WASHINGTON — The federal government is changing its longstanding definition of “forcible rape” in compiling national crime statistics — expanding both the definition of victims, to include males, and the types of sexual assault that will be counted in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Report.

The new definition, which has been in the works for several months and was formally announced by the Obama administration on Friday, will replace a narrower definition of “forcible rape” with one that includes, among other things, forcible oral or anal penetration. The narrower definition, which is limited to vaginal penetration, has been used since the 1920s in tracking how often such crimes are reported around the country.

Victim advocacy groups have long criticized the old definition as outdated, saying it left out many crimes that were prosecuted as rape under state laws but that were not reflected in national statistics. Last year, an F.B.I. advisory committee of law enforcement agencies agreed to a Justice Department request to update the definition….

The old definition — “the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will” — covered only forcible penetration of a woman’s vagina by a penis, and excluded many other kinds of sexual assaults that count as rape under more modern definitions.

For example, the outdated definition did not count forcible anal or oral penetration, the penetration of the vagina or anus with an object or other body part, the rape of a man, or the rape of a woman by another woman.

It also did not cover nonconsensual sex that does not involve physical force — like the rape of people who are unable to grant consent because they are drugged, very drunk or younger than the age of statutory consent in their state, a number that varies across the country.

The new definition, which was drafted with input from local and state law enforcement agencies based on more modernized rape laws, encompasses a broader range of such circumstances. Specifically, it covers the “penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/07/us/politics/federal-crime-statistics-to-expand-rape-definition.html

FBI changes definition of rape to add men as victims
By Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY  1/6/2012
WASHINGTON — The FBI is changing its long-standing definition of rape for the first time to include sexual assaults on males following persistent calls from victims advocates who claim that the offense, as currently defined in the agency’s annual crime report, has been undercounted for decades.
Under the current definition, established 85 years ago, many of the sex crimes alleged in the ongoing prosecution of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky would not be counted in the bureau’s Uniform Crime Report, one of the most reliable measures of crime in the United States.

Sandusky is accused in alleged assaults and sexual misconduct involving 10 male victims.

Rape is currently defined as the “carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will.”

The new provision will define rape as any kind of penetration of another person, regardless of gender, without the victim’s consent.

“This long-awaited change to the definition of rape is a victory for women and men across the country whose suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years,” Vice President Biden, who has worked extensively on domestic-violence issues, said in a statement released Thursday. http://www.usatoday.com/NEWS/usaedition/2012-01-06-Rape_ST_U.htm

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature this morning. In response, four parents whose children were murdered by Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley wrote an open letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences January 24, 2012

….We are the parents and step-parent of Michael Moore and Stevie Branch, Jr. On May 5, 1993, our sons, along with their friend Christopher Byers, were brutally murdered. Three teenage boys, now men, were convicted of the crime: Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley. An HBO documentary film crew came to our town, West Memphis, Arkansas, to chronicle the aftermath of these murders and the trials of our sons’ killers. That film, Paradise Lost, was followed by two sequels – Paradise Lost II: Revelations and Paradise Lost III: Purgatory. We are writing to the Academy now to express our sadness, disappointment, and outrage over the decision to nominate the latest film, Purgatory, for an Academy Award in the documentary film category.

Despite the spin and controversy fabricated by defense attorneys, documentary filmmakers, and celebrities, certain aspects of the past 18 years are irrefutable. Three precious eight-year-old boys went for a bicycle ride on May 5, 1993, and never came home. They were murdered in a most vicious and horrifying manner. Jessie Misskelley has admitted to taking part in these terrible crimes three times on record and at least three additional times off the record

….While we were grieving for our children, the HBO film crew assured us that they only chronicled the events as they unfolded, and that they believed the defendants to be guilty. They earned our trust, and then they violated it. Director Joe Berlinger aptly referred to himself as a “storyteller first, a journalist second…” an accurate description given the fable he has conjured. Berlinger decided within “five minutes” of meeting Damien Echols that he was innocent and immediately set out upon a mission to prove it, truth and facts be damned. The fabricated innocence of the defendants made for a better “documentary” than the truth that these three teenagers killed our children for nothing more than a sick thrill.

….Directors Berlinger and Sinofsky lied to grieving parents. They have callously accused not one, but two, grieving parents of their own sons’ murders. They manipulated viewers into believing that these trials were a witchhunt, showing only very carefully selected snippets of trial testimony. The trials of our sons’ murderers lasted twenty-two days. Despite having over 140 hours of footage in their possession, Berlinger and Sinofsky ultimately showed viewers less than one hour of trial footage and led viewers to the false conclusion that there was no evidence produced that the three defendants were guilty. They neglected to include virtually all of the evidence against the defendants, regardless of the fact that two juries and the Arkansas Supreme Court deemed that sufficient evidence of their guilt existed. http://wm3truth.com/2012/01/letter-to-ampas-from-victims-parents/

Oscar nominations will be announced tomorrow morning (24 Jan 2012), and Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory is a frontrunner for a Best Documentary Feature nomination.

Todd and Dana Moore, parents of murder victim Michael Moore, wrote a public letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences urging them not to honor Paradise Lost 3.

….We are horrified to learn that a documentary that glorifies Michael’s killers, Paradise Lost III: Purgatory, is among 15 documentaries being considered for an Academy Award. Because of public pressure that exploded due to gross misrepresentations of fact in two previous documentaries, Michael’s killers were unjustly able to enter into a plea agreement, were released from prison, and now pose additional threats to society. This third documentary further insulted the families of these three boys and may lead to further injustice. We implore the Academy not to reward our child’s killers and the directors who have profited from one of the greatest frauds ever perpetrated under the guise of a “documentary film.”

….Consider what happened to John Mark Byers. He was Christopher Byers’ adoptive father. Confrontations between Mr. Byers and Echols’ supporters at hearings were staged. Of course, Berlinger and Sinofsky were there to film these episodes. Berlinger and Sinofsky would transport Mr. Byers to the hearings and wire him for sound beforehand. Furthermore, Berlinger and Sinofsky maneuvered Mr. Byers and Echols’ supporters in order to film the anticipated confrontations. Later, after the cameras were packed away, Mr. Byers acted like a different person. Instead of being belligerent, he was affable. When asked about his change in demeanor, Mr. Byers stated that he was supposed to act that way when the cameras were present. Mr. Byers was quoted as saying he received $500 per hour for “exclusive interviews.” http://wm3truth.com/2012/01/oscar-nomination-for-paradise-lost-3/

Upcoming Webinar:

Saturday, February 18
12 pm Pacific Time
Presenter: Alison
“Resourcefulness as a survival tool. Drawing on both internal and external resources”

Alison grew up within an inter-generational cult in Eastern Ontario, Canada rooted in the Knights of Columbus and the 18th century Catholic Church. To pay for disappointing her family of not carrying on the tradition of the firstborn son, Alison bore three children by members of her family and was forced to sacrifice them. She did her University studies from 1993-2004 during which time she struggled with unmanaged dissociation, anorexia and bulimia.

Her healing began in a treatment program in the USA, and continues at home in Canada. Alison has two published articles and now speaks out about SRA. She has been recently diagnosed with a terminal illness and still continues her endeavors to bring light to the issue of SRA. She has worked as an HIV counselor and a rep on the LGBTQ Caucus of the Ontario NDP. Alison is a part time music theory teacher and Artist Manager.

Having the ability to be resourceful has kept Alison alive for the past 36 years. She believes that all human beings have basic human rights as outlined in the Canadian Human Rights Code, and she has drawn on resources, both internal as well as external. She will be talking about how this resourcefulness has saved her life and will offer suggestions on how other survivors can find and draw on their own many resources.

REGISTRATION
Registration closes Thursday evening February 16, 2012

To reserve a space in the webinar, e-mail Shamai at shamai@survivorship.org   and give her this information:

1. Your name
2. The webinar you wish to attend: “ Resourcefulness as a survival tool. Drawing on both internal and external resources”
3. Amount and method of payment  (check, PayPal, money order)
4. Your preferred e-mail address (so we can send you instructions)
5. The name you will be using for the webinar. (This does not have to be your real name or your message board screen name.)

You will receive a confirmation email immediately and an invitation link and instructions after the registration closes

COST
Webinars are on a sliding scale from $50.00 to full scholarship (while we offer full scholarships for webinars please consider paying whatever you are able to. Even $5 will help to cover the cost of the webinar provider). Please remember to factor in the cost of the telephone call if you don’t have a computer headset. The PayPal button is near the bottom of the page at http://www.survivorship.org/webinars.html

If you wish to pay by check please send it to: Survivorship, Family Justice Center, 470 27th Street, Oakland, CA 94612.

PAST WEBINARS
Survivorship members may listen to past webinars in the members’ section.
For information on joining Survivorship, go to http://www.survivorship.org/about/membership.html

Complete details on all our webinars are at http://www.survivorship.org/webinars.html

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Shamai@survivorship.org

guardian.co.uk, Monday 23 January 2012

We were pleased to see your report (An abuse of faith, Social care, 18 January) outlining the evidence of the numbers of black children subjected to violence linked to witchcraft. This is extremely concerning and many of us have worked with such children and adults from the black communities who have experienced abusive aspects of juju, Santeria, witchcraft and possession in the UK. While our major religious institutions are now putting safeguarding procedures into place, children (and adults) from smaller religious groups do not have that safety. We are also concerned as individuals and as a committee that the ritual abuse of white children (and adults) is less easily acknowledged (the Kidwelly case in 2011).

It can be far easier, sometimes for racist reasons, to accept the ritual abuse of black children (witness the Adam Case known as “Torso in The Thames” in 2001), and especially from working-class backgrounds. The white middle-class children (and adults) and those who work with them and support them are subject to implications that such experiences, if the victim is not black, must be bizarre delusions. This makes it harder for disclosures to be made and for the police to help, and delays the understanding of the impact of ritual on all children and adults when used abusively.

Dr V Sinason, Rachel Wingfield, Prof Joseph Schwartz, Dr Sandra Buck, Dr Joan Coleman, Carole Mallard, Wilfred Wong, Deborah Briggs, Dr Pat Frankish, David Leevers, Orit Badouk-Epstein, Lynn Greenwood

Committee on Ritual Abuse, London

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jan/23/ritual-abuse-and-race

Why is child abuse tied to witchcraft on the rise?

Evidence is emerging that a growing number of children are being subjected to exorcism rituals. Louise Hunt finds out why
Louise Hunt     The Guardian, Tuesday 17 January 2012

Social workers are used to coping with the unexpected – it comes with the territory. But child-protection specialists are increasingly coming across a kind of case that few textbooks have prepared them for: abuse of children related to belief in witchcraft.

Child abuse linked to ideas of spirit possession and witchcraft branding is a growing phenomenon, according to evidence given to the Commons education select committee’s current inquiry into child protection. It is predominantly an issue in African communities, often fuelled by extreme religious conviction, and experts believe that its growth is a reaction to personal or family misfortune brought about by the economic downturn.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jan/18/child-abuse-witchcraft-exorcism-rise

Child Abuse Linked to Accusations of ‘Possession’ and ‘Witchcraft’
Reference:RR750
Published:June 2006
The belief in “possession” and “witchcraft” is widespread. The UK is not alone in seeing cases of this nature; cases have been reported worldwide. The children discussed in this report came from a variety of backgrounds including African, South Asian and European.

This report is based on desk research and discussions with social workers, school teachers, police officers, voluntary workers and others who had knowledge of aspects of the subject. An important feature has been collecting and examining reports of cases that occurred since January 2000, analysing the often limited information recorded and drawing conclusions from this material.

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/RSG/publicationDetail/Page1/RR750

(CBS/WKMG) KISSIMMEE, Fla. – A former pro golfer, a swim coach and an eighth grade teacher are among 40 people arrested in an undercover Internet child sex sting in Florida, reports CBS affiliate WKMG.

During the so-called “Operation Red Cheeks,” undercover detectives posed as juveniles or the parent or guardian of a juvenile to talk with individuals in chat rooms and through instant messaging.

During the chats, some of the suspects reportedly sent pornographic images to the undercover detectives….

Suspects traveled to an undercover house or meeting location in Osceola County for the purpose of having sex with a child, authorities said. Some brought alcohol, drugs and other items to the meeting, said deputies.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57360915-504083/teacher-former-pro-golfer-and-swim-coach-among-those-arrested-in-fla-internet-child-sex-sting/

District Attorney: Bernie Fine accuser Zach Tomaselli changed his story
January 19, 2012 By Mike McAndrew / The Post-Standard
Syracuse, N.Y.

One of Bernie Fine’s accusers initially told Syracuse police the former Syracuse University coach molested him in early 2002 while he was attending an away game against the University of Connecticut, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said today.

But Fitzpatrick said that after law enforcement authorities discovered that SU never played UConn during the 2001-02 season, Zach Tomaselli changed his story.

Tomaselli then told police that Fine sexually abused him in a Pittsburgh hotel room in January 2002, the night before SU played Pittsburgh, Fitzpatrick said, questioning Tomaselli’s credibility.

Tomaselli fired back today that Fitzpatrick’s account is not true….

Fine, 66, who was fired by SU in November after three men publicly accused him of molesting them as children, has not been charged with any crimes. Through his attorneys, Fine has maintained he did nothing wrong.
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/01/district_attorney_bernie_fine.html

Explosive accounts of Casey’s life and her version of what happened to her daughter Caylee Marie were revealed when a judge unsealed two never-before-seen depositions from doctors who conducted psychological evaluations before her murder trial.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/videogallery/67304789/News/Casey-Anthony-s-psychological-evaluations-unsealed

Casey Anthony Latest News
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/caylee-anthony/

….Reading from his notes on a November 2010 interview with Anthony, psychiatrist Jeff Danzinger said, “Two beers, possibly given another drug. Woke up passed out…Don’t remember anything at a party, age 18. This is how she said she got pregnant.”

Danzinger, who interviewed Anthony five times over two years but did not testify at her trial, also reported that Anthony showed no evidence of mental illness and had normal results on a psychological test – a fact he found surprising.

“You would expect that would provoke some measure of distress, whether someone genuinely did it, whether someone was falsely accused,” Danziger said. “If my child was missing and I was in jail being accused of it, I probably wouldn’t eat and wouldn’t be cheerful and wouldn’t be able to read.”

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57357747-504083/casey-anthony-claimed-she-got-pregnant-while-passed-out-says-psychiatrist/

At least a dozen child molestation and child pornography prosecutions since 2000 have involved actors, managers, production assistants and others in the entertainment industry.

By Dawn C. Chmielewski, Los Angeles Times January 8, 2012

….Advocates and professionals who work with victims of child sexual abuse say predators exploit the glittery lure of Hollywood to prey on aspiring actors or models. They assert that the problem is more widespread than the industry is willing to acknowledge and have called for tougher laws and better screening of those who represent or work with children.

“Unlike other settings, such as Little League, Scouts, day care and school volunteers, where adults who have unsupervised access to children are required to comply with fingerprinting requirements, there are no such standards in the entertainment industry,” said Paula Dorn, co-founder of the BizParentz Foundation, a nonprofit group for families of child actors.

….The recent arrests prompted a bill, expected to be filed this month with the California Assembly, that would require licensing and criminal background checks for those who work with actors under age 16. It would prohibit registered sex offenders from serving as child managers, photographers, career counselors or publicists.

“Under the existing law, talent agents are regulated; however, casting directors, managers and photographers are not. This loophole makes it very easy for a predator to gain access to children working within the entertainment industry,” said the bill’s sponsor, Assemblywoman Nora Campos (D-San Jose).

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-hollywood-molesters-20120109,0,5389019.story

MIKE SCHNEIDER   01/11/12 ORLANDO, Fla.

Casey Anthony told a psychiatrist that she became pregnant with her daughter, Caylee, after passing out at a party when she was 18 years old, according to depositions in which the doctor said tests gave no indication that Anthony was mentally ill as she faced her murder trial.

The 25-year-old Anthony was acquitted last July of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, in a trial that captured the nation’s attention. Anthony didn’t know who fathered Caylee, the psychiatrist, Jeff Danziger, recounted in a deposition that was unsealed by a Florida judge and released Wednesday. Danziger interviewed Anthony five times over two years but never testified at her murder trial.

“Two beers, possibly given another drug. Woke up passed out,” said Danziger, reading from notes he took during an interview with Anthony in November 2010. “Don’t remember anything at a party, age 18. This is how she said she got pregnant.”….

Anthony showed no evidence of mental illness and had normal results on a psychological test, Danziger said in the deposition. He described that as surprising, given her circumstances in the Orange County Jail as a suspect in her daughter’s slaying. Her temperament was calm, cooperative and pleasant, he said.

“You would expect that would provoke some measure of distress, whether someone genuinely did it, whether someone was falsely accused,” Danziger said. “If my child was missing and I was in jail being accused of it, I probably wouldn’t eat and wouldn’t be cheerful and wouldn’t be able to read.”….

Transcripts of the depositions had been sealed. But the Orlando Sentinel asked the court to make them public and Judge Belvin Perry agreed.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/11/casey-anthony-says-she-be_n_1200722.html