Tag: survivors

In A ‘World Of Predators’ Military Sexual Assault Survivors And Advocates Demand Accountability
IMPACT

In A ‘World Of Predators’ Military Sexual Assault Survivors And Advocates Demand Accountability

If you’re thinking about suicide or are worried about a friend or loved one, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 online or at 1-800-273-8255. And anyone affected by sexual assault, whether it happened to you or someone you care about, can find support on the National Sexual Assault Hotline online or at 1-800-565-4673.  Everything had been done right. With the help of her lawyer, Jane, a 22-year-old member of the Nevada National Guard, secured a civilian protection order in January 2020 to protect her from her attacker. The judge checked the “sexual assault” box, explicitly acknowledging the crime. But the legal victory didn’t fix everything. Jane, who remains on active duty, is being identified with a pseudonym because she still fears professional and personal ret...
Brad Pitt’s Green Housing Dream For Hurricane Katrina Survivors Turned Into A Nightmare
CELEBRITIES

Brad Pitt’s Green Housing Dream For Hurricane Katrina Survivors Turned Into A Nightmare

Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation built 109 eye-catching and affordable homes in New Orleans for a community where many people were displaced by damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Now this housing development is in disarray. The vast majority of the recently constructed homes are riddled with construction-related problems that have led to mold, termites, rotting wood, flooding and other woes. At least six are boarded up and abandoned. Many residents have filed lawsuits that are still pending. That is, a nonprofit that built houses with input from Frank Gehry and other prominent architects amid much fanfare for survivors of one disaster then ushered in another disaster. Structural and other problems are making many residents fear for their health. Make It Right, despite what ...
Survivors, First Responders And Millions Of Others Are Left With Emotional And Mental Scars By Mass Shootings
HEALTH & WELLNESS, SOCIETY

Survivors, First Responders And Millions Of Others Are Left With Emotional And Mental Scars By Mass Shootings

The deadly shootings of eight people in Atlanta on March 16 and 10 people in Boulder, Colorado, on March 22 brought heartache and grief to the families and friends of the victims. These events also take a toll on others, including those who witnessed the shooting, first responders, people who were nearby – and even those who heard about the shooting in the media. I am a trauma and anxiety researcher and clinician, and I know that the effects of such violence reach millions. While the immediate survivors are most affected, the rest of society suffers, too. First, the immediate survivors Like other animals, we humans get stressed or terrified when exposed to a dangerous event. The extent of that stress or fear can vary. Survivors of a shooting may want to avoid the neighborhood where the s...
Antibodies in the blood of COVID-19 survivors know how to beat coronavirus – and researchers are already testing new treatments that harness them
COVID-19, HEALTH & WELLNESS

Antibodies in the blood of COVID-19 survivors know how to beat coronavirus – and researchers are already testing new treatments that harness them

Amid the chaos of an epidemic, those who survive a disease like COVID-19 carry within their bodies the secrets of an effective immune response. Virologists like me look to survivors for molecular clues that can provide a blueprint for the design of future treatments or even a vaccine. Researchers are launching trials now that involve the transfusion of blood components from people who have recovered from COVID-19 to those who are sick or at high risk. Called “convalescent-plasma therapy,” this technique can work even without doctors knowing exactly what component of the blood may be beneficial. For the pioneering work of the first treatment using therapeutic serum in 1891 (against diphtheria), Emil von Behring later earned the Nobel Prize in medicine. Anecdotal reporting of the therapy d...
By filing for bankruptcy, the Boy Scouts may compensate more survivors of sexual abuse
BUSINESS

By filing for bankruptcy, the Boy Scouts may compensate more survivors of sexual abuse

The Boy Scouts of America has filed for bankruptcy to figure out how to fairly compensate thousands of survivors of alleged sexual abuse who accuse the Scouts of neglecting to protect them. Revelations regarding decades of the abuse of children and long-running institutional failures to stop the abuse are raising questions about the future of the Boy Scouts and what will become of its troops. The Scouts’ initial bankruptcy documents state that 275 lawsuits are pending in state and federal courts across the country, and that attorneys for survivors estimate another 1,400 claims will be filed. The Scouts disclosed that they have spent US$150 million on settlements and legal fees between 2017 and 2019. I’m a legal scholar who has studied the bankruptcy cases filed by hundreds of nonprofit...
In Chicago, Police Violence Survivors Heal Through Song
IN OTHER NEWS

In Chicago, Police Violence Survivors Heal Through Song

The Freedom Songbook workshop was designed to provide a creative safe space for survivors, and prevent isolation and other PTSD-related issues permeating Black communities. Over a slice of caramel cake on a Tuesday evening last month, Mark Clements shared his story with me. At the young age of 16, Clements was tortured into confessing to crimes he did not commit. He subsequently spent nearly 30 years in prison. “You know,” he began, settling back into his chair, “when I went to prison, sister, I couldn’t read that word right there.” He pointed to a bulletin board behind me. The word displayed was “love.” “As a kid, you go into the prison system naive,” Clements continued. “The [court] gave me natural life. So, you’re thinking that it’s not as serious as it is, but you beg...