Pink Shirt Day

In my previous post I discussed the need to go big in order to solve global problems. In recognition of Pink Shirt Day I wanted to discuss how a simple idea has been so successful

Pink Shirt Day was started in Nova Scotia because a boy was bullied on the first day of school for wearing a pink shirt. To take a stand against bullying David Shepherd and Travis Price decided they would use a pink shirt to represent their campaign. After only a few years this symbol has become a national day of awareness. The reason for Pink Shirt Days success is first the low cost factor, as well as using students as volunteers.

Cost has always been a huge factor when designing an awareness campaign, with recent economic struggles and reduced funding to schools it is now imperative to the success of an initiative. By making Pink Shirt Day low cost it can easily be integrated into the school schedule because local schools do not have to commit funding to the cause.

However cost is only an issue on creating the campaign it is not the key influence on a successful message. Pink Shirt Days primary success comes from using possible future bullies in its operation. By getting students excited about anti-bullying messages you influence the individual not to bully another child this also influences the social circle of that student to stand behind the cause and putting an end to bullying.

As the saying goes you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. The number one reason for campaigns directed to youth failing is because more often than not they involve a speaker telling the student body what to do, how to think, and how to act. Instead we need to empower students to find their own solutions after all no one likes being told what to do. This fundamental of empowering users ensures that after the pink shirts are put away the message of anti-bullying will continue.

Global change, unified solution

I recently had the pleasure to meet the founder for Global Agents for Change a non-profit working to change the third world. What I was most intrigued by was how they were going to accomplish their goals through development of society, such as education in the 3rd world countries, and empowering the young people of our nation to come up with create ideas for change.

Taking this idea one step further I related the causes of turmoil in the 3rd world to the key causes of childhood abuse, poor education, poverty, and lack or limit of basic human needs. All these issues occur in the 3rd world just as they do in the nations we call home. What this means is we need to solve the source, break the catalyst to break the chain. In my previous post I revealed statistics of over 100,000 cases in Canada alone... The demand to solve each case individually is huge. However, investing in community programs for adult education as well as maintaining and improving the level of funding for the future generations schooling will decrease poverty and remove two of the key causes for Child Abuse.

We are quickly approaching a global population of 7 billion people; some of our issues have grown too large to solve one water pump at a time. We need to unify our efforts and attack the key reasons people suffer, invest in a community, and invest in a national school program. In the issue of abuse out of the thousands of cases reported there are still many who are too afraid to speak. By using mass messaging we improve the chances of reaching that child. I challenge my readers to raise your voice and incite change, the use of word and media is the first step to a global solution.

Child abuse, todays greatest atrocity

April is national child abuse prevention month. The statistics are overwhelming with over 200,000 cases in 2003 according to the Canadian Incidence Study. However, a stat is just that its a number, and as such it is easily forgotten. I am a survivor of abuse, a face, not a number. Well putting together the initial post on this topic a friend asked if I was affected? I replied that I wasn't, not by circumstance but by choice... if I hope to incite change I must also show strength.

National child abuse prevention month is exactly that, its change. Although abuse occurs thousands of times a year throughout all nations of the world it is rarely discussed. We often hear "children are the future," then I ask what are we doing to protect the future?

Kids Help Phone, a non-profit organization consisting of web/phone short term counseling had 2.2million contacts in 2008 from Canadian kids, 23% of those contacts were in regards to Mental Health and currently the organizations website has just under 5000 entries under the violence & abuse forum.

The current generation is filled with a great courage, they have the strength to discuss and report abuse. Throughout the month I will discuss the types of abuse and how you can raise a voice in opposition towards this heinous crime.


Resources: Kids Help Phone
CIS child abuse report(PDF)
Image: Aidan Scott

Trauma breakthrough via Tetris

Well scanning various stories today on Kotaku I came across this new research in the field of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. An Oxford University research group took a group of volunteers and exposed them to video depicting various forms of traumatic events. After thirty minutes half the group played the video game Tetris, and the other half did nothing. The study showed significant reduction of traumatic experience in the volunteers who played Tetris.

How does it work? The left side of our brain is responsible for taking in data, this data is held for a short period until the brain amalgamates these senses together to make a long term memory and moves the data to the right side of our brain. By playing Tetris within six hours of the event the patients mind becomes overloaded and unable to retain all the details from the trauma reducing its affects.

Could video games be hidden solutions for other mental health conditions?

for further details see..
Oxford Study

Prosecution, beneficial to recovery?

Over the past months I have noticed an increase of news stories relating to sexual assault, and cases involving sexual abuse. This is unfortunately a double edged sword, on one side I am pleased to see this once back room topic being brought into the public eye. However, it is also heartbreaking that these stories exist in the first place.

The biggest story lately has surrounded the sexual assault case involving the Saskatchewan Rough Riders GM. In short the case surrounds an event that happened during the summer where Mr. Tillman allegedly assaulted his family’s 16 year old babysitter. For his defense Mr. Tillman brings up the fact that he was on a double dose of sleep aids and muscle relaxants. Where this case gets frustrating is the fact that Mr. Tillman openly pleads guilty in the end with a heartfelt apology to the victim, The Verdict? An absolute discharge, meaning there will be no record of the charge.

Seeing this story caused me to reflect back on my own recovery and whether prosecution hinders or aids in recovery. In my situation the case did not reach a court room, that isn't to say the case was quickly dismissed. In fact, the constable overseeing the case investigated for over a year and had multiple interviews with my mother, as well as third parties. However, the first issue with assault cases involving sex is that the activity has no witnesses. Unlike physical assault, which can happen in the public eye, sexual abuse is closed door. This creates an almost impossible case for a defense lawyer because it’s a matter of "he said, she said."

For me, the courage It took to tell the police what had happened was a step forward in my recovery. The fact that I was breaking the silence to a secret we had taken fault to for so many years, and then being told that not only was it not our fault but in fact an illegal action for our perpetrator. Although it still took several months to confidently say,
"It's not my fault"
I still consider this initial event to be a major player in my inevitable acceptance in what had happened.

On the other side of the blade was pain, and confusion for I had been told the actions done to me where a crime and yet a year later that same constable had to tell me the case had ended due to lack of substantial evidence. When I remember how I felt that day I can guess just how painful this recent verdict was for that girl.

In conclusion, the legal system will never be perfect because humans are an un-perfect system. Does prosecution benefit the victim? Yes, as long as they are at the right stage and willing to accept both plausible outcomes. Although her case was not won, the fact it was in the media could give courage to another girl to come forward. We are in a generation filled with bravery, never before have so many males and females stood up and shouted,
"We will not be ashamed of who we are, we will be heard, we will break the chains of abuse, and we will not let you go un-noticed any longer!"
Now that I have been able to understand my abuse I have made it a personal mission to pay my courage forward so that others will also speak out. That being said we hope society can see through the legal system for what this case truly signifies, which is change.

The Preventative Option

I recently began doing presentations in schools to raise awareness for Kids Help Phone and to create interest in the organizations Student Ambassador program. After one of my presentations a student brought up a very interesting point, he wondered why an organization like Kids Help Phone is not government funded? This initiated a short conversation in regards to possible cost savings in preventative therapy.

As someone who has seen both youth and adult systems I know the strength and weakness of both. In the adult system the primary purpose seems to be damage control consisting primarily through medication and overloaded inpatient programs that seem to be a black hole for patient negativity. Alternatively the youth system focuses on moving forward through issues and finding solutions. Is a patient for 10 years not far more cost effective then an adult who will need care for the rest of their life?

We need to develop our youth programs so kids can have a future tomorrow. The current generation is talking about issues never before brought before the public eye. Topics like male sexual abuse, Suicide, and sexual preference are no longer swept under societies mat, instead it is being challenged demanding change. To improve the health system of tomorrow funding and program development is required now in the resources responsible for assisting youth.