crimes against all peoples. Maybe anti Semitism may never be obliterated from earth, it is gradually being diminished. Gandhi, Parks, King, the Buddhist?s Monks, the Museum of Tolerance all brought public focus on the specific problems. Through public attention, they enlightened the planet to the issues. Eventually they changed and are changing public opinion. It has been proven over and over when public attention is gained about an issue, social injustices change--usually for the better. They begin to open a gateway to a better life for all.
Where are the public marches, posters, demonstrators, and protesters against child abuse? Where are the headlines and major coverage and public outrage against domestic abuse crimes? Where are bill boards, the stamps, and the public messages bringing awareness and denouncing its domestic violence? Where are the psychologists and philosophers challenging the so called holy writings the praise abuse practices against women and children? When child protection laws hide the gory details in their file cabinets, it allows the three buddies of child abuse perpetuation--silence, denial, and ignorance to prevail. Its reality is hideous. What child abuse looks, smells, feels, and sounds like, remains neatly hidden from public view. The rest of the public silently approves of the silence. Unwittingly, the unanimous public silence becomes the very fuel that perpetuates this heinous practice. "Non cooperation with evil is a sacred duty." Mahatma Gandhi. If child abuse in all its heinous forms is to diminish, it too must get universal big time public attention on a daily basis. Its casualties, its price, and its pain must be shouted from the mountain tops and heard in the valleys. The price society pays in dollars as well as grief must be exposed. If the laws of the land demand secrecy in the name of protection for the victim, then keep the victim secret but expose the crime. If the victim was murdered, then let the world see the horror of a crime against an innocent. Society must take a long hard look at it and at itself. Art is the only expression that can tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth,so help me God. Art doesn't have to hide in the closet or file cabinet. Art can show the world just what pain looks like and how painful it is. Art can scream to the world the very, very high price society pays for allowing the continued practice of child abuse because society chooses to remain in silence, denial, and ignorance which perpetuates child abuse which perpetuates crimes upon society. When I exhibited at the West Coast Seminar for Adult Survivors of Incest, it was very important to me to get viewers response to this body of art. I asked the visitors to answer a questionnaire called Identifying the problem:
The responses from the people at that show and several other shows convinced me that art in all its forms would be an excellent method to expose the pain and price the world pays for child abuse. Here is some of the feedback they shared to these and other questions:
Was there any painting that had more meaning for you than any other? If yes, which one? Do you have any suggestions where this show should be exhibited?
Latch Key Child. A lot of my abuse happened because I was a latch key kid.
Yes, yellow haired boy. Fantastic.
I find it hard to sayis more. Each piece tells a story of its own. I'd like to see [more exhibits] in the south bay & Westside.
Pro Choice. My brother was murdered because he cried too loud when his penis was cut off.
Pro Choice. I am pro life as we discussed & found this very interesting.
The one with that hand of the father because my main abuser was my dad. Is this girl you? I ask this because I thought & felt if this girl had long hair like I did, I would have busted our bawling right in front of you.
The cross. I was raped by a priest.
The survivor. It's me!
Child abuse, universal and forever. It feels like forever.
Hitler. Depicted causes effects of child abuse. [Show them] college/high school campuses, public malls, shopping centers. . .
All were painted with a lot of feelings. [show them] everywhere!
Pro Choice, The survivor. Anywhere you can get an opportunity to show it.
I Cried Blood. I can feel the pain strongly.
What better way to show art than with a permanent museum with permanent and temporary exhibits of all kinds in all media? Like a tiny seed in fertile soil, the idea was planted in my heart and grew in concept until it became a non profit corporation called The Museum of Innocence. It will not be just a museum. It will be a complete cultural, healing and research center complete with a circle of miracles, a memorial sculpture garden, a library, convention center, and an auditorium. It will be a learning and healing center where all phases of child rearing and family dynamics can be studied in a safe, objective, and compassionate environment. It will be a place where victims can go to expedite healing and a place where abusers found guilty of abuse can be sent as part of their rehabilitation and maybe community service. The world needs a major center to help it understand where it's at and where it's going in regards to family dynamics. It needs a museum and cultural center to help it recognize and identify the many ways society is still encouraging and protecting the practice of child abuse. The world needs to view the pain and price of child abuse up close and personal. The world needs the museum to help it find the courage to come out of the closet once and for all! Society must not be allowed to continue hiding behind silence, denial, and ignorance. Inspired by the Museum of Tolerance in whose wisdom it was built to never allow the past to be forgotten by viewing it up close and personal, I realized society needed to do the same about child abuse. Ultimately the Museum of Innocence was conceived.
When the Museum of Innocence concept was first presented to various people whom I thought would have had the vision to become enthusiastic about such a center and want to contribute and help make it a reality, I slowly discovered a silent and not so silent resistance to the idea. From the time I began promoting the idea of a cultural center for child abuse and attempting to form a working, enthusiastic Board of Directors three years ago to now; I have met with one disappointment and failure after another. It's too painful. It's so depressing. Life is too short to think about that. Only a small number of children are abused. Oh God, another child abuse story!Society is handling it with its charities, are society's complaints. The resistance seemed so strong I could only think of Dr. Semmelweis, who tried to get doctors to perform one simple act that would save pregnant women's lives who usually died if they went to the hospitals to give birth in the 1800's. All he asked was for doctors to wash their hands after examining cadavers and before examining live pregnant women. He discovered cadaverous poisoning was the cause of so many deaths of pregnant women. Dr. Ignaz Philip Semmelweis spent the rest of his life trying to convince the medical profession of this simple fact. He was ridiculed by the rest of his profession at the time. Today it is the cardinal rule of medical practice all over the world. I could never understand why there was so much resistance to performing as simple of an act as washing one's own hands before examining a live woman. It cost nothing. I would have thought people then would have been glad to find so simple a solution to save lives; they would all have been washing their hands regularly. In the same way, I feel today's society should have been equally glad to support a center that would lead the world to a happier and safer society today.
Biologically man and woman (parents) create the fetus which creates the baby. The baby creates the child who creates the adult. If one were to define society as children grown up, then it isn't difficult to see society is merely an extension of its own childhood. Consequently all adults are the products of their childhood! If 75% or more adults came from an abusive past, and the majority of them have not dealt with their past, then 75% of society is still in silence, denial, and ignorance. Is it any wonder society is squeamish about the subject of dysfunctional families. Society will donate to charities, it will denounce child abuse, and it will claim its concern but refuses to take a hard look at it. It is a major social resistance to deal with this subject. If the majority of society is till refusing to acknowledge its own abusive childhood, is it really any surprise the practice of child abuse, dysfunctional families, child pornography, kidnap, rape, and murder are being practiced in huge numbers today. There are millions of children globally being abused right now. Statistics show domestic abuse hasn't diminished but increased. This means that with all the progress we thought was gained to date, we failed. We failed because in the same mad way society persists in putting the same five inch triangle peg into the same four inch square hole while singing, "I'll Do It My Way." Society is ignoring the very roots of the cause of daily crimes reported by the media. It is also refusing to take responsibility for them by claiming more policemen, better teachers, better school security are the answers. Family crimes still remain in the closet. As long as they continue to remain a closet crime, crimes will continue to be perpetuated against the innocent. More policemen, better teachers, and more school security will continue to be impotent against the ever increasing dangers of a raging society.
"Every murder or other injury, no matter for what cause, committed or inflected on another is a crime against humanity" Mahatma Gandhi
When it comes to focusing upon the reality of child abuse and domestic violence, society claims it is just too painful or depressing a subject to do so. People would prefer to ignore the root causes of modern society's worst problems. These same people who resist paying attention to information about child abuse never miss watching senseless bloody violent films The Chain Saw Massacre 1,2,3 Halloween 1,2,3,4,5,6, The Hills Have Eyes, Vampire Movies, and all the rest of the gory disgusting tasteless films. If the public didn't love this stuff, millions and millions of bucks wouldn't have been made on this junk! What is this all about? The internet is filled with child pornography and predators every day on every hour trying to make dates with kids for their pitiful sexual gratification. Doesn't society want to solve and diminish the tragedies of modern life? What is the real truth behind society's persistent denial? Do they refuse to focus on the subject because it is too close to home? Do they secretly fear personal exposure, embarrassment, or other negative outcome? Is it because nearly half of the people involved in domestic violence are the abusers? Do they secretly fear it will force them to deal with their own long suppressed denials about their childhood? It is this resistance to focus on the subject that led me to write the poem ?Another child Abuse Story? When a lady said that to me after I asked her advice about writing I Cried Blood.? My answer to her demeaning statement was Yes, Another child abuse story! And another, and another until society stops betraying and murdering children.
If people are going to survive for several more centuries, then in my not so humble opinion, dysfunctional families and all that goes with them need to be diminished in vast numbers on the planet. If society could diminish the practice by just 80% that is 80% less problems the adult society will experience. This would reduce the numbers in over crowded prisons, reduce the amount of crimes, reduce the number of alcoholics, mentally dysfunctional people, homeless, and other related problems. It would be 80% increase of productive creative of adults on the planet working towards world solutions instead of causing world problems. Global warming, energy crunches, world hunger, world peace, Aids, homelessness, and so on would be solved because 80% of the families who used to give society psychologically damaged adults who forced the rest of the non damaged adults to have to deal with them will be free to focus upon solutions for the other major problems on earth. That would increase the population of problems solvers by about 200%. If this planet is to be saved for future generations, it must first understand child abuse before any other major problem can be solved. I am convinced if domestic abuse is to be diminished or ultimately stopped, it must reach the consciousness of all humanity on the planet. Society no longer has a choice. Every person or group who refuses to seriously look at this problem is indirectly contributing to its perpetuation. That is why the public awareness is so critical. The Museum of Innocence is the ultimate creative step to impacting the public consciousness since TV talk shows began over thirty years ago. In my sincere desire to make a difference for the better for all people on this planet in my life time I want to identify, advertise, and expose the benefits of my life's research to the world in hopes of inspiring society to over come the three culprits for its continuation of child abuse, which are silence, denial, and ignorance.
If someone on this planet does it, then it's the business of all the world. Society is more aware and ready than it has ever been since mankind began to look at itself. It's time now time for society to take a look. What better, easier way than through the freedom, magnificence, and beauty of art. I think every one should want to see the exhibits that will come forward in this museum.
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