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TORN From the Inside Out & THE JOURNEY

 MEMOIRS In 1973,  a young woman, barely sixteen years old, and a zealous member of a cultist religious group, married a twenty-three year-o...

Monday, November 2, 2015

Domestic War: More domestic violence homicides in America than war casualties

"The number of American troops killed in Afghanistan and Iraq between 2001 and 2012 was 6,488. The number of American women who were murdered by current or ex male partners during that time was 11,766. That's nearly double the amount of casualties lost during war. "
Quoted from The Huffington Post

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

What is the Relationship Between Mental Illness and Mass Killings

What is the Relationship Between Mental Illness and Mass Killings,  by Sara Niles


Mental Illness has been either a recognized or implied component of many of the recent mass killings, leading to the question: What can be done to avert such tragedies from a mental health point of view?

It is important to first recognize the fact just as the majority of mentally healthy people do not commit mass murder, the majority of mentally ill people do not commit mass murder. Whether the individual is mentally ill or mentally healthy, the act of killing strangers is a rare phenomenon in society and affects a small subgroup of people. In the case of mentally ill individuals acting upon delusions, and out of unhealthy obsessions, what can be done to stop them before they kill?

Were there red flags in the killers behavior, and if so, who saw those signs? What could be done to stop them?

Patrick Kennedy speaks about the need to recognize signs of mental illness and to provide comprehensive and early intervention before disaster strikes. One of the reasons society is slow to recognize the serious need for mental health treatment, is society still hides behind the denial that is an offshoot of the stigma of mental illness. Mental Illness is like the White Elephant in the middle of the room, hiding in plain sight while everyone ignores the problem. In order to provide early diagnoses and treatment, there needs to be a more accessible health plan in place, and the stigma of mental illness needs to be removed. Mental Illness needs to be talked about as openly as cancer awareness, and the relatives and friends of those suffering from mental illness need to be able to recognize signs of mental illness.

In the cases of the small percentage of the mentally ill who are capable of extreme violence, there must be individuals willing to support them when it is needed, and to report them when it is essential to public safety. The key element of civil commitment of the mentally ill is to recognize when they are a " Danger to Self or Others', which is a guideline in all fifty states. Although civil commitment is not always and option for relatives and friends, there should be a legal option to report potentially lethal behavior, such as using social media to advertise violent plots.

Mental health professionals treating potentially deadly clients were not under legal obligation to warn others until the 1976 landmark case of Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, in which a  patient told his psychotherapist he intended to kill a a woman: two months later the patient stabbed the woman to death and the parents sued. The Supreme Court decision resulted in the nationally adopted 'Duty to Warn' rule that applies to all mental health professionals, which was expanded to include warning third parties when the threat is specific in the case of Family Reported Threats

Someone almost always knows about even a 'loners' strange behavior and there needs to be a reporting method that will result in the individual being assessed and monitored, even in cases in which mandatory treatment is not an option. In cases in which violence has been threatened, there needs to be legislation in place that will allow for weapons screening.


Although many mental health advocates deny there is any connection between mass killing and mental health issues, The Treatment Advocacy Center released data from a study covering 30 killings over a 50 year period, that confirms mental illness as an element in the mass murders.

Out of the 30 perpetrators, the Mental Illness Treatment Advocacy Center stated

“Twelve perpetrators had psychotic symptoms at the time of the killings and another 8 individuals “exhibited behavior suggestive of psychosis;” thus 20 of the 30 perpetrators (67%) had definite or probable psychosis” 


 One of the worst mass killings of this century was the Sandy Hook Elementary school killing in which twenty year-old Adam Lanza killed his mother, 20 elementary school children, before killing himself. It does not require a mental health assessment to determine Lanza was not only mentally ill, but Violent and Mentally ILL. The facts uncovered a very troubled teen, isolated, anorexic, and in contact with a 'mirco-society of mass murderers' via the internet. Lanza fueled his sick mind with the unhealthy communication from other sick and violent minds. Lanza evolved into an obsessed mass murderer with access to resources, guns and ammunition.

Someone knew about Lanza's mental instability and his potential for violence long before  The Sandy Hook Killings happened, even if that someone was only Lanza's mother. Lanza should have been committed for forced treatment and assessed as either 'safe' to release into society or unsafe. There should be better assessment tools, better legal alternatives to civil commitment and better reporting channels, and better support for families dealing with seriously disturbed family members.

Legislation must address the gaps in mental health treatment for the general population and the identification of the small subgroup capable of violence against others. The general population of the mentally ill are not responsible for violent act against society, and should be exempted from the strict controls needed to weed out the Lethally Mentally Ill, such as Adam Lanza.



Monday, October 5, 2015

Domestic Violence as a Societal Problem by Sara Niles



Societal behaviors develop over time, as historical influences change, new powers emerge, and societal attitudes gradually adapt and become part of the dominant culture. In the case of domestic violence, getting a historical overview of how far the world has come in recognizing domestic abuse and violence as unacceptable behavior is important to the big picture. The Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, I.C.S.D.V., expands the historical view of domestic violence back in time to 753 B.C. when Romulus of Rome was in power and wife beating was considered acceptable behavior among the Romans. In order for there to be a wrong behavior according to society, it must be labeled and categorized as both morally and legally wrong before society as a whole takes it seriously. Societal beliefs and attitudes have to change during this process as the level of awareness is brought to the forefront. Rules and Laws have to change to reflect the seriousness of societal boundaries, and consequences have to be enforced upon those who ‘break the rules’. The first step is always labeling the ‘wrong’. In the case of domestic violence, a behavior that was once trivialized, American society had a long way to go before arriving at a healthy point in the continuum of change.
Slavery is an extreme example of how societal beliefs and attitudes affect societal response. In the United States of America, the advent of slavery began as a behavior that became the norm among those in power, to own slaves and to abuse slaves, was also the ‘norm’: there was no societal wrong involved, therefore no criminal behavior to punish, because those in power either embraced slavery or swept it under the rug. In the case of child abuse within the home, or violence against women, there was no established ‘wrong’ until the behavior was first labeled as unacceptable by society at large. Wife abuse was considered normal until the early 1900’s when statutes such as the 1945 California ruling that any man who willfully beats his wife or child severely enough to cause “traumatic injury” will be guilty of committing a felony
Take notice of the legal wording that suggests a man may beat his wife or child as long as there was no ‘traumatic injury’, which is a clear indication of how important wording was in the legal advances of domestic violence issues. The raising of social and societal awareness came before the implementation of change, both in the United States and globally, as women and children graduated in their societal status from that of being the property of a man to being human beings deserving of holding the right to humane and just treatment both in the home, and outside the home. In Italy, the law first decreed it a crime to kill a wife, or female relative by a man who acted to ‘uphold his honor’, as late as 1960. Society has universally undervalued female life until the American Civil Rights movement created the Women’s Rights movement during the 1960’s, gaining strength over time as the causes of women were heralded over the next decades, resulting in the national framework that today supports domestic violence legislation, and the Federal funding of victims services that exist now.
The terms Domestic Violence, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault, were also vestiges of the women’s movement, as new awareness bred the creation of new tools used to evoke change. Society needed to know that ‘beating’ a spouse was a serious violation of human rights, therefore the term ‘battered woman’ was first coined by Lenore Walker who was instrumental in awakening society to the ugliness and prevalence of domestic violence across all economic and social spectrums. The domestic violence movement gained momentum with the release of Lenore Walker’s 1979 book received national attention, as it brought to the fore the dirty secret of domestic violence that was occurring behind closed doors all over the country. The domestic violence terminology that followed for the next 20 years produced labels that defined a once accepted behavior as now ‘taboo’: Domestic Violence, ‘Battered Woman’, Domestic Abuse, Sexual Assault, sexual abuse and many others that were first labeled and defined as wrong, and later supported by legislation that criminalized the behavior. The inclusion of family members was suggested by the more generic term Family Violence, as well as the fact family violence affected males as well as females.
In order for society to fully meet the challenge of providing not only validation to victims of violence, but physical assistance via shelters and counseling programs, funding was needed-a lot of funding in all 50 states. The Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA Act of 1994, was first initiated and is now one of the largest and broadest federally funded domestic violence grant initiatives in U.S. history. VAWA is expanded annually to provide intervention and services that address the needs of victims as well as the prosecutorial muscle to hold perpetrators of domestic violence accountable.
The 2014 VAWA initiative is a landmark marking 20 years of positive change in domestic violence legislation and societal awareness. Vice President Joe Biden spoke of the significance of that change when he cited the fact that 20 years ago, there was little legal consequence if a man “kicked his wife in the stomach” or habitually raped her, because our culture did not recognize abuse as abuse http://time.com/3319325/joe-biden-violence-against-women/
Twenty-seven years ago, I was a victim of severe domestic violence that forced me to flee for my life, and disappear with my five children with no support from a domestic violence agency. In 1987, society had a different view of domestic violence and its impact upon families, so I am well aware of the change in societal attitudes over the past few decades. I was surprised to see the effect of the Ray Rice scandal and how societal response has changed. Twenty years ago, the Ray Rice scandal would not have been a ‘scandal’ any more than O.J. Simpson’s abuse and murder of his wife, Nicole Simpson was at the time. I remember one juror making a statement that minimized the role domestic violence played in the O.J. Simpson murders, when she said "This is no domestic violence trial-this is a murder trial”, when is fact, they were one and the same, the murder of Nicole was a domestic homicide, with Ronald Goldman’s murder a tragic secondary part of the collateral damage. The O.J. Simpson trial was possibly the first big domestic violence slap in the face that helped to promote a major change in societal attitudes toward domestic violence. Domestic Violence was, and still is often fatal, a fact that victims are usually aware of, before becoming silent homicide statistics.
In the case of Nicole Brown Simpson, just as in the case of many domestic homicide victims, the victim usually is aware of the perpetrator’s level of lethality. The now world famous Chris Jenner, mother to the Kardashians, was a close friend of Nicole Brown Simpson before her murder and reported this fact to the world via a Dateline NBC Special : “Things are really bad between OJ and I, and he’s going to kill me, and he’s going to get away with it.” Nicole had told her just weeks before her murder that "O.J. is going to kill me". Nicole predicted her own murder based on gut instinct, and yet it still happened, and O.J. Simpson was acquitted and ‘got away with it’ as Nicole also eerily predicted. The societal stance at that time was embedded in the general attitude that if she was in danger ‘Why didn’t she just leave?’…:but of course, leaving is usually what triggers the majority of domestic violence homicides. Leslie Morgan Steiner, the author of the bestselling book Crazy Love, does an excellent job of explaining that dynamic in this video:

Society has come a long way since the 1994 murders committed by O.J. Simpson, an example of societal change can be seen in the societal response to the Ray Rice domestic violence assault, caught on tape here:

The O.J. Simpson case was a societal wake-up call, whereas the Ray Rice event took stock of how far society has come:
TIME: OJ Simpson and Ray Rice
Although Society has traveled an impressive distance in the journey toward enlightenment. the domestic violence journey is not over yet. There is still work to do on a large scale to keep change moving forward in a positive direction. In-school education on the dynamics of healthy versus unhealthy behaviors in families and by individuals needs to become part of national policy in order to eradicate the roots of domestic violence from within dysfunctional families.Until you remove the root-the weeds always come back.


Thursday, September 17, 2015

Donald Trump Republican Debate September 16, 2015

I watched the entire debate with a keen eye open to detect any changes in the tone or philosophy of Donald Trump versus the world, and I can say the intense forcefulness that Trump possessed in the first round of debates was missing in the second event. There was less braggadocio, less adolescent insults, and less claims to take over the world under the power of Trump alone; while the 'others' one by one, took the floor. One particular shining star was Carly Fiorina, who not only seemed to be prepared for anything Trump threw at her, but was seriously armed with political ideas and plans if she claimed the title of president. The plot thickens as the show goes on.

Read the CNN take below:
Carly Fiorina takes on Donald Trump

Monday, August 17, 2015

Amazing video of Angel Falls in Venezuela

"The Greatest Artist of All presents the world's works of wonder: Waterfalls of the world"
Sara Niles, Pinterest

Waterfalls of The World:

Taken from YouTube: Hosier Tim's Travel Videos
ANGEL FALLS, located in Venezuella, is the world's tallest waterfall: over 3000 feet

Taken from Youtube: Dennis V

What If Donald Trump Became the President of the United States?



The question alone gets immediate attention, just as Trump himself is an attention magnet as proven by the political popularity poll for the Republican candidacy showing Trump in the lead by an increasing widening margin. 

 But really, What If ?


Donald Trump is known for strong personality and penchant for voicing his opinion regardless of the consequences, which is not a trait of a stable and diplomatic leader. International relations between countries during this volatile time in human history are fragile and must be handled with care, not with bombastic and grandiose rhetoric used carelessly by a single individual who sees himself as ‘Batman’ as Trump presented himself to kids during a Trump helicopter ride during the IOWA State Fair:  CNN

Batman of the movies was a rich billionaire capable of superhuman feats performed by an altruistic humanitarian, Batman as ‘The Donald’, (First wife, Ivana’s name for him), is another story. Trump as Batman would make a strangely different president of the United States, one whose word held special powers. In Trump’s form of ideology, he can say it and it happens. Among the statements made by Trump are the following:


  • Build a wall between Mexico and the U.S. and ‘Make Mexico’ pay for it
  • Deport (11,000,000) Immigrants, including children born in America
  • “Demand money from Middle East countries supported by the United States to help pay for the fight against extremist groups” Donald Trump's website
I have respect for Donald Trump the businessman, the Billionaire, but I have great fear of him ever becoming the next United States Dictator….oops, I meant President.
 
If Donald Trump became the next president of the U.S., I fear war would ensue with more than one country. The poor of America would suffer even more than now, immigrant families would be torn apart, and the government would become bogged down in an attempt to enforce unenforceable rules and laws. Donald Trump's campaign motto is 'Make America Great Again', as though we are no longer a Great Nation. America has been Great for hundreds of years, mainly because the United States of America is a progressive nation that adapts to suit the people of America and the needs of the world. American is also a democracy that bends to the needs of the people.

By the way…Mexico is one of the 23 countries that make up North America http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/na.htm   and the U.S. has had peaceful relationships with those neighbor countries until now. .But... If ‘The Donald, becomes president?



Thursday, July 16, 2015

Ida B. Wells and the Fall of Jim Crow

Ida B Wells and the Fall of Jim Crow

"Wells wrote many pamphlets exposing white violence and lynching and defending black victims"
Ida B Wells was born in Mississippi in 1862.

Well was a fearless advocate and 'all around badass", according to The Huffington Post and Google celebrates her birthday today

Sunday, June 21, 2015

The American Economy: Another Crises on the Way?

By Sara Niles





The 2008 Recession is fading into the past as markets rebound, so is there a reason for concern?

Money is not the root of all evil, and it is not the key to happiness, but it is a necessary part of life all over the world. The need to secure resources needed for survival is what gives money its value, a fact that is most true in America. The stability or instability of a national economy gives the country power and advantage globally, or it places the country in a weakened position; therefore ‘what’s in your pocketbook’ nationally speaking, is vital to its global health in more ways than one. America is considered a global leader militarily, politically and economically, and as such, what affects the American economy affects the world economy.  

 The American economy  is currently recovering from the 2008 recession, with housing prices going up and interest rates stabilizing, so it may appear the coast is clear and there is nothing to worry about. America has suffered economic crises in the past, in fact every Ten Years or So   there is an economic upheaval  that is usually addressed in time, such as the 2008 financial crisis. There is also usually a warning that something is about to give, such as what happened in 2006 when the prices of housing began to fall at the same time mortgage defaults were on the rise- the result was the large insurance companies faced near collapse and had to be bailed out by the federal government .  The Warning was given  long before it happened, but was not heeded in time. 


The question now is there another financial crisis looming or is financial instability behind us now? In order to answer that question, a few facts are needed.



The rise of the economy since 2008 has led to an economic restructure with the gap between the superrich and super poor becoming a chasm, and the increase in jobs reflected in the jobs market a result of underemployment, or to put it simply: more people working jobs that pay less money than before. The signs of danger are embedded within the larger financial cogs, only visible to financially savvy experts in the field. 

Four American Billionaires are warning that something is about to give, there is creaking of the financial beams of the American economic structure and it is not what you may expect. Andy Redleaf who predicted the 2008 crisis, is worried again, along with   Sam ZellCarl Icahn, and  Crispin Odey  all of whom are saying similar things that amount to impending financial crisis looming.


It makes sense that a crisis coming on the heels of the 2008 unofficial ‘recession’ could be more intense and deep-rooted simply because the foundation of our economy has become weaker. Multimillionaire financial research analyst Porter Stansberry on the subject of the next big financial crisis  predicts the next financial earthquake with threaten ‘your way of life’ in a way that can’t be ignored.