Women in Hiding Press
  • Home
  • DigitalWIH
  • DigitalBTS
  • DigitalFAH

                    A Joke, An IPhone, An Icon Falls

8/4/2015

 
  A Joke, An IPhone, An Icon Falls

By Phil Foley

Bill Cosby always told the jokes.  He was not the butt of them.  That all changed with one lone comedian and one Iphone.  Imagine!  One small voice outed icon, Bill Cosby, as a serial rapist.  One witness took action and the truth of Mr. Cosby’s depravity unraveled like a spool of thread. 

Thirty nine-39!-of his victims are featured on a recent cover of New Yorker Magazine.  It is shocking to see the sheer number of his victims and to know that each face represents permanent damage that the sexual predator, Bill Cosby, imposed on every single one of their lives.  The cost to his victims is immeasurable.  But each one of these thirty nine women is making a stand for herself and for all victims of sexual violence.  Bill Cosby will be held accountable for his predatory sexual assaults.  He cannot “joke” his way out of rape this time. 

Social media was an important part of giving voice to these victims.  The main stream press that trades in fantasy and the romanticizing of tragedy could no longer be contained by the power and influence of someone like Bill Cosby.  The preponderance of evidence from over 40 victims compelled even his most ardent supporters to acknowledge that he is a serial rapist.  This illustrates the power of victims speaking out.

Every woman whose life is about to be thrown into turmoil by the opening of sealed confidential adoption records which will place her in both physical and emotional danger needs to use the power of her voice to bring public awareness to the damaging effects of this legislation.

If you were rescued by the confidential adoption process, Kathleen and I encourage you to speak out.  Your story is important!  You are important! 

The legislators have only heard from the people who want to disregard your right to privacy and negate the guarantee of confidentiality made to you all those years ago.  My 16 years of fighting the open records legislation in New Jersey has shown how one-sided the debate was.

Please take this opportunity to tell your story.  Your story will help show the public and legislators the impact and damage opening adoption records legislation will have on your life and the lives of other women.  The wounds this legislation will open for innocent women must not be dismissed.  The victims of Bill Cosby are finally being taken seriously.  That’s because they are speaking in numbers too big to ignore. 

Currently, public sympathy is with the adoptees because they have used their public voice.  But their voice-their mission-is fraught with lies and misconceptions and illusions that prey on the public’s pity and lack of knowledge.  Didn’t we all love Bill Cosby?  Who would ever, ever believe that he’s a serial rapist?  Tell the public and adoptee community your story.  Speak about how you were saved by the confidential adoption process.  Stand up for yourself, for your privacy, for your civil rights.  In the telling of your truth, no adoptee will ever be able to invade your life using the excuse, “I Didn’t Know!”

Adoption equals crisis pregnancy.  For every adoptee there is woman who endured a catastrophic pregnancy.  Not 39 women, hundreds, thousands of women.  There is a great probability that a crisis pregnancy that resulted in a confidential adoption was suffered by a juvenile victim of a sexual assault.  Kathleen is an adoptee.  Her biological source is a rapist.  Anyone considering demanding medical information by hunting down a stranger needs to be reminded that the information is likely unavailable.  And that no biological source is the answer to whatever problems you are currently facing in your life.

People cannot understand what they don’t know.  Be part of educating through your truth.  You may save a woman’s life.

  You are encouraged to also send your story to:
  Office of Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services
Adult Protective Services systems in order to provide a coordinated and seamless response for helping adult victims of abuse and to prevent abuse before it happens.

Email:comments to the ACL website: aclinfo@acl.hhs.gov




Comments are closed.

    Categories

    All
    ADOPTION PRIVACY
    EXCERPT: Woman In Hiding
    INTROSPECTIVE
    POEMS
    SHAMING WOMEN
    TRAUMA
    VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    July 2016
    March 2016
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    RSS Feed


    Women in Hiding Press Books:
    Picture
    Picture

    About the Author

    In the provocative spirit of Matilda Joslyn Gage, Gloria Anzaldua, and Mary Daly, Kathleen Hoy Foley expands and deepens the voice of female experience.

    Raw. Uncompromising. Compassionate. Deliberately antagonistic. Kathleen writes to awaken the courage within the reader.


    TO THE SURVIVOR
    If you are a person who was victimized as a child or as an adult, I am so very sorry you ever had to suffer at the hands of a predator. 

    I am sorry you were abused, sorry no one protected you, sorry you have felt so alone, sorry you have been so afraid then and in the now. I am so sorry for the loss of your innocence. 

    You were and are entitled to you life. And you had a right to inherit your own body. And no matter what you did or what you think you failed to do you are not to blame. Sexual abuse is never a victim's choice. Sexual abuse is something that was done to your body not something you wanted. 

    This is an excerpt from: 

    http://web.archive.org/web/20130101063123/http://true-perspective.org 

    Kathleen and I encourage you to visit this site for perspective on your ordeal. Live happy and whole. Claim you power! 

    You are your own authority.

    Question Everything.  Including social, religious & political authorities

    Learn to listen and respond to your intuition.  It is never wrong.

    Learn to be impolite.  It must be part of your defense system.

    Nothing is unspeakable.

    Stare truth in the eye and speak it.

    You name abuse.  Listen to your body.  It will tell you.  It is never wrong. 

    Stare abuse in the eye and speak it.

    Stare abusers in the eye and name them.

    Use your voice.  Use your words. 

    BE LOUD.  Violence against girls, boys, women and men hides in the silent shadows.

    Know that you are powerful.

    KNOW THAT YOUR VOICE IS POWERFUL.   USE IT.



© Copyright 2014-2020 Women in Hiding Press
Proudly powered by Weebly