Sue Scheff: April is Sexual Awareness Month - Lauren's Kids - Voices Fighting Against Child Abuse

Sexual Assault Awareness Month is about educating students and others about preventing sexual abuse. The month of April has been designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness about sexual violence (focusing on sexual assault and rape) and to educate communities and individuals on how to prevent sexual violence.

Lauren Book-Lim, abuse survivor and founder of Lauren's Kids, will led a 500-mile walk across Florida -from Aventura to the state Capitol in Tallahassee - to raise awareness for Sexual Abuse Awareness Month.

"This 500-mile walk symbolizes a survivor's long, painful healing journey to shed the shame - a journey that requires love, support and understanding from family, friends and trained professionals."

Lauren's mission is:


"Lauren's Kids"is the creation of child abuse victim, survivor and Elementary school teacher Lauren Book. The organization will help educate adults and children about sexual predators. Educational seminars and workshops will help create more awareness of sexual abuse laws, offer legal counsel and provide guidance on how and where to file complaints. The initial goal of "Lauren's Kids" will be to provide round-the-clock counseling and guidance for victims through a toll free phone number. The ultimate goal will be to create a Crisis Center for Children and their Families coping with the aftermath of sexual abuse."

Sue Scheff: Are you loving your child to death? Are you an addict or an enabler?

“You are loving your child to death” is a common phrase we will hear professionals say when a parent has become an enabler to their child, whether adult or teenager, that has become or on the road to becoming an addict.

“But she/he needs a place to stay, they are hungry, they promised they will change – this time” is a common phrase we hear a parent say to others that are attempting to help that family.

As the author of “Wit’s End, Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out-of-ControlTeen“, and a Parent Advocate, I speak with parents of struggling teens regularly. Parents in denial cannot see they are only hurting their teen and prolonging their recovery by continuing to rescue them and make excuses for them. The number of times I hear parents say how smart their child is, or they know he/she will change, it is just a typical teen, etc – all this could be true, however do you want to risk it isn’t being a phase?

Interventionist Kristina Wandzilak shares her story of addiction and the experience that eventually changed her life. Watch video here. This is worth 4 minutes of all parents that are struggling with an at risk teen or addict child.

Addicted is one of the most powerful and realistic reality shows that has recently hit the air waves. This show exposes how an addict is not only destroying their life, they are affecting their entire family and what is left of their circle of friends.

Stealing their parents valuables, siblings and parents putting bolt locks on their bedroom doors, the addict is sometimes literally selling their body for sex for money for their next high. Even being arrested doesn’t effect some addicts. Many have been through numerous rehabs only to fall back again.

That is why this is an entire family that needs to work this process, not just the addict. The family needs to change their habits, their enabling, their thought process. They need to accept that they cannot control, help or force their child to change. Sometimes hitting rock bottom isn’t far enough.

The addict needs to make that decision to change, the family needs to make that decision to change. If the family doesn’t change, the addict will continue to feed off them and vice versa.

As hard as it may be, until the family let’s go, steps away from denial and enabling; the sooner the addict will realize there is no more rescue net. Many fear their addict may die or commit suicide, God forbid that happens, however it is not the parents fault. If you truly think about it – by enabling them you are helping them toward one less day of life. There is nothing good or healthy that can come from addiction.

So parents, stop being in denial. Watch Addicted, learn you are not alone. Reach out, get help. Even if your child doesn’t want it, do it for your family.

Stop making excuses and save a life.

Resource for parents of troubled teens: http://www.helpyourteens.com/

Resource for parents of adult children: http://www.peachford.com/

Order Wit’s End today and watch Addicted. Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens.

Read more and watch video.

Sue Scheff: College Drinking - Changing the Culture

Creation of the Task Force on College Drinking

In response to the increasingly complex issue of alcohol abuse among college students, the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism created the Task Force on College Drinking in 1998.

Prior NIAAA Activities on College Drinking

NIAAA has maintained a small portfolio of grants on this issue for many years; however, this Task Force represents an effort to address this issue in the most coordinated, comprehensive manner possible.

Composition of the Task Force

The Task Force comprises college presidents, researchers, and students. The two co-chairs of the Task Force are Reverend Edward Malloy, President of the University of Notre Dame and Dr. Mark Goldman, Distinguished Researcher at the University of South Florida. The members were selected by Dr. Enoch Gordis, former NIAAA Director, and Reverend Malloy.

In addition to the expertise of the Task Force Members, the group has heard presentations on the activities of outside groups which also focus on college drinking. These groups included, Mothers Against Drunk Diving, The Higher Education Center, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, other Federal Agencies (such as Department of Education, National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), the Inter-Association Task Force, and the Century Council.

Goals


The goals of the Task Force are threefold:

1.Provide research-based information about the nature and extent of dangerous drinking to high school and college administrators, students, parents, community leaders, policymakers, researchers, and members of the retail beverage industry;

2.Offer recommendations to college and university presidents on the potential effectiveness of current strategies to reverse the culture of drinking on campus; and

3.Offer recommendations to the research community, including NIAAA, for future research on preventing hazardous college student drinking.
 
Learn more at http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/Default.aspx

Sue Scheff: Sexual Abuse Thrives on Secrecy and Shame

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Although this is a sensitive and difficult topic to talk about, it is a necessary discussion to have. Education is key to prevention.

The Florida Council Against Sexual Violence (FCASV) is a statewide nonprofit organization committed to victims and survivors of sexual violence and the sexual assault crisis programs who serve them.

FCASV serves as a resource to the state on sexual violence issues. Each year they host a statewide conference and many trainings, bringing state-of-the-art information from around the nation to Florida. FCASV provide technical assistance to agencies seeking to improve their services for rape victims, and provide up-to-date information to the public. By using the toll free information line, callers can access information from their resource library or from their network of national resources. FCASV provides information, assistance and leadership on all aspects of sexual violence, including rape, child abuse, stalking and sexual harassment.

Sexual Violence affects every aspect of a person's life-her/his body, emotions, thoughts, behaviors, spirituality and relationships with others and the outside world. This is true whether it is acquaintance rape, stranger rape, date rape, child sexual abuse or marital rape.

During this month of awareness, make it a priority to talk to your kids about prevention and awareness.

In Florida there are support services available. Click here. The Rape Crisis Hotline is 1-888-956-RAPE (7273).


Be an educated parent, you will have safer and healthier teens.

Read more - click here.

Sue Scheff: Walk With Me Broward - Walk for a Good Cause

As many celebrate this Easter season, there are many people that suffer with disabilities and have silently suffer. The mission of Easter Seals South Florida  is to provide exceptional services to ensure that all children and adults with disabilities or special needs and their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play in their communities.

Easter Seals has many events to raise money and awareness to those with disabilities. Coming soon is Walk With Me Broward 2010! This is a great experience for the entire family. On April 24th, 2010 at Markum Park in Weston, there will be a 5K Family Fun Walk.

Registration begins at 8:00am and the walk begins at 9:00am.

Money raised through Easter Seals Walk With Me will support a variety of local services in South Florida including: Children's Therapy Services; programs for children with autism spectrum disorder; Child Development Center; Culinary Arts High School program; Adult Day Care for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and memory loss; and in-home respite care.

For more information contact Paula Mejia at 305.547.4713 or pmejia@sfl.easterseals.com .

If you are located in Dade County, keep May 15th, 2010 open for Easter Seals Walk With Me Miami 2010.

Read more - click here.

Sue Scheff: Animal Pantry Founder, Zach - Turns 10 Years-old

Zach may only be 10, but he is already looking into the future of Central Florida Animal Pantry. The Pantry will celebrate it's one year anniversary in a few weeks.

Zach wanted to take a moment to remind everyone there are still many pets that need good homes, food and people to love them! As we move into our second year, we will continue to grow and work towards our goals. We appreciate each of you and the support you have given us over the past year. We hope you will continue to "Help families keep their pets!"

Zach's birthday wish:
(other than video games)

• Keep working towards the Sanctuary. Larger location for the Pantry.
• A truck is desperately needed to pick up food from locations. We are missing out on great opportunities because we don't have a truck!

We wish you a great day!

Sincerely,

Thank you from CFAP
Central Florida Animal Pantry

Sue Scheff: Youths and Teens Rewarded for Volunteerism

The 2010 Prudential Spirit of Community National Award Ceremony Webcast

Monday, May 3, 2010 12:45 PM Eastern

As a parent, it’s important to teach children about the great impact volunteering can have on our communities. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is to encourage you and to support our 102 youth volunteer honorees for 2010 for their outstanding accomplishments.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards was created 15 years ago to recognize young heroes who have made exceptional impacts on the lives of others through acts of volunteerism. Again this year, two honorees from each state will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for several days of national recognition events. And ten of these students will be named National Honorees on May 3, receiving an additional $5,000, gold medallions, trophies, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for a charitable organization of their choice.


The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honor young people in middle level and high school grades for outstanding volunteer service to their communities. Created in 1995 by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the awards constitute the United States’ largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteering. Over the past 15 years, the program has honored more than 90,000 young volunteers at the local, state, and national level.

To watch the event – click here to register.

Sue Scheff: Students Offering Support, Inc.

SOS means a lot of things to different people, however in South Florida, SOS is Students Offering Support which is a non-profit organization designed to bring a positive impact into our community through charitable causes and much more.

Recently SOS sponsored "Bowling Against Bullies" to help the Josie Ratley family with their major medical expenses from the tragic incident that happened last week. 8th grader Josie Lou Ratley was a victim of what some are calling, text rage. She is currently in a medically induced coma at Broward General Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

"Violence is not the answer," said Laura Sanchez Slik (pictured in slideshow), President a non-profit youth organization (SOS) sponsoring the event. "We're doing bowling against bullies. It was an idea that we thought of [to fight] teen violence. Teens helping teens - that's what we want to show."


"We just want to get it out there to all kids our age. It's not the way to go - violence is not the answer to everything," said Ryan Zighelboim, another organizer. - CBS4

Read more and watch slideshow - click here.