attitudes-words-actions

Clare,
I am back home. In a better mind-set from being away. I enjoyed my time with S#4 and her family. She has an amazing network of support around her. SHe has her husband's big italian family caring for her as well as a whole lot of friends calling, stopping by with food and gifts. I'm glad that she has created a life for herself. I've never really gotten to know her two younger daughters before. They were so easy to talk to and laugh with. We actually had a good time while we waited at the hospital through surgery. Each is helping at home as well. It was nice to see that support.

As for the news around our country…
it is like a boil is being expressed…
and the pus is flowing.
You are right, it doesn't happen to one portion of the population…
and everyone else is perfectly correct and would never hurt women or children…
It is part of our societal norms…
the dark part, of course…
But it present through the ages.

Have you heard the reports from Ohio about the rape kits? Two reporters were doing an article on sexual assault in Cleveland and asked a simple question, "How many rape kits do you have in storage?" the answer was "We're not sure?" It turns out there were over 6000 in storage and 4000 had never been processed. The cases were dropped mainly because the women were prostitutes, drug addicts, black, hispanic…the vulnerable of society. These reporters pushed and pushed for 5 years and finally Ohio passed a law saying all kits have to be processed and compared against data banks from forensic files. They have processed about 2000 kits so far (this is only in Cleveland) and identified 225 serial rapists through DNA…they don't have names of some of them, but the DNA matches in multiple assaults.
WHY?
Why don't we take rape seriously?
Why is it something to be kept in silence and secrecy?
Why do women and children's bodies not matter in the grand scheme of things…just objects to be used?

We violate each other by our attitudes.
We violate each other by our words.
We violate each other by our actions.
BUT
We can empower and encourage with attitudes, words and actions just as easily.

I didn't realize the Dugger case involved his sisters. I hadn't heard of brothers going to jail for molesting their sister. I wonder if our siblings are hearing these reports and really listening, panicking, or ignoring them. It must be frightening to know that others are going to jail for actions you too committed.

Love and Light beautiful sister,
Maggie