I too was suspect of being a PUREist. Not by an anon, but a regular here. I suggested that she sit and watch. There was no way to convince her otherwise. Time will tell who's who.
You said, "I also believe that the industry attracks sadists, perverts and pedeophiles since these children are sitting ducks for every type of abuse immaginable."
I believe this is too often the case.
My ex boarded both our sons when they turned 14. Four years difference in their ages.
The younger son was first boarded at a Baptist military facility then at a high-dollar TBS on the east coast. While at the military facility, he and another midtermer were befriended by an old timer who divulged that he and others had been sexually molested by the dorm director. My son and the other newbie reported this to the administration. The man was working there under an alias, had abused before, and ultimately was sentenced to 95 years.
http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/0106 ... ther.shtmlhttp://www.baptiststandard.com/postnuke ... y&pid=1377http://www.tjpc.state.tx.us/publication ... 2-4-10.htmhttp://www.metropulse.com/dir_zine/dir_ ... _notw.htmlAnd in a double-suicide pact in October at the jail in San Marcos, Texas, accused murderer Kenny Wayne Lockwood (who made News of the Weird in July 2000) was successful, but accused child molester Bradley Wayne Dixon survived.
Damn, I just googled this and discovered that there was another incident at this facility this year. So much for 'background checks' !!
http://www.abpnews.com/abpnews/story.cfm?newsId=4099Ironically, I had had a 'premonition?' about this. A couple of weeks before he was sent I had a half-sleep image of him being sodomized. This prompted the 'how to be safe' talk. The very day that my son exposed the guy I had an impulse to turn the TV on, something I rarely did. Two minutes later I heard the report and discovered the next day that it was his dorm officer.
I could rationalize the 'premonition'. Knowing what I know it would have been easy for my mind to conjure up that image, it was one of my greatest fears. But I could never explain the impulse to turn the TV on. Bottom line, I'm glad I had the talk with him, which may have kept him safe and motivated him to report what he'd been told.
Conditions weren?t much better at the other facility, despite the hefty price tag that accompanied the deceptive ?therapeutic? title. Their abuse was just more covert. He was not allowed access to a phone, all calls and mail were monitored,limited calories and work details were assigned as punishment, and he was subjected to some of the worst ?counseling? you can imagine. Two years later, he's doing well but still has less spunk and enthusiasm than he did before the experience. He hangs on the edges, doesn?t risk anything for fear of making a mistake, doing it ?wrong?. This a young man who was an A/B student, well like by peers and
teachers, a competitive athlete (doesn?t play sports now), and very confident. When you 'condition' a person, they eventually treat themselves as they have been conditioned= requiring little external stimus. I do believe it eventually wears away if it isn't reinforced.
He would put his hand out to a stranger and introduce himself with no thought that they might judge him. No more. He doesn?t speak unless spoken to and then very little. They succeeded in damaging his self esteem and confidence, which
was his only 'crime'- his step mother considered him arrogant and defiant.
One would think his dad would learn from his mistakes. He had boarded our older son at a different military facility where hazing was the order of the day. The abuse finally came into the light when a young cadet's throat was slit in the night by two older cadets. They used the same line there, "They're manipulators and will say anything to get out of here. Let us know and we'll handle it. You should not have to worry." My son was diagnosed with PTSD and had a very hard time for five years. He's doing well today, but still has a short fuse.
http://www.lmtonline.com/news/archive/021598/pagea5.pdf (cont?d at)
http://www.lmtonline.com/news/archive/0 ... agea16.pdfhttp://www.amarillonet.com/stories/0215 ... .001.shtmlhttp://lubbockonline.com/news/112597/LD0681.htmlhttp://www.krgv.net/news/arc-20001019.htmlhttp://www.lmtonline.com/news/archive/060300/pagea7.pdfhttp://texnews.com/texas97/cadets101797.htmlhttp://www.caller2.com/texas/tex2052.htmlhttp://madmax.lmtonline.com/mainnewsarc ... 598/s2.htmhttp://madmax.lmtonline.com/mainnewsarc ... 98/s14.htmMy neighbor's son was killed at Skyline Journey. You can read more about that by searching 'skyline' here at Fornits. This is one of the most revealing articles.
http://www.sltrib.com/2003/jul/07132003/utah/utah.aspAs Ginger says, this has been going on a long time. My mom and her sister were sent to one of Roloff's rabid facilities in the 40s by their fundamentalist father. My aunt was the 'out of control' one, but it was recommended that both be boarded because they were twins. My aunt remained a 'wild child'. My mom got religion. She recalls the strict, unreasonable policies and filth. One of the girls pass-times was combing lice nits out of each others hair.
My dear friend was shipped to a similar religious facility in the 70s. She ran to Ca and was raped by a trucker along the way. She says the rape was less traumatic than her experience at the facility.
The grandson of an acquaintance of mine was molested at a religious facility in central Texas recently. A lawsuit is pending.
I have nothing positive to say about the industry. I am still waiting to see a 'good' program. It's just damned hard to imagine that such a thing exists.
Rampant talking. When enough cases are brought to the publics attention I do believe most parents will choose against this option.
[ This Message was edited by: Deborah on 2005-11-09 20:06 ]