Awareness to Change
February 17, 2022
California and the nation are moving forward with the acceptance of the family court crisis.
There has been pushback, but as most know, this means we are making waves in the status quo, that is the culture that dismisses abuse. More are finding the courage to name abuse. More are not accepting the DARVO tactics nor getting distracted with blanket custody laws. More are learning about abuse and trauma.
Below is the National Safe Parents Coalition update as well as other updates from California and more.
National Safe Parents Coalition
National Safe Parents Coalition
The National Safe Parents Coalition launch brings together 15+ leading organizational members and thousands of individual members, with new members joining daily, united in a nationwide advocacy effort to reform family courts to better protect children. The momentum is palpable as we continue to watch the world awaken to the realities of our current family court system with Angelina Jolie’s monumental speech last week as the new bipartisan VAWA with Kayden’s Law - which advocates have been building for years - was introduced to the world and overdue media coverage is coming in like a tidal wave. In the first two weeks since our launch, we have reached over 500K+ people collectively with our message of change and are so grateful for all that is building from here as we stand in solidarity for the safety of children and for the solutions that will get us there.
LATEST NEWS & ACTIONS YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN TODAY
Today a powerful new OpEd about family court written by National Safe Parents Coalition member Annie Kenny is published in the Washington Post. Annie writes: "It was easier to get him convicted of his crime [sexual abuse of a minor] than it was to keep him away from my children afterward.” Please read and share!
At 1pm ET today NSPC members Annie Kenny, Hera McLeod, and others will be testifying in support of HB561 - Training for Judges, the bill Annie which mentions in her OpEd. Annie and Hera have been advocating on this and other child safety bills over several legislative sessions in Maryland. Here is the YouTube link for the MD House Judiciary Committee if you would like to tune in today and see NSPC members being the change we want to see.
Elsewhere, in Florida two more children were killed by an abusive father and Greyson’s mom and NSPC member Ali Kessler speaks out about the changes we desperately need. Ohio NSPC members are working hard to combat a 50/50 presumption bill HB508 which is dangerous for custody cases involving abuse and is moving forward quickly. If you are in Ohio and would like to get involved, including a meeting later today, please reach out to NSPC to learn more.
If you would like to become a NSPC member but haven’t yet, you can join us by signing up here! You can also learn more about Annie's, Hera’s, and Ali’s stories here and how to take action here.
California is ACE Aware
New CA Surgeon General
Do you remember in 2019 when Gov. Newsom created a new role for CA and hired an ACE expert, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, to lead as California's first ever Surgeon General? Working to shape CA's future and be a role model for our country, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris issued her important report: Roadmap for Resilience: The California Surgeon General’s Report on Adverse Childhood Experiences, Toxic Stress, and Health. Then the pandemic hit and CA was more prepared on how to deal with the trauma that came with this new crisis. Those in family court were already dealing with a crisis and in trauma.
While we are saddened to know Dr. Burke Harris has resigned, we are grateful for all she gave us to help cut ACEs in half in one generation as she is now taking well deserved time to self care. We wish her all the best and welcome acting CA Surgeon General Dr. Devika Bhushan who is committed to moving this ACEs roadmap forward. We welcome her to this role, but know she has been part of this team for some time already!
You can read the roadmap report here.
Upcoming Conference
15th Annual BMCC
The Battered Mothers Custody Conference is happening in Albany, NY this April 29 to May 1!
We hope all can gather together for this powerful gathering of experts and protective parents.
Learn more about this conference on their website.
May Day
We are currently in planning mode for our California May Day event.
Location & date still TBD.
Books
More Voices on Abuse Report Credibility
While this book just came out in the fall, we are thrilled to discover Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers by Deborah Tuerkheimer and must share this with you.
"In this landmark book, a former prosecutor, legal expert, and leading authority on sexual violence examines why we are primed to disbelieve allegations of sexual abuse -- ad how we can transform a culture and a legal system structed to dismiss accusers."
This is the book we ask everyone to read. Read more about Deborah Tuerkheimer and learn where to buy her book here.
Please watch her conversation with one of the Harvey Weinstein NYT's investigative reporters, She Said co-author, journalist Meghan Twohey.
Comments (0)