I love it when the survivors of an abusive program, camp or school speak up about the abuse they encountered in the name of "help and therapy." Keep on talking. TRUTH heals!!
After my daughter died, two more children died in the same state (Utah), within a four year period of time. I attended both trials. I interviewed some of the kids who were called to testify of the abuses inflicted upon them. During the negligent homicide trial of one of the kids, I talked with two boys who had been abused in the same program. They both opened their shirts and showed me their scars from being thrown around and landing on rocks. These boys were put on the stand and I watched as the defense attorneys used their past to discredit their testimonies.
I can certainly understand the anger of the kids who were in an abusive program, camp or school and nothing was ever said or done to vindicate them. But I know that TRUTH does heal. I prayed for the TRUTH about what happened to my daughter and I was given more TRUTH than I needed. We did sue, but that wasn't enough. I wanted to see the industry that allowed my child to die a torturous, preventable death, become what they SOLD to our family, and our daughter, or get out of the business of abusing children in the name of MONEY!
I didn't know of the "window of loss" that exists in this industry that says of each child who dies, "We lost ONE, but we are saving many." I also didn't know of the "fatal mind-set" that looks upon our so-called out of control troubled teens as fakers, whiners and manipulators. I think this industry is more out of control and troubled than our youth.
I want you to know, there are people out here who are fighting for laws to protect kids from the same such experience as you encountered.
The Mission and Goal of the Michelle Sutton Memorial Fund, Inc. is to improve the quality of care in this lucrative industry, while seeing to it that a level of expectation is in place and enforced. Prosecute the perpetrator. Fine the entity for the act of those who abused the child.
I hope to see the SURVIVORS of Wilderness Therapy/Behavior Modification Schools have a Forum of their own.
I think you would be a great moderator.
Keep on talking :smile:
What are politicians going to tell people when the Constitution is gone and we still have a drug problem?
--William Simpson
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MSMEMFUND
"Campsafety is Everyone's Business"
[ This Message was edited by: cmpsfty on 2004-05-17 00:01 ]