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Survivor Story: Six Things I Wish Catholics Knew About the Abuse Crisis
Patricia Gallagher Marchant, MSW, LCSW, is a psychotherapist in private practice in downtown Milwaukee who has worked for almost 35 years with individuals and couples on issues including anxiety and depression, marital problems, grief, and sexual abuse recovery.
Awake Announces New Executive Director
This month, Awake Milwaukee’s board of directors appointed Sara Larson executive director of the organization. “In my mind this simply confirms the reality we already know,” says Jim Cauley, member of Awake’s board of directors and leadership team…
Why Do Victim-Survivors Sometimes Forget Their Abuse?
When survivors of sexual abuse share their stories, they sometimes describe forgetting or repressing memories of their abuse for years, even decades, before the memories resurface, usually in the form of painful flashbacks. In an effort to understand…
More on Grooming: How Should I Respond if I Suspect Grooming Behavior?
Last week on the blog we discussed grooming, or the tactics abusers may use to prepare victims for abuse, including the red flags that may signal boundary violations and the potential for impending abuse.
What is Grooming, and How is it Related to Sexual Abuse in the Church?
Discussions of sexual abuse sometimes mention “grooming,” the tactics used by abusers to prepare their victims for abuse. It’s important to recognize grooming behaviors as potential early signs of abuse.
Survivor Voices: How I Believe The Church Can Help Survivors Heal
As a teenager in the late 1960s, Jan Ruidl was abused by the priest who led the youth group at her home parish in Springfield, Massachusetts.