Fornits

Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora
An open discussion about the troubled parent industry

Events of violence and abuse in one's past (or present) are linked to health consequences that can endure for a lifetime. An emergency medicine physician at The Academy on Violence and Abuse (http://http://www.avahealth.org) has documented the effects of violence and abuse on nearly every system of the body: cardiovascular health, allergies, neurological, OB-GYN, mental health, chronic pain and more. The AVA finds that medical practitioners rarely investigate whether a patient's, oh, say, heart disease might have its origins in the stress effects of abuse in the patient's past--nor do practioners tend to know how to treat it. This is an emerging field in medical practice, and more research is needed.

My purpose in posting this is so that survivors may be informed that present-day health problems may result from past abuse and violence.  

See a (complicated) diagram of health effects here:
http://http://www.avahealth.org/vertical/Sites/%7B75FA0828-D713-4580-A29D-257F315BB94F%7D/uploads/%7B6B9D42D0-4DC8-46E2-AF5D-8E556D1BD12C%7D.PDF

Important study call the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES) that proved the link between adverse experiences in childhood, and health and behavioral outcomes later in life:
http://http://www.acestudy.org/

Feel free to PM me with questions, if you prefer.

Auntie Em

I'm glad to hear this. The GAO investigations of abuse, maltreatment and death of teens in residential programs have been enormously helpful to advocates for protecting teens, and damning to the industry. The GAO has also documented the widespread use of deceptive marketing practices by the wildly profitable "troubled teen" industry, and the abuses and death caused by use of seclusion and restraint in such programs.

Here are some links:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08146t.pdf
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08713t.pdf
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09719t.pdf

The investigations led to passage of HR-911.

Auntie Em

I believe deeply in justice and restitution for the harm that survivors have endured, but as you might guess, I can't support acts of violence. Revenge looks good in the movies, but in reality, when you hurt others you actually pay a great emotional price yourself. I know I sound like an old geezer here, and I know many won't agree, but in my experience, you can't make the hurt go away by generating more hurt.

I don't mean to touch off a debate--how can I blame people for raging at injustice?--so just take my advice or leave it, and know that I have great compassion for survivors for all the abuse, maltreatment, neglect and death that teens are subjected to in these programs. Be well, and find some peace through living a good life.

"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places." -- Ernest Hemingway

Auntie Em

I can't comment based on personal experience in a program, but I feel like you might open yourself to being hurt again. I would give some thought as to what exactly you want from this person or persons. If you are hoping they will apologize or say "Yes, we mistreated you," or be concerned about the long-term consequences of the abuse you suffered in the program, then I think you're probably shopping in the wrong store, and may be disappointed or hurt. If that risk is okay/worth it, and you still hope for the possibiity of a good outcome or dialogue, then maybe start by saying that you've recently spent some time thinking about your time in the program and wondered if they would want to talk with you further about it. Have some questions ready so that you can guide the conversation, rather than leaving it in their hands.

Take care.

Auntie Em

"Soul murder." That's a powerful image. It has seemed that way to me, too, from the outside looking in. And what legitimate therapist would blame the victim? That's soooo 1880's.

Dr. Phillip Zimbardo, known for the Stanford Prison Experiment of the 70's and author more recently of The Lucifer Effect, observes that all abuse is the misappropriation/misuse of power. Staff in most programs have SO much power over teens that it is a recipe for abuse--just as was found in the Stanford Prison Experiment http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment.  

Em

My experience was that my niece told the truth about her family/family dynamics, and her honesty got her sent to a program.

Meanwhile her parents were the liars and manipulators who, for example, lied to my niece and told her they were going on a family vacation, when in fact she was handed over to goons who transported her to a program. My niece was honest about being angry that they did this to her, while her parents wanted her to lie about her feelings and say she liked and needed the program.

Her parents lied to all of us when they said she would only be there for a few months, when she was there for more than 3 years with no home visit (although in fairness, I don't know if this was a lie told to them by the program). The program also told a whopper when they diagnosed her, absurdly, with Asperger's (she did not and does not have the symptoms).

Manipulation and lies were tools the parents and the program used to force conformity, while honesty and truth got my niece sent there and kept there.

Psy, I trust you and Ginger.

Current Location:  580 North Main Street, Parowan, Utah  84761
Owners/Directors:  Travis Milne, Keith Burgess, Cory Krandall
Phone:  435-477-9167

Apparently was previously known as Lost and Found Youth Academy.
680 West 300 South, Milford Utah  84751 435-387-2223
Relocated 11/6/09.  

Please help if you can.

Auntie Em