I once knew a DHS employee that worked with sex crimes, particularly with elected leaders, and they told me that child sex trafficking was rampant in DC. I was dumbfounded and refused to believe it (over a decade ago). They described to me what some people did to children and nearly vomited just hearing what they did to them.
Years later, I was looking at a forensics job with the CHP, and talked to someone in my church who worked with them, and he told me that I should only consider the job after knowing what I would likely find in that job, and he described in vague terms what I would find. I thanked him, and declined the job, being a father of five myself.
Tim Ballard began Operation Underground Railroad ( https://ourrescue.org/ ), and as an early donator, asked him about volunteering in some way, and he described what I'd find, and I told him I just couldn't do it. He said he understood, and thanked me for the ongoing donations.
Tim describes some of his own PTSD regarding this in this interview with Jordan Peterson. (Jim Caviezel, who plays Tim Ballard in the new movie Sound of Freedom, is also interviewed).
In the 12 years since I first learned of (and denied in disbelief) these crimes, they have become so openly pushed and promoted, and today adults openly prey upon children, sexualizing them, exposing them to adult sexual themes in schools, and openly brag that they are coming for our children.
My God, this is approaching the level of evil of Sodom and Gomorrah, where even the crowds went to Lot's door in an attempt to rape guests who were there (angels), in an attempt to appease them, offered to let them rape his own family members in lieu of raping the angels.
I applaud all who will stand up, point out the perpetrators, and help prosecute them.
These (God's) children are not for sale. And it's appropriate that the metaphor that it would be better that a millstone be hung around the necks of those who abuse these little children be mentioned in preference to the judgement they would receive from God as viewed in the bible.
That said, please go watch "Sound of Freedom", which is the story of Tim Ballard going after child sex traffickers. It is very well done and just came out in theaters. https://angel.com/freedom
late edit: In the time since I wrote this, I watched this incredible interview with Jim Caviezel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8qZ7QfKcjg It touches on his faith, and the purpose of his life - as he asked God to help him find it. He speaks of his prior roles, including that of Jesus Christ on Passion of the Christ, his near death experience, and about his experience making this movie. He says he has upcoming roles in a 2nd passion of the Christ movie and Sound of Freedom 2.
It is evil. Whatever spirits were ruling in that story are trying to rule again. I am shocked by how subservient many people have become in that respect.
If you want to learn more about what is really going on, I HIGHLY recommend you have a conversation with Max Lowen, and also look at her website: https://unbroken.global
She is a survivor, a therapist and a very intelligent, articulate and compassionate woman. That particular darkness is much bigger and more entrenched than you might think.
I just watched the interview. I am so glad you got together. Superlative does not even come close. She is amazing, isn't she? I hope the reach of the WCH,and everyone sharing, will get this information out there and raise the awareness it needs to precipitate action. It is tough when you first hear it, but far worse for the children and only we, collectively, can save them, so we need to know. Just to say, although there is a strong focus on the abuse of girls and young women, boys also are treated in exactly the same way. And not a small number of them, either. And a lot of the adult survivors are living devastated lives, as Max describes. There's a chap in Scotland, name of Dave Sharp, who just barely survived this kind of thing in the care system in Scotland, which, like most care systems, is a trafficker's idea of heaven, as j. savile and his friends knew only too well. Dave is fighting for all survivors and is also worth talking to. He is on twitter @davesharp59 His voice needs to be heard as well and he speaks for so very many..
CONSENTING ADULTS - Do what you want, But kids are to be left alone.
——————————-
The two points that Glen Greenwald made, that I really was hoping to express were 1) that he was pointing out that the liberal ‘gay’ agenda, upon achieving all their goals a few years ago of legalized gay marriage, we’re forced to move on to a ‘Stretch’ goal. The first went to., according to Glen, supporting transvestites, which really didn’t cause much friction because nobody really cares, but then when they started ‘Going after the kids’ they successfully hit a hot button!!! His point was that the organizations pushing gay rights WERE ‘ FORCED’ to go for more radical agendas, having succeeded with the first one, because if they didn’t, their budgets and salaries and livelihoods would dwindle. Likewise, the CIA had their own motivations, to curry favor with those organizations.
Greenwald’s point about the San Francisco Gay, men’s choir song, ‘We are coming for your children’ was that now that they had the power of the feds on their side, they were more than happy to rub it in the face of their opponents
My apologies.... my link for the song didn’t work. Please paste these words into your YouTube browser.
"A Message From the Gay Community"
Performed by the San Francisco Gay Men's
Chorus - YouTube
It is worth the watch. Very beautiful song, for sure, but clearly written and performed to make a ‘joke’, ‘threat’, ‘insult’ perhaps. Certainly TAUNTING.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. It certainly IS eye-opening. Glad to have another reason to point out the Supreme Court was wrong to assume the pretense of gays' assimilating into society and "married life" was a sincere goal. Wrong is wrong. You cannot litigate it into legitimacy or acceptance. IMO.
I didn't really pay much attention to the story until I met a retiring RCMP officer whose beat was human trafficking. So I started looking into it and it inevitably led to an awareness of the sex crimes that feed much of it. Which has now led to the present and schools that are allowing younger and younger children to be exposed to all kinds of sexually explicit material, as if grooming them to be unable to discern right and wrong in this respect. And teachers, school administrators and politicians enabling this process.
More about Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad on this website, incl. a store with a lot of merchandise as another way to support (other than fx a donation) and raise awareness, some made by survivors: https://ourrescue.org/
Yes! Billions of children, globally become prey, every year. No more so than in conflict areas, where there are fewer questions asked. Haiti, Dafour, previously, cambodia, vietnam, etc. The ridiculous Ukraine war, is partially to allow a continued supply (I would also be very interested know what blackmail Zelensky has on Biden and co, but that is pure speculation). Yes, it happens in non-conflict areas as well. The point is, the monster under the bed is real, it's hungry and its gotten bigger every year.
Partially, because we turn away. We need to be stronger. Not continue to enable these atrocities to happen.
We each chose to be on this planet, at this particular time, this tells me, it's because we ARE strong enough to face this and protect the little children, who grow up to be adults. What kind of adults do you want for the future?
Thank you Dr T, for being honest with yourself and supporters and brave enough to draw attention to these children.👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏🎩🎩
You need to learn the characteristics of sociopaths and psychopaths. They give themselves away but it can take time to see them. A quick indication for some is virtue signalling and signalling harmlessness. Also an interest in kids, no matter how polite and generous, which doesn't befit an adult who doesn't directly care for that child. Also disturbing or disruptive behaviour by kids. Kids generally don't tell because they fear what will happen if it goes wrong. They also might have told but were dismissed, told off, ignored etc. So they may stop trying after that. They might also be threatened to not tell. They may show avoidant, unusually quiet behaviour. Some are never asked. So ask.
Perpetrators get away with crimes because people enable them. Everywhere. People don't listen to reports from kids because it is too much paperwork, socially awkward, not their problem or give too much benefit of the doubt to the perp. This betrays the kids because adults feelings matter more than the kids. This is the harsh truth. And kids suffer because of it. When adults face up to that, take responsibility and become courageous, things might change. The last 3 years have shown us most adults are cowards and they are offended if told so, rather than taking responsibility.
My husband showed no unusual interest in children. Not even his own. I was his perfect cover because I was in perfect shape and attractive. After a while I had women coming to the house asking me to leave him because he was having an affair with them. They were always older than me and unattractive. Obese! He fought me 7 years in divorce court after I filed. After a while I noticed they had one thing in common. A young daughter. Once they came to me he ended the affair. When he was dying at age 47 he admitted he was sick. I am always suspicious now when I'm told a man has invited a drug addict and her daughter, or son, to live with him. True there are "tells". Often one has to be upclose to detect them. Sadly most children molested do not recover without help.
People can be unwitting enablers when naive. Then they never forget once they know and should act. It is those who are or become witting enablers who assist a perpetrator to get away with it. Well done on working out the patterns.
Thank you and thank you for all your incredible bravery and following your moral compass. Thank you for forging ahead to create an alternative health system. Such a clever idea. I did not get to be a doctor because of my abuse. I wish I could have. I still very much enjoy delving deep into biochemistry and cell biology. SARS COV 2 has been both awful and fascinating. I have learnt a lot more immunology and ways to stay healthy. Ways to manipulate inflammatory pathways etc. I have more peace of mind about combatting illness.
As someone who married a child molester I can assure you no one ever suspected. He was handsome and charismatic. Women flocked to him. I have asked his best friends if there was any indication. None? I was also a victim at age 6. A stranger held a knife at my throat while he tried to molest me. My mother said it was my own fault. The clergy raped children and no one suspected, probably since the start of the Church
To pretend they can be identified is putting people at ease. As my Mom once said, often a relative or family friend. As for the brutal rape of a baby. My nieghbour, a nurse. told me about a baby brought to ER because the father put his penis in her mouth. Liked the sucking sensation. In our inner cities babies are sent home with 14 year old drug addicted mothers. Children can't vote! Few politicians care. I was a volunteer witj DCFS in Chicago. Underfunded. Those babies are unprotected. Much like those who come unaccompanied across our border. I pray every night fir all children to be protected from the evil in men.
I understand that. Probably far worse in poor countries. If available watch BBC Doc. "THE DANCEING BOYS OF AFGHANISTAN " I donated to help save the male child.
May I also call attention to the horrors of state child protection agencies and courts returning children into the "care" of abusive parents and guardians.
I pray for our children of the world, everyday, all day - dear Lord deliver us from evil & protect our precious, innocent, sacred children. Keep them in your Love LIght & guard & protect them. I will never stop speaking TRUTH to the evilness of what is being exposed ...
This is the real epidemic and it mirrors much of what happens in all places and spaces. As it comes to light and we digest and take action so much will shift and is shifting.
Unfathomable. And yet we have the evidence. Such darkness of heart. Pray for the Light to engage these souls and rouse them from their assault on the innocents.
As a Therapist (private), I too have encountered stories of child sexual assault that goes beyond the bounds of what most people can cope with knowing. When children are abused in this way, the compounding effects leak into all areas of their life.
I have also worked with parents who are traumatised when they discover their own child had been abused. Sadly too many parent choose to turn away from the truth, this also compounds the trauma. Even in adulthood if a grown child shares what happened, the parents reaction can either help them in their recovery or push them further into trauma.
People have asked me for the nearly two and half decades I've been in my field of work, how do I cope. My response is twofold, one that I know the tools and techniques I use are life changing and can not only help recovery from PTSD but help the traumatised person develop new life enhancing beliefs and behaviours that elevate their sense of self beyond what those early experiences taught them. Knowing this changes the meaning I give to the content of the work. It is also possible to do deep work without having to dive into the details.
Secondly that using those techniques actually allows me to avoid any potential trauma from baring witness. To explain in my work I am utilising Hypnotherapy as an analytical tool in combination with many effective tools to treat trauma, I have encountered many stories.
There was a time when the pain of knowing this is happening in every type of household, in every culture, that selling their own child is something way too many pedophiles do and that gang rape of a young person can continue into their adult life as the conditioning is so powerful they are unable to detach acceptable reality from their abusers behaviours. I could not believe that there is not more exposure of these 'hidden' activities in the media. Highlighting it won't stop it immediately but it will activate people's senses to become more aware and follow any intuitive concerns they might previously have avoided. Given those who work in the social services world, also know there is corruption and abusers in areas of law and governance - protects the abusers and continues the sick behaviours.
In my own childhood we knew of a friends sister who was trafficked to local pedophiles at the market. In most people's childhood they would know of someone who was considered 'odd'. Someone they wouldn't want to be alone with. Making this a more public conversation will make it easier for children to share their concerns and for parents to be more mindful.
Tackling porn as you say Tess, is very very important. It is and it can be a 'gateway drug' to something know to be addictive.
It is well known that when in a highly aroused state, like all addictive behaviours, the effect of the content viewers are exposed to can 'wear off'. Those affected would then seek more and more graphic imagery. That's how people who had no propensity to pedophilia can find themselves embroiled in this world and unable to share the problem, they remain stuck. It is also how those who were themselves abused, can find themselves slipping into the world that traumatised them!
They need specific 12 step support systems like those set up for other addicts to recovery. In this instance, they need more support and monitoring.
Stronger sentencing and an abolishment of all hard porn. When I grew up, titillating images of naked bodies was the limit. Somehow the disgusting content now available online has been permitted. Yet there is enough evidence (has been for a long time!) of how harmful this is.
I have many thoughts on this subject and I'm hopeful there may be avenues where more in the medical and therapeutic world can collaborate and put pressure on the right people in the right places to protect children!
I once knew a DHS employee that worked with sex crimes, particularly with elected leaders, and they told me that child sex trafficking was rampant in DC. I was dumbfounded and refused to believe it (over a decade ago). They described to me what some people did to children and nearly vomited just hearing what they did to them.
Years later, I was looking at a forensics job with the CHP, and talked to someone in my church who worked with them, and he told me that I should only consider the job after knowing what I would likely find in that job, and he described in vague terms what I would find. I thanked him, and declined the job, being a father of five myself.
Tim Ballard began Operation Underground Railroad ( https://ourrescue.org/ ), and as an early donator, asked him about volunteering in some way, and he described what I'd find, and I told him I just couldn't do it. He said he understood, and thanked me for the ongoing donations.
Tim describes some of his own PTSD regarding this in this interview with Jordan Peterson. (Jim Caviezel, who plays Tim Ballard in the new movie Sound of Freedom, is also interviewed).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTBGNEliczc
In the 12 years since I first learned of (and denied in disbelief) these crimes, they have become so openly pushed and promoted, and today adults openly prey upon children, sexualizing them, exposing them to adult sexual themes in schools, and openly brag that they are coming for our children.
My God, this is approaching the level of evil of Sodom and Gomorrah, where even the crowds went to Lot's door in an attempt to rape guests who were there (angels), in an attempt to appease them, offered to let them rape his own family members in lieu of raping the angels.
I applaud all who will stand up, point out the perpetrators, and help prosecute them.
These (God's) children are not for sale. And it's appropriate that the metaphor that it would be better that a millstone be hung around the necks of those who abuse these little children be mentioned in preference to the judgement they would receive from God as viewed in the bible.
That said, please go watch "Sound of Freedom", which is the story of Tim Ballard going after child sex traffickers. It is very well done and just came out in theaters. https://angel.com/freedom
late edit: In the time since I wrote this, I watched this incredible interview with Jim Caviezel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8qZ7QfKcjg It touches on his faith, and the purpose of his life - as he asked God to help him find it. He speaks of his prior roles, including that of Jesus Christ on Passion of the Christ, his near death experience, and about his experience making this movie. He says he has upcoming roles in a 2nd passion of the Christ movie and Sound of Freedom 2.
It is evil. Whatever spirits were ruling in that story are trying to rule again. I am shocked by how subservient many people have become in that respect.
I bought seven tickets paying it forward and two tickets for my best friend and me for tomorrow.
If you want to learn more about what is really going on, I HIGHLY recommend you have a conversation with Max Lowen, and also look at her website: https://unbroken.global
She is a survivor, a therapist and a very intelligent, articulate and compassionate woman. That particular darkness is much bigger and more entrenched than you might think.
Thank you for sign-posting, Margaret. I will see if Max has time to speak with me for a Tess Talks.
I just watched the interview. I am so glad you got together. Superlative does not even come close. She is amazing, isn't she? I hope the reach of the WCH,and everyone sharing, will get this information out there and raise the awareness it needs to precipitate action. It is tough when you first hear it, but far worse for the children and only we, collectively, can save them, so we need to know. Just to say, although there is a strong focus on the abuse of girls and young women, boys also are treated in exactly the same way. And not a small number of them, either. And a lot of the adult survivors are living devastated lives, as Max describes. There's a chap in Scotland, name of Dave Sharp, who just barely survived this kind of thing in the care system in Scotland, which, like most care systems, is a trafficker's idea of heaven, as j. savile and his friends knew only too well. Dave is fighting for all survivors and is also worth talking to. He is on twitter @davesharp59 His voice needs to be heard as well and he speaks for so very many..
When we walk in honor, we heal the shame that was done to us. God Bless you Tess for doing the hard work of walking that path.
IMPORTANT PLEASE WATCH- very eye opening...
- These two links need to be watched, one after the other, to get a good understanding of what is going on.
1. Glen Greenwald
How Powerful US Institutions Co-Opted the 2SLGTBQIA+ Movement | Locals Q+A
https://rumble.com/v2tk38w-how-powerful-us-institutions-co-opted-the-2slgtbqia-movement-locals-q-a.html
2. This is the song that he refers to in his comments:
"A Message From the Gay Community"
Performed by the San Francisco Gay Men's
Chorus - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
CONSENTING ADULTS - Do what you want, But kids are to be left alone.
——————————-
The two points that Glen Greenwald made, that I really was hoping to express were 1) that he was pointing out that the liberal ‘gay’ agenda, upon achieving all their goals a few years ago of legalized gay marriage, we’re forced to move on to a ‘Stretch’ goal. The first went to., according to Glen, supporting transvestites, which really didn’t cause much friction because nobody really cares, but then when they started ‘Going after the kids’ they successfully hit a hot button!!! His point was that the organizations pushing gay rights WERE ‘ FORCED’ to go for more radical agendas, having succeeded with the first one, because if they didn’t, their budgets and salaries and livelihoods would dwindle. Likewise, the CIA had their own motivations, to curry favor with those organizations.
Greenwald’s point about the San Francisco Gay, men’s choir song, ‘We are coming for your children’ was that now that they had the power of the feds on their side, they were more than happy to rub it in the face of their opponents
My apologies.... my link for the song didn’t work. Please paste these words into your YouTube browser.
"A Message From the Gay Community"
Performed by the San Francisco Gay Men's
Chorus - YouTube
It is worth the watch. Very beautiful song, for sure, but clearly written and performed to make a ‘joke’, ‘threat’, ‘insult’ perhaps. Certainly TAUNTING.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. It certainly IS eye-opening. Glad to have another reason to point out the Supreme Court was wrong to assume the pretense of gays' assimilating into society and "married life" was a sincere goal. Wrong is wrong. You cannot litigate it into legitimacy or acceptance. IMO.
“There is no right way to do a wrong thing”
Alan Keyes at the Republican Nat’l Convention 1992
It is not the gay community. They are just as horrified as everyone else.
Some of them
When i went to a womens rehab 13 years ago all but 3 were sexually abused as children. I have never looked at an addict the same.
I didn't really pay much attention to the story until I met a retiring RCMP officer whose beat was human trafficking. So I started looking into it and it inevitably led to an awareness of the sex crimes that feed much of it. Which has now led to the present and schools that are allowing younger and younger children to be exposed to all kinds of sexually explicit material, as if grooming them to be unable to discern right and wrong in this respect. And teachers, school administrators and politicians enabling this process.
More about Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad on this website, incl. a store with a lot of merchandise as another way to support (other than fx a donation) and raise awareness, some made by survivors: https://ourrescue.org/
The penalty for sexually abusing young children should be, at minimum, castration. Life in prison and execution should also be considered.
I don’t believe any “rehab” is possible; too degenerate for that.
I've already put one in jail.
Yes! Billions of children, globally become prey, every year. No more so than in conflict areas, where there are fewer questions asked. Haiti, Dafour, previously, cambodia, vietnam, etc. The ridiculous Ukraine war, is partially to allow a continued supply (I would also be very interested know what blackmail Zelensky has on Biden and co, but that is pure speculation). Yes, it happens in non-conflict areas as well. The point is, the monster under the bed is real, it's hungry and its gotten bigger every year.
Partially, because we turn away. We need to be stronger. Not continue to enable these atrocities to happen.
We each chose to be on this planet, at this particular time, this tells me, it's because we ARE strong enough to face this and protect the little children, who grow up to be adults. What kind of adults do you want for the future?
Thank you Dr T, for being honest with yourself and supporters and brave enough to draw attention to these children.👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏🎩🎩
Yes, each new generation is a product of the previous one1
Not billions but still far far too many. Two million
Thank you for helping us face the sobering horror these innocents endure .. So unimaginable to everyday folk .. because we wouldn’t
tread there .
As upsetting as it is we need to hear specifics as to what’s done to these children . It’s Reality .
God bless you Dr.Tess
Sadly in the USA these men move around us as "ordinary folk".
Margaret - Agreed ! I almost used the term “normal” there .... Those predators are chameleons...
I am all for executing them .
You need to learn the characteristics of sociopaths and psychopaths. They give themselves away but it can take time to see them. A quick indication for some is virtue signalling and signalling harmlessness. Also an interest in kids, no matter how polite and generous, which doesn't befit an adult who doesn't directly care for that child. Also disturbing or disruptive behaviour by kids. Kids generally don't tell because they fear what will happen if it goes wrong. They also might have told but were dismissed, told off, ignored etc. So they may stop trying after that. They might also be threatened to not tell. They may show avoidant, unusually quiet behaviour. Some are never asked. So ask.
Perpetrators get away with crimes because people enable them. Everywhere. People don't listen to reports from kids because it is too much paperwork, socially awkward, not their problem or give too much benefit of the doubt to the perp. This betrays the kids because adults feelings matter more than the kids. This is the harsh truth. And kids suffer because of it. When adults face up to that, take responsibility and become courageous, things might change. The last 3 years have shown us most adults are cowards and they are offended if told so, rather than taking responsibility.
Thank you for sharing your insights, Arianne.
My husband showed no unusual interest in children. Not even his own. I was his perfect cover because I was in perfect shape and attractive. After a while I had women coming to the house asking me to leave him because he was having an affair with them. They were always older than me and unattractive. Obese! He fought me 7 years in divorce court after I filed. After a while I noticed they had one thing in common. A young daughter. Once they came to me he ended the affair. When he was dying at age 47 he admitted he was sick. I am always suspicious now when I'm told a man has invited a drug addict and her daughter, or son, to live with him. True there are "tells". Often one has to be upclose to detect them. Sadly most children molested do not recover without help.
People can be unwitting enablers when naive. Then they never forget once they know and should act. It is those who are or become witting enablers who assist a perpetrator to get away with it. Well done on working out the patterns.
Thank you and thank you for all your incredible bravery and following your moral compass. Thank you for forging ahead to create an alternative health system. Such a clever idea. I did not get to be a doctor because of my abuse. I wish I could have. I still very much enjoy delving deep into biochemistry and cell biology. SARS COV 2 has been both awful and fascinating. I have learnt a lot more immunology and ways to stay healthy. Ways to manipulate inflammatory pathways etc. I have more peace of mind about combatting illness.
As someone who married a child molester I can assure you no one ever suspected. He was handsome and charismatic. Women flocked to him. I have asked his best friends if there was any indication. None? I was also a victim at age 6. A stranger held a knife at my throat while he tried to molest me. My mother said it was my own fault. The clergy raped children and no one suspected, probably since the start of the Church
To pretend they can be identified is putting people at ease. As my Mom once said, often a relative or family friend. As for the brutal rape of a baby. My nieghbour, a nurse. told me about a baby brought to ER because the father put his penis in her mouth. Liked the sucking sensation. In our inner cities babies are sent home with 14 year old drug addicted mothers. Children can't vote! Few politicians care. I was a volunteer witj DCFS in Chicago. Underfunded. Those babies are unprotected. Much like those who come unaccompanied across our border. I pray every night fir all children to be protected from the evil in men.
No reason to restrict the condemnation; it's all over the world.
I understand that. Probably far worse in poor countries. If available watch BBC Doc. "THE DANCEING BOYS OF AFGHANISTAN " I donated to help save the male child.
May I also call attention to the horrors of state child protection agencies and courts returning children into the "care" of abusive parents and guardians.
I pray for our children of the world, everyday, all day - dear Lord deliver us from evil & protect our precious, innocent, sacred children. Keep them in your Love LIght & guard & protect them. I will never stop speaking TRUTH to the evilness of what is being exposed ...
This is the real epidemic and it mirrors much of what happens in all places and spaces. As it comes to light and we digest and take action so much will shift and is shifting.
Bless Your Heart Dr. Tess... Can't fathom, am trying. Moving post!
Unfathomable. And yet we have the evidence. Such darkness of heart. Pray for the Light to engage these souls and rouse them from their assault on the innocents.
As a Therapist (private), I too have encountered stories of child sexual assault that goes beyond the bounds of what most people can cope with knowing. When children are abused in this way, the compounding effects leak into all areas of their life.
I have also worked with parents who are traumatised when they discover their own child had been abused. Sadly too many parent choose to turn away from the truth, this also compounds the trauma. Even in adulthood if a grown child shares what happened, the parents reaction can either help them in their recovery or push them further into trauma.
People have asked me for the nearly two and half decades I've been in my field of work, how do I cope. My response is twofold, one that I know the tools and techniques I use are life changing and can not only help recovery from PTSD but help the traumatised person develop new life enhancing beliefs and behaviours that elevate their sense of self beyond what those early experiences taught them. Knowing this changes the meaning I give to the content of the work. It is also possible to do deep work without having to dive into the details.
Secondly that using those techniques actually allows me to avoid any potential trauma from baring witness. To explain in my work I am utilising Hypnotherapy as an analytical tool in combination with many effective tools to treat trauma, I have encountered many stories.
There was a time when the pain of knowing this is happening in every type of household, in every culture, that selling their own child is something way too many pedophiles do and that gang rape of a young person can continue into their adult life as the conditioning is so powerful they are unable to detach acceptable reality from their abusers behaviours. I could not believe that there is not more exposure of these 'hidden' activities in the media. Highlighting it won't stop it immediately but it will activate people's senses to become more aware and follow any intuitive concerns they might previously have avoided. Given those who work in the social services world, also know there is corruption and abusers in areas of law and governance - protects the abusers and continues the sick behaviours.
In my own childhood we knew of a friends sister who was trafficked to local pedophiles at the market. In most people's childhood they would know of someone who was considered 'odd'. Someone they wouldn't want to be alone with. Making this a more public conversation will make it easier for children to share their concerns and for parents to be more mindful.
Tackling porn as you say Tess, is very very important. It is and it can be a 'gateway drug' to something know to be addictive.
It is well known that when in a highly aroused state, like all addictive behaviours, the effect of the content viewers are exposed to can 'wear off'. Those affected would then seek more and more graphic imagery. That's how people who had no propensity to pedophilia can find themselves embroiled in this world and unable to share the problem, they remain stuck. It is also how those who were themselves abused, can find themselves slipping into the world that traumatised them!
They need specific 12 step support systems like those set up for other addicts to recovery. In this instance, they need more support and monitoring.
Stronger sentencing and an abolishment of all hard porn. When I grew up, titillating images of naked bodies was the limit. Somehow the disgusting content now available online has been permitted. Yet there is enough evidence (has been for a long time!) of how harmful this is.
I have many thoughts on this subject and I'm hopeful there may be avenues where more in the medical and therapeutic world can collaborate and put pressure on the right people in the right places to protect children!