Blog 6

Child Abuse

1. Child abuse has something to do hurting a child, whether it is physical, sexual, or emotional. It can also be the neglect of a child as well.

2. Spanking could be considered child abuse to an extent. I know some parents spank their kids to teach them discipline and to teach them to listen to their parents but even if it’s a little tap tap on their bottoms, it’s still hitting the child and that door can open up further abuse from then on. Take it from me, I was never hit as a child from my parents and I listen to them just fine. I don’t think spanking should be allowed because it could traumatized the child and what might be a small not that hard hit could be completely different from what the child thinks.

3. Everybody views are different when it comes to punishing a child. Some think a pat pat on the bottom is the solution, some might hit their kids with something harder or some might not even hit their kid at all and just give them a timeout. Either way, I don’t think a parent should be allowed to punish their child in public. I think they ought to be given a time out because people view punishments different. If you see a parent smacking their kid with a belt in public, to them it might be okay but to others it can be disturbing. It depends on how you look at it. When it comes to hurting a child, that’s why punishment should become a public concern.

Sexual Victimization

1. In Georgia, the possession of child pornography is prosecuted under O.C.G.A. 16-12-100 (Sexual Exploitation of Children).  O.C.G.A. 16-12-100(b)(8) makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly possess or control any material which depicts a minor or a portion of a minor’s body engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Thus, when a pornographic image or video is discovered on a person’s computer, the State must prove not only that the person possessed the computer, but also that he or she knowingly possessed the image or video file in question.  In many cases, establishing whether a person “knowingly” possessed a particular child pornography file requires a full understanding as to precisely how computers store image and video files.

2. Any person convicted of violating these laws can be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 20 years or both. It can also be charged as a misdemeanor.

Sexting

1. Sexting is creating, distributing or possessing a sexually explicit image. In Georgia, you could be charged with a misdemeanor or felony depending on the facts and circumstances. If convicted for felony, the sentence could be up to 20 years in prison, and the teenager’s name would appear on Georgia’s sex offender registry for at least 15 years. Currently sexting falls under the State of Georgia’s child pornography laws.

News

Hinesville police allege that a Fort Stewart soldier charged with the murder of his 3-year-old daughter subjected the girl to hours of torturous punishment before her death, according to a WJCL report.

Spc. Torres L. Boles, a soldier assigned to the 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, is charged with murder and cruelty to children in connection with the Feb. 27 death of his daughter, 3-year-old Andraia Boles. At a preliminary hearing Monday, a Hinesville police detective testified that Boles became angry at the child when he found his house flooded after leaving her alone with her older sister, according to WJCL. The detective testified that Boles said he punished the girl by putting her in the bath tub and wringing water into it, causing her to slip and hit her head repeatedly. The detective testified that when she tried to get out, Boles would knock her hands out from under her, causing her to slip and hit her head again. Boles told police that he did this for several hours, according to the detective's testimony. According to a WSAV report, police say Boles also left the girl in the tub overnight as punishment.According to WJCL, the detective testified that Boles noticed that one of the girl's eyes was swollen shut the next morning before he left for work. Boles' wife, Candice, later called him at work and told him that the child was not breathing.An autopsy conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation determined that Andraia Boles died of head trauma, according to WJCL. The judge at the preliminary hearing found that there was enough evidence to place the case before a grand jury, WJCL reported. Candice Boles is charged with cruelty to children and being a party to the crime of felony murder in connection with Andraia's death. She will make a court appearance at a later date, according to WJCL.

Reading about this type of victimization breaks my heart only because it involved abused. It’s sickening when the life of a child is taken just because of somebody else.

Media

This video was created by a 16 year old girl who was in an abusive situation for a long time. She wanted to make a difference for others. If you witness or are told about a child being abused please report it immediately to a trusted adult and / or professional or call the National Child Abuse hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Please take action.

http://youtu.be/-sFRt-dotN0

Think Before You Post / PSA Video. From the public domain.

Keeping The Lines of Communication Open Sextexting is also becoming a growing trend among teens. Sextexting is when revealing photos or messages are sent across a cell phone. It is actuallly flirting with danger. You do not always know how large or who your audience really is. Teens that are caught could possibly be prosecuted as sex offenders. Unknowingly they send pictures or messages with improper content that once they have been published they cannot be retrieved. it is just not a good idea to get so personal anyway. On many occasions they have sent messages to a friend, who sent it to a friend and that friend sent it to Right now this is even being pursued by some prosecutors to possibly be considered as child pornography. So it is important to have a serious chat with them about being careful in this area. Nothing more than "G" rated texting allowed!
http://youtu.be/OhBknvwgfmk
http://youtu.be/OhBknvwgfmk

Keeping The Lines of Communication Open 

Blog # 5: Murder

Murder

1. Murder requires an illegal taking of another’s life specifically formed around intent. Such determinations are made based upon provocation, cooling off periods, and what a reasonable person would be expected to do under the circumstances leading to the killing. Homicide can be described as any death where another person is at fault, but a homicide is committed without planning and sometimes without an intention to kill.  

There are different types of homicide classifications and they generally fall into 3 general categories. These categories are: murder, manslaughter, and justifiable homicide.  Justifiable homicide is for situations where an individual killed another in self-defense of similar circumstances. This is really not a legal charge but a classification for which authorities can register an event where a person died but no crime was committed. The charge of manslaughter is reserved for instances where the accused did not plan the crime nor did he or she intend for the victim to die because of their actions. Manslaughter charges usually arise out of accidental circumstances where a person died because of the event.  

Murder is broken down into two categories: first degree and second degree murder. First degree murder, the most serious of all homicide charges, is reserved for situations where the person accused of the homicide planned the killing and intended for the victim to die because of his or her actions. Second degree murder is a charge reserved for cases where it cannot be proved that the killer planned the killing but where the killer still intended that the victim die because of his or her actions. Situations where second degree murder charges arise are sometimes described as “crimes of passion” or instances where the killing occurred in the “heat of passion.”

2. On March 21^st, 2013 Sherry West was pushing her 13-month old son, Antonio, in his stroller in Brunswick, Georgia on a Thursday morning when two boys – described as about 10 and 15 years old – came up, demanded money and shot them. Police announced Friday afternoon that they had arrested a 17 and a 14 year old and were charging them with murder. The arrests came after SWAT teams had gone door to door, searching for clues and police had checked local school attendance and absentee lists to see if there were any students who hadn't been at school that fit the description of the suspects. West had reported that the older boy pointed a handgun at her during the encounter.  “He said, ‘I’m gonna kill you if you don’t give me your money,’ and I said, ‘I swear I don’t have any.” She also said that they wouldn't accept no for an answer. “He says, ‘Well, I’m gonna kill your baby,” she told crying. “I put my arms over my baby and he shoves. And then he shot my baby right in the head.” West was shot in the leg, according to local reports, but it was a non-life threatening gunshot wound from the handgun.

The offenders in this case are portrayed as monsters that all they wanted was money and even if they didn't get any, they still took a life to sort of punish the woman for not giving them any money. The killing is being portrayed in the media as a tragedy and it is being dramatized because it involves the death of an infant.

Media

http://youtu.be/Jfx7BDS8C6g

In this PSA, celebrities are asking American leaders to stop gun violence in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

http://youtu.be/FMj-iLiHIP0

RUPD gives us the latest on the do’s and don’ts of campus safety! This can be applied to any college campus!

Blog 4 Mob Violence

      1. According to the Free Dictionary, mob violence is defined as: “A disturbance of the peace by several persons, assembled and acting with a common intent in executing a lawful or unlawful enterprise in a violent and turbulent manner.”

Two examples of mob violence are riots and bully groups. I believe that group violence exists because it’s out of hatred for a specific group of individuals.

2. In October 2011, a mob attack in Georgia set the bar for school violence at football games. A group of 30 to 50 black people, including players, attacked an opposing coach after a game; striking him in the face with their helmets. He required extensive surgery to his face. To read more about this story go to: http://www.wnd.com/2012/10/black-mob-violence-hits-high-school-gridiron/#sTSElv3ewpWHf5x4.99 

Superintendent Carole Jean Carey was by Daniel's side when the Hancock County Football team attacked him and his players with their football helmets. She said it happened after Warren County beat Hancock Central 21-2. She said their team was walking back to the lockers, but the door was locked. She said that's when they were attacked. Daniel stepped in, "He yelled stop, what are you doing and the player was fixing to hit our players again, but just swung around and slammed his helmet into our coach's face." Carey added that the team had a plan to go to the locker room after the game and get right onto the bus, because the rivalry between Warren and Hancock is always intense. We asked her if that plan had anything to do with Warren County's former coach, Marleau Blunt, now being on Hancock's football coaching staff and she said no.

In this case, the victim would be the coach David Daniel and the offenders would be the Hancock County football team.

Media

3. In the following link, it shows you an image that the Ku Klux Klan used for propaganda to gain new prospective members. This organization opposed to blacks, Jews, Catholics, and immigrants in general.

http://www.rationalrevolution.net/images/AmericaforAm.jpg

Propaganda such as the link below was used against slaves to have the same rights as whites.                                                                                                                                        http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/BLAKE10.JPG/200px-BLAKE10.JPG

Blog 3 Sexual Assault/Rape

Sexual Assault/Rape

1. The population in Georgia in a metropolitan statistical area is 7,950,984. Incidents in this area that were actually reported are 1,713. In cities outside metropolitan areas, in a population of 687,967, 175 incidents of rape were actually reported for the area. In non metropolitan counties, in a population of 1,176,259, 124 incidents of rape were actually reported for the area. In state total, in a population of 9,815,210, there were 2,053 cases of rape reported.
2. Under Georgia code § 17-3-2.2 statute of limitations, when the victim of an offense if 65 or older, the applicable period of limitations will not  begin to run until the offense is reported to or discovered by a law enforcement agency, prosecuting attorney, or other governmental agency.  Except in certain limited circumstances, prosecution shall not commence more than 15 years after commission of the crime.
3. According to Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault, the legal definition of rape is: a person commits the offense of rape when he has carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will. Carnal knowledge in rape occurs when there is any penetration of the female sex organ by the male organ. The fact that the person allegedly raped is the wife of the defendant shall not be a defense to change of rape. A person convicted of rape shall be punishable by death, by imprisonment for life, or by imprisonment for not less than 10 nor more than 20 years. Any person convicted under this code section shall, in addition, be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Sections 17-10-7. When evidence relating to an allegation of rape is collected in the course of a medical examination of the person who is the victim of the alleged crime, the law enforcement agency investigating the alleged crime shall be responsible for the cost of the medical examination to the extent that expense is incurred for the limited purpose of collecting evidence.

Statutory rape in Georgia is when a person commits the offense of statutory rape when he or she engages in sexual intercourse with any person under the age of 16 years and not his or her spouse, provided that no conviction shall be had for this offense on the unsupported testimony of the victim.

There is a difference between rape and sexual assault. Sexual assault is defined as: a person commits sexual assault when such person has supervisory or disciplinary authority over another person and such person engages in sexual contact with that other person who is: in the custody of law; or detained in or is a patient in a hospital or other institution; or if (a) treatment or counseling relationship was used to facilitate sexual contact between the actor and said person consent of the victim shall not be a defense to prosecution under this subsection. “A person who is an employee, agent, or volunteer at long term care facilities relating to health care and hospices commits sexual assault when such person engages in sexual contact with another person who has been admitted or receiving services from such facility, persons, or entities.

4. In Athens, GA an aggravated assault and attempted rape were reported on the campus of University of Georgia on January 18. According to the report, the incident occurred around 4:20 p.m. in the Botanical Garden complex off South Milledge Avenue. Authorities say the victim was "approached by an unknown male who put a knife to her throat and threatened to rape her and cause her bodily harm." However, the victim was able to escape her attacker before any harm was done. The attacker is described as a white male, about 6 feet tall, around 150 - 170 pounds with short blonde hair. He was wearing blue sweatpants, a hooded green and white sweatshirt, white running shoes and black sunglasses at the time of the attack. He was also described as having crooked teeth and possibly having two small moles on the lower left side of his face. Anyone with information on this suspect or the attack itself is being asked to call 911.

Media

5. In this PSA, it features UN Messenger of Peace Charlize Theron, UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman, Ex-Force Commander Major General Patrick Cammaert, Leymah Gbowee from the Women Peace and Security Network, and Director of Panzi Hospital Dr. Denis Mukwege. UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action) unites the work of 13 UN entities with the goal of ending sexual violence during and in the wake of conflict. It is a concerted effort by the UN to improve coordination and accountability, amplify programming and advocacy, and support national efforts to prevent sexual violence and respond effectively to the needs of survivors. For more information, please visit: http://www.stoprapenow.org

To watch the video: http://youtu.be/t1sbF6gx0cU

In this next video, Dylan McDermott and Gabrielle Union headline an innovative RAINN (rape, abuse, incest, national network) campaign to help survivors of child sexual abuse. Nearly half of all victims of sexual assault are under the age of 18. It's never too late for anyone - - adult survivors or children - - to get help. Contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE or online @ rainn.org to talk to someone who understands what you're going through. 

To watch the video: http://youtu.be/2Emze0toGE4

Both videos do represent accurate accounts of being rape or sexually assaulted.

Blog 2 Hate Crimes

1. For Georgia, the population covered was 8,600,353 and the total number of incidents reported was 17.

2. For the Hate Crimes Statutory Provisions, Georgia covers institutional vandalism and civil action. However it does not cover: bias-motivated violence and intimidation, civil action for race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability and other. It also does not cover for data collection and training for law enforcement personnel.

3. In the report, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 defines hate crimes as a “crime in which the defendant intentionally selects a victim, or in the case of property crime, the property that is object of the crime” motivated by prejudice based on the “race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation” of the victim. It is considered a crime/penalty enhancement if the trier of fact determines beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intentionally selected any victim or any property of the victim as the object of the offense because of bias or prejudice. It is also a crime if a person commits the offense of terroristic act when: he/she uses a burning or flaming cross or other burning or flaming symbol or flambeau with the intent to terrorize another or another’s household. It is institutional vandalism when a person commits the offense of vandalism to a place of worship when he maliciously defaces or desecrates a church, synagogue or other place of public religious worship. There is no statue found on data collection and no statue on law enforcement training.

5. Back in August 2012, there was a story that took place in Savannah, Georgia where a couple was jumped by a trio of racist thugs while they were out for a stroll because the guy was white and the girl was black. Police were investigating the case by scouring surveillance tapes and spoke with witnesses. It is unclear if there are any convictions or arrests at this point. Although Georgia does not have a hate crime law in place, if police investigators can produce enough evidence against the perpetrators of the crime, the case can be escalated to the FBI who would take over.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/interracial-georgia-couple-targeted-thugs-savannah-hate-crime-attack-article-1.1148770#ixzz2KYaP3kIF

Media

6. The following PSA has fellow activist and politician Devin Barrington-Ward as he discuss his role in creating safe communities in light of the recent hate crime against Brandon White of Atlanta, GA.  You can see the video from this link: http://youtu.be/cxc8WgI-ZB0

In this next video, Georgia State Rep. Rashad Taylor (D-Atlanta) spoke at the recent rally for anti-gay beating victim Brandon White. Taylor, one of 4 openly LGBT state legislators, calls for the state to pass a comprehensive hate crimes law. You can see the video at this link: http://youtu.be/r86wbkdb5Uo

Blog 1 IPV and DV

GEORGIA

Georgia has a comprehensive set of laws addressing domestic violence in Chapter 13 of its Domestic Relations Code. Georgia law defines family violence as an offense by one member of a household, either current or past, against another member of the household. These individuals include present or past spouses, individuals who have children together, and parents and their children. Qualifying offenses include any felony, as well as battery, assault, stalking, property damage, trespassing and unlawful restraint. A person seeking protection from domestic violence may file a petition in county court requesting a protective order.  The court issues an immediate order, called an ex parte order, if the petition shows sufficient facts to justify it. The court must hold a hearing on the case within 30 days to determine whether a protective order is required. A protective order directs the offender to stop acts of domestic violence and establishes conditions for relations between the parties. The order may, for example, require the offender to leave the household, award temporary custody of children, require child support and divide the parties' personal property. The order remains in effect for one year, but the court has discretion to make the order effective for three years or permanently.

Read more: Domestic Violence Laws in Georgia | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6128083_domestic-violence-laws-georgia.html#ixzz2JDSPt0jh

How can the state help me if I am a victim of domestic violence?

The Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council has an application for financial assistant if you are a crime victim.This program assist eligible victims of crime with medical, funeral, crime scene clean-up and mental health counseling expenses. In addition, if applicable, victims may also apply for lost wages or loss of support benefits. The link is here: Victim's Compensation 

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles offers victim services including a service called V.I.P. which is a 24 hour automated information system used by the Georgia Department of Corrections in partnership with the State Board of Pardons and Paroles to provide victims of crime and/or their families with access to information about their offender. By simply picking up a telephone and dialing the toll-free V.I.P. number, information regarding custody status of an inmate can be obtained.

Media

This video about safety planning was created for GeorgiaLegalAid.org by Sharee Malcolm, a law student at Atlanta's John Marshall Law School.  The video content is based on a community education brochure created by Georgia Legal Services Program, Inc. and prepared under the direction of Georgia Legal Services Program. This is legal information, not legal advice.  If you have a legal problem, you should speak with a lawyer.

Video

The following podcast has some general information on protective orders in Georgia and safety planning.  Mike Monahan, Pro Bono Director of the State Bar of Georgia talks with Vicky Kimbrell, Family Law Specialist Attorney from Georgia Legal Services Program.  Visit GLSP.org for Kimbrell's contact information.

Podcast