Each year, an estimated 3.4 million people are victims of stalking in the United States, according to a Bureau of Justice Statistics report. That amounts to around 1.4% of the total population. In 75% of cases, the victims know the stalker in some way. Only in 10% of cases is the stalker a stranger. Continue reading “Stalkers: Not Just for Celebrities”
Category: Adam Goldfein Show
Facebook is Watching You
Do you want your current geographic location a matter of public record? A new Facebook App did just that before being pulled a day later. The worst part is that the app was never even formally announced. Continue reading “Facebook is Watching You”
Spoiled Adults Have Spoiled Kids
By comparing the standard of living and the consumerism of 1980 and today, it is easy to see that we simply have more stuff now. Since we, as adults, have more, it is only natural that our children have more. The difference is that adults remember a time when they had less, when for kids this is all they know. Continue reading “Spoiled Adults Have Spoiled Kids”
“I Want It Now”
Kids are expensive. No one can argue with that. But are they less expensive than we think? Are we spending more on our kids than we have to? Are we spoiling them? Continue reading ““I Want It Now””
Who Owns the Air?
The central argument over the right to smoke versus the right to have “smoke free air” is an issue of property rights, i.e. who owns the air. In a public place, all citizens have equal rights to the air, just like they have equal access to the land and facilities. Continue reading “Who Owns the Air?”
Smoking Around Your Kids
City Councilwoman Joyce Sheperd, who is co-sponsoring legislation which would ban all smoking in Atlanta parks, was quoted in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as saying, “I’m amazed that people will smoke around children and not think twice about it.” She implies that the ban will provide a protection to children, which is currently needed. Let’s examine the validity of that argument, whether such a protection is, in fact, needed and whether the government is in a position to provide that protection effectively. Continue reading “Smoking Around Your Kids”
Atlanta Considers Cigarette Ban in All Public Parks
The Atlanta City Council is currently considering a ban on cigarette smoking in all public parks within the city. The Council heard public comments on the matter today. Continue reading “Atlanta Considers Cigarette Ban in All Public Parks”
Taxes for Some More than Others: Excise Taxes
In the U.S., national excise taxes are placed on fuels, tobacco, alcohol, tires, airline tickets, telephone calls, firearms, Tanning Salons, coal, heavy trucks, vaccines, ship voyages and air cargo. Some of these go toward services related to the industry, for example the TSA for airline tickets. Others go to the general fund. States have their own excise taxes, often on the same products. Taxes on gambling exist, for example the lottery tax. Additionally, excise taxes on sugar, pornography, prostitution and even on “bad” food have been proposed. These are on top of regular sales tax. Continue reading “Taxes for Some More than Others: Excise Taxes”
Does the Government Tax Us Into Good Behavior?
Don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t eat fatty foods, don’t drink sugary sodas and don’t hire prostitutes, or you’ll pay. This is the message the ever increasing number of “sin taxes” sends to the American people. It seems like a fair compromise, paying a little more to indulge in “bad” behavior. It’s like a parent telling their child, “Well you can have some ice cream, but first you have to clean your room.” But are we really just children who need to be told how to behave by a wiser older government? Continue reading “Does the Government Tax Us Into Good Behavior?”
Child Molestation is All Too Common
According to a 2006 National Institute of Justice report, 3.6% of women and 1.3% of men were raped when they were age 11 or younger. In 2010, there were 63,527 reported instances of child sexual abuse in the U.S, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Compare this to 9,100 deaths in car wrecks in 2009 for those 19 and younger, according to the CDC. You make sure your kid buckles up, but are you worried about who is watching them?
Child molestation is blight upon our society, and should be dealt with swiftly and justly. But what is left for the victims who must put the pieces back together? These events follow people for the rest of their lives, and getting over the incident is an ongoing struggle. Depression, self-loathing, flashbacks, selective memory loss and dissociation are all symptoms of a past child molestation experience. Repression, emotional insulation, rationalization, and intellectualization are common coping mechanisms.
The act of even admitting that abuse occurred is an extremely traumatic experience. Using the example of the Sandusky trial, it took years for the alleged victims to come forward, and testifying was a terrible experience. However, talking about it with a counselor or other trusted individual is crucial to the healing process. Even speaking with your general practitioner is important, as the diagnosis of other ailments such as migraines can change.
You also need to recognize poor coping habits, such as addictive behavior, drinking and fear of intimacy. Admitting both the incident and its effects are an important step toward recovery. Seeking psychiatric help is a good option for making sure the tragic events of childhood don’t ruin an entire life.
Additional Resources
HHS Child Abuse 2010: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm10/cm10.pdf#page=61
RAINN Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse: http://rainn.org/get-info/effects-of-sexual-assault/adult-survivors-of-childhood-sexual-abuse
National Institute of Justice National Violence Against Women Survey: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/210346.pdf
University of Nebraska Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=psychfacpub
Ronin Pen 