Month: October 2014

Survivor

250 children ‘at risk of grooming in Greater Manchester’

Looking for the Light6 Comments

This is happening in every city in American. I’m blown away by the resources in this post. Thank you Paul from Defender of Faith.

~~Defender of Faith~Guardian of Truth~~

young girl crying imagebot

Nearly 250 children are “at risk” of being sexually exploited across Greater Manchester, the BBC has learned.

Figures show that out of 246 children being dealt with by local councils, 111 were deemed to be at high risk of being sexually exploited.

Rochdale Council had the highest number of children at risk, but said tackling sexual exploitation was one of its top priorities.

In 2012 nine men were jailed for running a child sex ring in the town.

‘High risk’

Manchester City Council had 36 children known to it, of which 20 were at high risk.

Rochdale Council said there were 40 children at risk but only three of those fell into the high risk category, making them susceptible to being targeted by groomers.

The council’s assessment looks at school attendance, home life, sexual health and types of risky behaviour.

Each area is rated between 1-5, with an extra rating…

View original post 330 more words

Survivor

250 children 'at risk of grooming in Greater Manchester'

Looking for the Light6 Comments

This is happening in every city in American. I’m blown away by the resources in this post. Thank you Paul from Defender of Faith.

~~Defender of Faith~Guardian of Truth~~

young girl crying imagebot

Nearly 250 children are “at risk” of being sexually exploited across Greater Manchester, the BBC has learned.

Figures show that out of 246 children being dealt with by local councils, 111 were deemed to be at high risk of being sexually exploited.

Rochdale Council had the highest number of children at risk, but said tackling sexual exploitation was one of its top priorities.

Defendants in Rochdale grooming trial Defendants in 2012 Rochdale grooming trial— The men plied their victims with drink and drugs so they could “pass them around” for sex

In 2012 nine men were jailed for running a child sex ring in the town.

‘High risk’

Manchester City Council had 36 children known to it, of which 20 were at high risk.

Rochdale Council said there were 40 children at risk but only three of those fell into the high risk category, making them susceptible to being targeted by groomers.

The council’s assessment…

View original post 385 more words

Men & Womens Health

Lyme Disease is an illness not who I am, losing is not an option

Looking for the Light17 Comments

“You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the water slide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.” From BOSSYPANTS  by Tina Fey

I wanted to drop a short note to let people know I’m ok. I have good and bad days however it’s easy for me to remember so many have life much worse. Today is one of the rough days which are frustrating and they fuel my desire to fight harder. I am planning now for activities once I’m well. I get very excited looking at my to do list, even at 51 yrs old there are so many things to learn and see. God has kept my depression at bay which makes each day a little better. I like to share with people what I learn on this Lyme journey, so there is a photo if you ever need to dispose of used needles. In the US LabCorp will take used sharps properly dispose as medical waste. I have also enclosed one of my fav photos. Getting a diving certificate was difficult for someone who is claustrophobic, I asked the teachers to spend extra time with me in the pool we trained in and this photo was taken the day I got certified. It was a big accomplishment not as much for the diving as for the self-confidence. I had not found my wings by 1987, getting certified was the first dream I acted on and accomplished. It felt great. Forget is was Feb. in Texas, F 45 and we tested in a rock quarry only 33ft deep. Three pulled out for hyperthermia. I did not realize at the time and it was a shock stepping out of the shower later. I had sever mask squeeze and both eyes were blood-red from the burst blood vessels. It was glorious day in my memory bank and have seen another life underwater. Thanks for standing by me.

Container for used needles. I take three B12 shots a week.
Container for used needles. I take three B12 shots a week.
Final test for scuba certification 1987
Final test for scuba certification 1987

 Warrior

Survivor

British Iranian Ghoncheh Ghavami Held In Solitary Confinement in Tehran For Attending World League Volleyball Match**Iran Has To Make Next Move**

Looking for the Light4 Comments

CHANGE.ORG

https://www.change.org/p/david-cameron-hassanrouhani-bring-my-sister-home-freeghonchehghavami#share

@David_Cameron + @HassanRouhani Bring my sister home #FreeGhonchehGhavami

Iman Ghavami
London, United Kingdom

Since June 2014 my younger sister is in solitary confinement in Tehran. She was arrested for going to a men’s volleyball match.

Ghoncheh is a British Iranian dual citizen. She was there to watch a game. She was arrested because of a misunderstanding.

Amnesty International has called for an Urgent Action for my sister. Amnesty believes Ghoncheh has been put under psychological pressure and been told she “would not walk out of prison alive.”

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has said it was “aware of reports” of her imprisonment but its diplomatic powers are limited in Iran. We know that the UK Government has the power to do more to help Ghoncheh. Past cases have shown us that when pressure is applied Government will take more action.

Every signature and share will bring my sister closer to home. Will you help end this nightmare for my family?

——————

خواهر کوچکترم از نهم تیر در انفرادی به سر‌می‌برد. غنچه به خاطر رفتن به ورزشگاه والیبال دستگیر شد
غنچه به آن جا رفته بود تا بازی را تماشا کند. دستگیری او یک سوتفاهم است

با امضای این نامه به من کمک کنید تا خواهرم را دوباره به خانه برگردانم

——————

I’m a distressed brother who is fighting to bring her sister home. My sister is a law student in University of London. She should not have been arrested in the first place and does not deserve to be in solitary.

Amnesty International has said that “Ghoncheh’s lawyer has not been allowed to meet in prison or even access her case file.”

Ghoncheh was in Iran for a few months to work for a charity teaching literacy to street children and see our family. She thought women would be allowed to attend World League volleyball matches after Iran was warned about the matter by International Federation of Volleyball (FIVB).

Her arrest is a truly tragic misunderstanding. Will you help bring her home?

To:
Government of Iran & the UK government
Please allow my sister to come home.

She should not have been arrested for going to a volleyball match. Ghoncheh does not deserve to be in solitary.

Please #FreeGhonchehGhavami.
XXXXXXLINK

Iman Ghavami
by Iman Ghavami
Petition Organizer

Yesterday I delivered my petition to the UN Iranian Mission.

I also made a statement to the press, and a public plea to President Rouhani:

“Today, I’m issuing a personal plea to President Rouhani to please help my sister be released. Our mother is restless beyond imagination. My father, a surgeon, can’t work so deep and unnerving is his fear for his girl. We have always been a very close family. Please, President Rouhani, free Ghoncheh and reunite our family again.”

You can watch the petition delivery by clicking on the linked image below.

When President Rouhani returns to Iran, I have hope that he will take action to release my sister. Until then, please continue to spread the word so that her story is not forgotten.

Iman

British man petitions Iran’s President to release sister from prison
The brother of a British law graduate imprisoned in Tehran has attempted to hand-deliver a petition calling for his sister’s release to the Iranian President. Ghoncheh Ghavami, 25, has been detained in the notorious Evin jail for more than three months after she was arrested at a protest for women’s rights.

Walk with me as I hand in the petition to #FreeGhoncheh

Iman Ghavami
by Iman Ghavami
Petition Organizer
Dear Supporters,

The day has come for me to hand in my petition to the UN Iranian Mission in New York.

Over 390,000 of you have signed and stood behind me as I have been going through this nightmare.

While I make my way down to the Iranian authorities to hand in your names and make a plea for my sister’s release, please walk alongside me by sharing this image on Facebook and Twitter.

Click here to share the image on twitter: http://bit.ly/1ptJAcs

Click here to share the image on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1ptKvK0

Thank you for all of your support.

by Iman Ghavami

Petition Organizer

Survivor

**URGENT** 10,000 Signatures Needed By Oct. 18th To Improve Veterans Employability and Reduce Suicide Risk

Looking for the Light1 Comment

CHANGE.ORG

https://www.change.org/p/robert-a-mcdonald-us-dept-of-veterans-affairs-improve-veterans-employability-to-reduce-suicide

Improve veterans employability to reduce suicide.

Petition by
BATTLE-BRO
**URGENT. PLEASE SHARE – WE NEED 10,000 SIGNATURES BY OCT 18TH** Every signature sends an email directly to the personal inbox of the Secretary of the VA, Robert A McDonald.

There are an average of 22 veteran suicides each day in this country: it’s staggering and a shameful indictment of us as a society. These men and women have risked and lost their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. One of the principal factors in bringing a veteran to this tragic decision is unemployment and the inability to support their family. Though veterans re-enter civilian life amply qualified for a host of jobs, there has been no bridging mechanism that translates their military skills to employer-friendly vernacular.

This from the Washington Post is a perfect explanation of the problem:

“Today, unemployment for veterans who’ve served since September of 2001 hovers just over 8 percent. For the economy at large: 6.1 percent. The gap between those two numbers speaks to several challenges: The military trains service members in many jobs with close but imperfect civilian corollaries, leaving veterans with the right job skills but the wrong certifications. Military service demands other skills that civilian jobs don’t (managing violence, repairing weapons, defending convoys). But where that unfamiliar experience entails universal qualifications (leadership, judgment, communication), employers don’t always know how to recognize them.”

BATTLE-BRO – the Veteran call-a-day network combatting suicide – has created RWSacred.org to provide this certification free for our veterans. Please sign this petition and encourage the VA to push bridging programs such as RWS Accreditation to establish better connectivity between vets and employers. More jobs for vets could quite literally save lives.

To:
Robert A McDonald, US Dept of Veterans Affairs, Secretary

Dear Mr McDonald,

Congratulations on your recent appointment to the VA, we look forward to seeing how you transform and ameliorate this challenging institution.

We’d like to ask you to help improve veteran’s employability potential via RWSacred.org (and programs like it) that interprets a veterans MOS to the standard business vernacular and fosters greater consideration by employers. As you know, employers are often deterred from hiring vets mostly because of the skill-language barrier. However, joblessness and the inability to support their family is a prominent factor in a veterans tragic choice to commit suicide.

By accrediting our vets WE can assume the due diligence cost/process and close the language gap between a veteran’s military service and the business sector. By YOU raising national awareness of this program, more employers will know of it’s existence thereby increasing its usefulness and simultaneously launching an invaluable life-affirming tool for our service men and women. TOGETHER we can assuage the devastating suicide numbers among our heroes and heal this national moral debt.

We do hope you will enjoy this opportunity, and thank you sincerely for your help.