Safeguarding Kids in Online Gaming Worlds
As a parent of a 10-year-old boy who absolutely loves gaming, I’ve watched with delight as he builds worlds, teams up with friends, and explores digital spaces. But along with the fun comes real risk. In recent years, predators have infiltrated gaming communities using in-game chat, voice, and private messaging to groom children, exploit vulnerabilities, […]
Families Sue Schools After Teen Suicides.
The grief of losing a child to suicide is immeasurable. But in recent months, several families have taken action beyond mourning. They’ve filed civil lawsuits against school districts, alleging that persistent bullying, neglect, or systemic failures directly contributed to their child’s death. These cases spotlight a critical question. When does a school’s failure to prevent harm […]
World Mental Health Day: Healing Is a Daily Practice
Today is World Mental Health Day, a moment to pause, reflect, and remind ourselves that mental health is not a one-day awareness campaign it’s a daily practice. As someone who has lived through trauma, addiction, and the long road of recovery, I can tell you: healing is not linear. Some days are heavy, some are beautiful, […]
CA Is Investigating Survivors for Fraud.
A new motion in Los Angeles County calls for investigating alleged fraud in childhood sexual abuse lawsuits. I understand the impulse to protect public dollars. But if we’re not careful, this kind of sweeping “fraud” narrative becomes a blunt tool that chills reporting, undermines legitimate claims, and retraumatizes survivors who have already waited too long […]
Lawsuits Name the Victor Cullen Center in MD
What’s happening at theVictor Cullen Center A new report says the Victor Cullen Center has been named in four lawsuits alleging sexual abuse of kids, ages 13 to 17, while they were incarcerated often by staff entrusted with their care. That’s horrifying, and sadly, not isolated. This is one node in a much larger web of claims about abuse inside […]
Buffalo Diocese Ruling Matters for Survivors Waiting on Payouts
Survivors in Western New York have carried the weight of their abuse for decades. Then they were asked to carry years of legal delays on top of that. Last week’s decision by the New York Supreme Court to toss a lawsuit aimed at blocking parish payments in the Buffalo Diocese bankruptcy is a long-overdue step. This decision […]
Deepfake AI Bullying in Schools
What every parent and caregiver needs to know. When AI Crosses the Line AI technology has made it possible for anyone to create convincing, explicit “deepfake” images even of children and teens without their knowledge or consent. A recent GovTech article highlights just how quickly this problem is growing in schools, where students have already been caught […]
Mayor Koch’s Remarks About Clergy Abuse Are Dangerous
When Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch claimed that the clergy abuse crisis was “mostly homosexual issues,” I had to take a deep breath. Comments like this are not just ignorant they are harmful. They perpetuate tired stereotypes that have been used for decades to excuse abuse, protect institutions, and silence survivors. Let’s be clear: there is no […]
Maryland Audit Reveals Foster Children Placed with Sex Offenders
We Must Do Better I wish I could say I was shocked by the latest audit of Maryland’s Social Services Administration, but the truth is, as someone who has spent my career fighting for survivors, this is heartbreakingly familiar. The report found that children in state care were placed in homes where registered sex offenders lived […]
New York’s Child Victims Act Backlog
The State Grapples With Delays and Ponders Another Lookback Window The justice system is supposed to be a refuge for survivors. But for thousands in New York, the clock is still ticking, as victims are waiting for their day in court under the Child Victims Act (CVA). As cases pile up, many are asking: can a […]