A New Awareness Campaign is being held to Help Abused Boys and Young Men

San Diego, California - An awareness campaign has been launched by the P. Luna Foundation, called “Male Abuse Awareness Week” every December 1st through the 8th. Scheduled the first week of December, this campaign shines light on the neglected cause of abused males during the holiday season when statistically domestic tensions rise. All forms of child abuse are considered in this effort.

Inspired by the campaign to fight breast cancer, this campaign is meant to; Encourage people to start talking about this socially taboo subject, inspire young males to seek treatment, promote their web site http://help4guys.org/ exclusively for abused males, and raise money to sponsor therapy sessions for young male victims of child abuse.

This year, the P. Luna Foundation is holding their First Annual Educational and Fund raising Event in San Diego, CA on December 5, 2011. Also this year, they are introducing a Male Abuse Awareness merchandise line with a new and unique mascot character they have created called “Maa Man.” M.A.A. stands for Male Abuse Awareness and this merchandise is currently being sold at http://www.zazzle.com/maleabuseawareness/. These products will also be given away as FREE gifts in exchange for donations to the organization at http://www.plunafoundation.org/.

According to Founder Petra Luna, “The time is NOW to get widespread media coverage for the problem of abused males. This topic has been in the taboo closet for too long.” Richard Gartner, PhD at the William Alanson White Institute also stated, “The media has been of little help deepening the conversation about male sexual victimization. We can talk about it now, and we must do so, no matter how difficult this talk can be.”

How does this organization and campaign help abused young males? The effects of child abuse on anyone are devastating and psychologists are just now starting to realize how young males are processing the abuse they have suffered in the past, and how their situation is much different than their female counterparts. Young males are the last to admit weakness and the last to seek help. These males that go without therapy to deal with their hurt and anger are at higher risk for going down destructive future paths like drug addiction, sexual addiction, violent crime, and even suicide. They are also at risk of becoming abusers themselves, and continuing the cycle of abuse in their lives. Getting the help which the P. Luna Foundation is providing will give these vulnerable young males the tools to deal with their anger and express themselves in a positive manner so that they may have hope for a happier, healthier future.

The P. Luna Foundation(PLF) is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization founded by International recording artist Petra Luna in 2007. In addition to the Male Abuse Awareness Week Campaign, the PLF provides several different ways of serving our online community of abuse survivors. The PLF is the premiere portal and hub program with three different online directory listings of the world’s top services and resources for the abused. The PLF also has a vibrant volunteer staff who supplements their therapy and healing by working for their cause.

For more info, see the P. Luna Foundation’s main web site at http://www.plunafoundation.org or contact Petra at 818.300.2052 or theplunashow@aol.com. They are located in Southern California at 5334 Lindley Ave. Suite #136, Encino CA 91319 and in Northern California at P.O. Box 523, San Bruno CA 94066 (for all mail).


P.S. Please, if you're on facebook, please like us here -

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maa-Man-Merchandise/287207611310834?sk=wall

Please don't forget to sign the petition for the guys, to get equity in services, support and emergency shelter - http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/a-new-perspective-the-unacknowledged-abuse-survivors/

Child Pornography Victims Abandoned at the Supreme Court

If THIS isn't enough to make you mad, I don't know what is! I guess I'll have to include this in the federal version of April's Law!

Child Pornography Victims Abandoned at the Supreme Court

Media Coverage for April's Law Wisconsin.

Hear me talk in this radio interview with a local radio station from Monday, October 17, 2011.

http://www.filefreak.com/files/836917_flmpc/Interview%20on%20WRJN.mp3

Here is the actual video of the April’s Law hearing. AB-136 starts about 15 minutes in, and lasts almost 40 minutes. I’m the last 7-8 minutes of that portion. You will need to agree to the user terms, and it will prompt you right in. Thanks for tuning in.

http://www.wiseye.org/Programming/VideoArchive/EventDetail.aspx?evhdid=5330

Now here is the local paper, the Racine Journal Times write up about the whole thing. I think this one helps me sound good. Bless this gal!

http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_340b3d88-fde8-11e0-9c04-001cc4c03286.html

This is the type of stuff I’d like to push all over, far and wide!

April's Law Hearing Re-Cap & Update

I went to Madison this morning to speak at the hearing. The Wisconsin Eye TV, at www.wiseye.org covered the meeting, and call me weird, I actually liked going to this. It was interesting. When the link is ready, I will post it to share.

It was kind of a crazy morning, because I'd stayed up to ensure driving time. (I work 2nd shift, and so normally I'd go to bed around 4am, but I needed to leave around 6:15AM). I gathered my stuff up, made sure I had enough spare time, and left at 6, to gas up and get coffee. I made it with plenty of time to spare, took a couple pictures, and went in.

I got to meet the woman behind the phone and emails through Rep. Mason's office, and got situated up in the meeting room. I had my business cards, written testimony, notes from online supporters all to pass out... Just to realize, I forgot my note cards I had my speech written on... was left in the car. Mind you, this building is not the easiest to navigate, and so I figured well, I'll just have to wing it.

Two other people came to talk about this, and they had interesting takes. The first guy, from CASA? I didn't catch his organization, but I'm assuming it's the Court Appointed Special Advocates or something along that line...

He talked about how he's concerned that the higher sentencing would affect how many sex offenders would actually be convicted, and what not, and spoke of "unintentional consequences". where a grandfather "inappropriately touches" his grand-daughter, and how the mother, the sandwich between her father and daughter would feel, or say if she has a son and daughter from two different fathers, and the half siblings situation where she wouldn't want her own child to spend life w/o parole...

This guy was just saying how it's the "perfect victims" who get the convictions against their perpetrators, and some perpetrators may not get a conviction because they have a sympathetic perpetrator. The victim may be acting in some way or wearing something...

Thing is, I don't know about any one else. But, if my parent sexually abuses my child, I am NOT going to tell my child to quiet down to protect my parent. No. As for the sibling situation, good or bad, doesn't necessarily count as the child predator stance April's Law is looking at.

Next, an area DA talked, and supports the life w/o parole for those perpetrators who rape our children and then kill them. In that instance, she loves that idea, and spoke for the profession. While she was for raising the minimums and catching "the bad guys", she wasn't sure if this was the best way to think about it.

I think even the guy was wanting to get the bad guys, and the committee will be looking to form another study committee made up of legal professionals and others in the field to take a closer look at the situation and what not. That was actually a cool thing, even though that means that it will take that much longer to pass April's Law. BUT, it also means that it has the chance to make the most sense possible, with input from those in the field, and while it may not be as harsh, will maybe broaden the scope.

I was impressed with Rep. Bob Turner, he really pushed to say that our children are the most helpless, and we MUST, at all cost, protect them. And he was VERY vocal about that.

Lastly, I was up to talk in favor of AB-136. I thanked them for their time, and let them know that the various studies show on average that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually assaulted by the time they are 18. I reminded them that back in 1993, a bill affectionately dubbed the "miniskirt" bill was passed to say that the attire of the rape victim shall not be used as evidence against the victim in the court of law. They were surprised. Well, I helped pass it...

You will be able to view my speech, and I think I did pretty well, and even winging it, that I felt I talked TO them, rather than AT them, and Rep. Turner thanked me for my advocacy for the children. Maybe I was supposed to leave my speech cards back...

Thanks for all of your support, and I'll post the link here to the hearing when it comes through. Until then, peace out!

Here is the actual video of the hearing. AB-136 starts at about 15 minutes in, and lasts almost 40 minutes. I am the last 7-8 minutes of this segment. You will have to sign the user agreement, and you'll get prompted through. Thanks.

http://www.wiseye.org/Programming/VideoArchive/EventDetail.aspx?evhdid=5330

April's Law Hearing!

Exciting news, everyone!

AB-136, aka April's Law Wisconsin, is being heard in the Committee on Criminal Justice and Corrections! We need as many people as possible to either come to the hearing or to submit their written testimony to support this piece of Legislation.

The hearing will take place on Wednesday, October 19,2011 @ 9:30am in room 300 Northeast State Capitol. Let me know if you'd like to carpool.

Just to let you know, the Racine County Sheriff's office is also supporting this.

If you can't make it, please send me an email, so I can submit it - lika.yvi@gmail.com or you may send it to the members of the Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections, which is hearing the Bill to vote on it. Here is a list of those who are on the committee. Please remember to have add your name and pertinent info, and thank them for their time.

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/w3asp/commpages/IndividualCommittee.aspx?commid=496

I'm hoping to get as many people or letters in, because the more support we have, the better chance it has to come to a vote rather than dropped on the floor.

Thank you all for your kind support, and please don't forget to submit your letters for support, and if you can, please join me at the hearing! Just to ensure that we will be there on time, I'll probably be leaving around 6:30AM to ensure I can be there, because it looks as if AB-136 is the first billing for this hearing.

Please keep me posted! :)

Warning! If you upload pics from your mobil phone, you NEED to know this!

And this is why we NEED April's Law NOW! Please sign the petition.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/worldwide-petition-for-aprils-law-in-the-us/

THINK WHAT THE BAD GUYS CAN DO!!!



ALERT! - Warning!! If you, or

your kids take pics with your phone



This is alarming! I did not realize just how

dangerous it is when using your phone to take pictures until

I watched this news broadcast. Also, learn how to

protect your loved ones by turning off this

feature.





"Warning"

If you, your kids or grand kids take pics from your

phone---WATCH THIS!

This

is truly alarming - please take the time to watch. At the

end they'll tell you how to set your phone so you don't

run this risk!
PLEASE PASS THIS INFO TO ANYONE YOU KNOW

WHO TAKES PICTURES WITH THEIR CELL OR SMART PHONE AND

POSTS THEM ONLINE.
I want everyone of you to watch

this and then be sure to share with all your family and

friends. It’s REALLY important info, about what your

posting things on your cell phones can do TO YOU!!!




So

much technology out there these days so

beware...........

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO WATCH

THIS VIDEO, AND TAKE THE RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS.



If you have children or grandchildren you

NEED to watch this. I had no idea this could happen from

taking pictures on the Blackberry, iPhone or any cell

phone. It's scary!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2vARzvWxwY

New Update on April's Law Wisconsin!

Dear friends and supporters,

We have a huge update on April's Law Wisconsin, which is currently AB-136 in the Criminal Justice and Corrections committee. Representative Bob Turner has requested the chair, Representative Gary Bies to hear AB-136 to move it onto the next phase. Let's give Rep. Turner a big huge thank you.

Madison Office

Room 109 North

State Capitol

P.O. Box 8953

Madison, WI 53708

Telephone

(608) 266-0731 Or

(888) 529-0061

Email

Rep.Turner@legis.wisconsin.gov

Now, lets write to Rep. Bies and encourage him to hear AB-136 in committee so we can get this into law! We've come a long way, and the light at the end of the tunnel is bright! Please write or call today to encourage this important piece of legislation to be heard today!

Madison Office

Room 216 North

State Capitol

P.O. Box 8952

Madison, WI 53708

Telephone

(608) 266-5350

Email

Rep.Bies@legis.wisconsin.gov

A big thank you to all of you who've been with us all this time, and for those who are new to the cause! Please keep up the awesome work. We get this heard, and ALW comes to a vote in the Assembly!

Sincerely,

Lika Saliscente - Founder of Youth Voice Initiative