Google announced Wednesday, December 15, 2011 it is donating $11.5 million to several coalitions fighting to end the modern-day slavery of some 27 million people around the world in what is believed to be the largest-ever corporate grant devoted to the advocacy, intervention and rescue of people being held, forced to work or provide sex against their will, Google said it chose organizations with proven records in combating slavery. The Washington-based International Justice Mission, a human rights organization that works globally to rescue victims of slavery and sexual exploitation, was chosen by Google to lead the efforts. It will partner with Polaris Project and Slavery Footprint and a handful of smaller organizations for the multi-year effort to rescue the enslaved, push for better infrastructure and resources for anti-slavery enforcement agencies overseas, as well as raise awareness here in the United States and help countries draft anti-slavery legislation.

“Many people are surprised to learn there are more people trapped in slavery today than any time in history,” said Jacquelline Fuller, director of charitable giving and advocacy for Google.

Gary Haugen, president of the International Justice Mission, said the coalition would focus on three initiatives: A $3.5 million intervention project to fight forced labor in India; a $4.5 million advocacy campaign in India to educate and protect the vulnerable; and a $1.8 million plan to mobilize Americans on behalf of the millions currently at risk of slavery or waiting for rescue around the world. The remaining $1.7 million will go to several smaller organizations working to combat slavery. “It’s hard for most Americans to believe that slavery and human trafficking are still massive problems in our world,” said Haugen.

Source: Sacramento Bee

Check the FAQs! Click on Informational Bulletin on the right hand column of the CCFMTC home page. Statutory change was needed to bring California into compliance with Federal law, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). SB 534 (Corbett) amends Penal Code Sections 13823.7, 13823.13 and 13823.95.

The Informational Bulletin FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) describes this landmark procedural change in which sexual assault victims who request a sexual assault forensic medical examination shall be provided one without engaging or cooperating with law enforcement. New Cal EMA 2-924 will be available soon to record the results of these exams specifically in response to this statutory change. The new form does not change the use of Cal EMA 2-923, in use in California since 1987. The Informational Bulletin FAQs were authored by CCFMTC Director, Marilyn Peterson in conjunction with the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) VAWA Compliance Committee, and contains important information for your community.

The VAWA Compliance Committee was composed of representatives from:

California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA)
California State Sheriff’s Association (CSSA)
California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA)
California District Attorneys Association (CDAA)
California Clinical Forensic Medical Training Center (CCFMTC)
Director Marilyn Peterson and Medical Director Bill Green, MD
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’ Malley

MaleSurvivor, a leading, global not-for-profit organization dedicated to overcoming sexual victimization of boys and men, issued a statement through Advisory Board Member Dr. Howard Fradkin regarding the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse allegations. The former Penn State coach is currently under investigation for abusing eight boys over a 15-year period.

Dr. Fradkin, who has been treating male sexual abuse victims for nearly three decades, recently appeared alongside Tyler Perry and 200 male survivors on The Oprah Winfrey Show to provide insights into the subject of sexual victimization of boys and men. As one of the founding board members of MaleSurvivor, and someone well versed in the area of sexual abuse particularly with regard to young boys, Dr. Fradkin encouraged the media and the general public to understand the importance of focusing on solutions and recovery for the victims:

“The sexual abuse allegations centered on retired Penn State football Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky’s actions are horribly familiar to millions of victims of childhood sexual abuse. The majority of media attention has focused on Sandusky and those who knew about Sandusky’s rape of these boys. It is equally important to underscore the harm done to the victims.

“1 in every 6 men in America is the victim of unwanted sexual contact before the age of 16. Over 20 million men in the U.S. alone struggle with the pain of having been abused, each suffering effects such as: depression, substance abuse, difficulty maintaining healthy relationships, and suicidal thoughts. The after affects of sexual abuse permeate virtually every aspect of our society and impact the lives not only of the victims themselves but also their spouses, friends, co-workers, and the community itself .

“As we learn more about the truth of the allegations in Pennsylvania, we [MaleSurvivor] hope to highlight the pain and needs of the victims. Survivors of abuse often spend much of their lives struggling in silence with a sense of shame that makes it almost impossible to reach out and ask for help.

“Help is available and healing is possible. As bad as the immediate affects of abuse can be on victims, the burden of carrying the secret for years is oftentimes equally painful. MaleSurvivor offers resources and information for survivors, and is a community of healing that has helped thousands of men step out of the shadows of abuse and back into a life of hope, health, and happiness.”

About MaleSurvivor

MaleSurvior is not-for-profit organization committed to preventing, healing, and eliminating all forms of sexual victimization of boys and men through support, treatment, research, education, advocacy, and activism. Founded in 1994, the organization has reached over 50 million individuals whose lives have been forever impacted by sexual abuse

Source: MaleSurvivor.org