Author Archives: Anna Waldherr

About Anna Waldherr

A practicing attorney for 25 years, Anna Waldherr is today a writer and advocate for the poor. She is the author of An Evangelical on the Left, an examination of the politics of religion and the place of faith in public life; The Rose Garden – A Daughter’s Story, an autobiographical account of childhood abuse and recovery; and Like Rain on Parked Cars, a non-fiction narrative about poverty. Anna blogs on religion, politics, and social justice at A Lawyer's Prayers https://alawyersprayers.com, and on abuse-related issues at A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse https://avoicereclaimed.com.

March 3, 2024 · 1:00 am

A Blind Eye

Former Jesuit Marko Rupnik, Author Centroaletti (CC BY-SA 4.0 International)

Gloria Branciani first accused the Catholic priest, Marko Rupnik, of adult clergy abuse as long ago as 1993 [1]. Some 20 women (most of them nuns, members of the Loyola Community, a now defunct religious group Rupnik co-founded) have made the same accusation against him.

Clergy abuse is the misuse of religious authority to harass, exploit, or engage in sexual activity with victims [2].

Branciani described Rupnik’s emotional, psychological, and spiritual manipulation at a recent news conference. Evidently, Rupnik’s sexual proclivities included a partiality for threesomes which he likened to the Trinity — a comparison simultaneously blasphemous and narcissistic.

Though complaints have now been ongoing for decades, the Catholic Church has yet to remove Rupnik from the priesthood.

Background

Rupnik is a famous artist in Catholic Church circles [3A]. His mosaics decorate sanctuaries and shrines worldwide. That may be why the church turned a blind eye to his abuse. Continue reading →

9 Comments

Filed under Abuse of Power, Christianity, Emotional Abuse, Justice, Law, Religion, Sexual Abuse, Violence Against Women

Tagged as abuse and faith, abuse of nuns by priests, adult clergy abuse, Catholic Church sex scandal, clergy sexual misconduct, clerical abuse, grooming, manipulation by abusers, Marko Rupnik

February 25, 2024 · 1:00 am

Sisterhood and Sexual Violence by Hamas

Graffiti by Grafitiyul and Guy Morad critical of women’s organizations which ignored testimony by Israeli women regarding rape and sexual violence during Hamas terrorist attacks 10/7/23, Author Nizzan Cohen (Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International).

WARNING: Graphic Images

The BBC in December 2023 confirmed that it had seen and heard credible evidence of the rape and mutilation of women by Hamas during the October 7 attack on Israel [1].

The overwhelming evidence of savagery included cuts, bruises, broken pelvises, and vaginal tears. Victims ranged in age from children and teens to retirees. The majority did not survive.

“[Many victims’ bodies were] found mutilated and bound, with sexual organs brutally attacked, and in some cases, weapons were inserted into them [2A]”.

The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel has now gathered evidence that there were identical patterns of sexual violence at multiple locations [2B]. Some rapes were committed in front of family and friends, to increase the pain and humiliation of victims and their loved ones. Gang rape followed by murder was not uncommon. Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under Abuse of Power, Justice, Law, Politics, Rape, Terrorism, Violence Against Women

Tagged as antisemitism, gender violence, Hamas, Islamic terrorism, misogyny, October 7 attack on Israel, rape as a weapon of war, sexual violence, war crimes

February 18, 2024 · 1:00 am

Compassion and Contempt

Image by U3190523 (CC BY-SA International)

Those of us who somehow managed to survive childhood abuse and/or domestic violence may actually have contempt for our fellow survivors.

Why is this? Certainly, compassion would seem more natural. After all, we know the pain of those who shared the same experience.

The answer is surprisingly simple. We project onto others the contempt we feel for ourselves.

Weakness

They were weak, at least we think they were. We do not want to be associated with weakness. That might imply we were once weak, too.

It would dredge up the fear and vulnerability — the trauma — of childhood abuse or domestic violence. It might imply that we were powerless in the face of abuse or domestic violence. That knowledge is too distressing for us. Better to hold others in contempt.

That we still have such intense feelings suggests we have not fully come to terms with our experience. Continue reading →

11 Comments

Filed under Child Abuse, Child Molestation, Christianity, domestic abuse, domestic violence, Emotional Abuse, Neglect, Physical Abuse, Religion, Sexual Abuse

Tagged as abuse and PTSD, abuse scars, aftereffects of trauma, healing from abuse, self-care, self-compassion, self-judgment, strength v. weakness

February 11, 2024 · 1:00 am

Vulnerable

Backbone Mountain Youth Center

Backbone Mountain Youth Center, Garrett County, MD, Source https://djs.maryland.gov/Pages/facilities/Backbone-Mountain-Youth-Center.aspx

According to the Children’s Defense Fund, nearly 2000 children and teens are arrested everyday in the United States. In 2018 alone, there were over 700,000 minors under the age of 18 arrested [1].

Tragically, young people are extremely vulnerable to mental, physical, and sexual abuse and neglect during incarceration [2][3][4]. The Dept. of Justice indicates over 36% of the youth in custody at one Maryland juvenile detention center (Backbone Mountain Youth Center) reported having been sexually abused there — fully three times the national average [5].

A total of two hundred victims of physical and sexual abuse have now sued Maryland’s Dept. of Juvenile Services [6A][7A]. Allegations are that abuse was systemic between 1969 and 2017 [8]. Fifteen facilities (three of which have since been closed) are involved in these suits. Continue reading →

8 Comments

Filed under Abuse of Power, Child Abuse, Child Molestation, Emotional Abuse, Justice, Law, Neglect, Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse

Tagged as abuse of incarcerated juveniles, child rape, juvenile justice system, Maryland Juvenile Detention Centers

February 4, 2024 · 1:00 am

Imperfection

Hand-painted Kintsugi pottery bowl by Artist Ruthann Hurwitz, Author Ruthann Hurwitz, (CC BY-SA 4.0 International)

One of the greatest challenges for those of us who have lived through abuse is coming to terms with our own imperfections.

Not Unworthy of Love

We were taught — endlessly, often by the most brutal means — that our imperfections made us unlovable, unworthy of love.

That, of course, was a lie. However, it left us believing that any imperfection at all was unacceptable, in effect, that it disqualified us from membership in the human race.

Yet, humanity is defined by imperfection. We may strive for excellence — at times even achieve it. But all human beings are by nature flawed. Continue reading →

11 Comments

Filed under Child Abuse, Child Molestation, Christianity, domestic abuse, domestic violence, Emotional Abuse, Neglect, Physical Abuse, Religion, Sexual Abuse

Tagged as abuse and self-esteem, abuse scars, courage, God's love for abuse victims, imperfections, kintsugi, self-acceptance

January 28, 2024 · 1:00 am

Enslaved 2024 – Part 3

Human Trafficking, concept image by Tapas Kumar Halder, Author Tapas Kumar Halder, (CC BY-SA 4.0 International)

We conclude our discussion of the blight of human trafficking with suggestions as to how the public can prevent and respond to this profound evil [1].

What You Can Do

Concerned as they may be, most people are overwhelmed by the magnitude of human trafficking — at a loss for how they can make a difference. But there are things the average person can do [2]:

Become educated about human trafficking, and stay alert to the situations people may be experiencing.
Share information about human trafficking with family, friends, neighbors, business associates, and fellow bloggers.
Support local anti-trafficking organizations, either financially or by volunteering. Pro bono attorneys are especially needed. An online directory of community organizations is available here: https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/find-local-services.
Buy with care. Consider where (and by whom) food, clothing, jewelry, electronics, and other items were produced. An extensive list of items made by forced labor or child labor can be found here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods.
Get help for a family member, co-worker, student, tenant, patient, or someone else in need. The National Human Trafficking Hotline https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/contact provides free confidential support, 24/7. Call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP to 233733 (BEFREE).
Partner with the schools, healthcare providers, and other institutions and professionals serving those experiencing human trafficking. Together with them, craft student safety programs for children at risk, fair workplace protocols, and ethical procurement practices at places of employment. Work for safe and affordable housing, and accessible healthcare.
Speak out. Inquire what elected representatives are doing about human trafficking. Urge that trafficking be made a priority.

Continue reading →

10 Comments

Filed under Child Abuse, Child Molestation, Christianity, Community, domestic abuse, domestic violence, Emotional Abuse, human trafficking, Neglect, Physical Abuse, Poverty, Prostitution, Rape, Religion, sex trafficking, Sexual Abuse, Slavery, Violence Against Women

Tagged as child labor, child sex trafficking, children forced into prostitution, forced labor, forced marriage, human trafficking in the United States, modern slavery

January 21, 2024 · 1:00 am

Enslaved 2024 – Part 2

As discussed in Part 1 of this series, human trafficking is the form slavery takes today [1].

Red Flags

The red flags for trafficking include the following [2]:

A. In the Workplace, Generally

A job offer that seems to be too good to be true.
A job offer that requires a move far from family and friends, where the recruiter or prospective employer declines to provide detailed information about the job.
A prospective employer who refuses to provide a signed contract, or asks employees to sign a contract in a language they cannot read.
A prospective employer who collects fees from a potential employee for the mere “opportunity” to work at a particular job.
Promised pay withheld by a recruiter or employer after work has been done.
Dangerous work conditions without training, adequate breaks, safety gear, or other protections.
Inhumane living conditions provided by an employer.
Monitoring by an employer of all interaction with others.
Isolation by an employer from support systems.
Pressure by an employer to stay on the job.
Control by an employer of a passport and identity documents.
Threats of deportation or other harm by an employer.

Continue reading →

9 Comments

Filed under Child Abuse, Child Molestation, domestic abuse, domestic violence, Emotional Abuse, human trafficking, Neglect, Physical Abuse, Poverty, Prostitution, Rape, sex trafficking, Sexual Abuse, Slavery, Violence Against Women

Tagged as child labor, child sex trafficking, children forced into prostitution, forced labor, forced marriage, human trafficking in the United States, modern slavery, signs of human trafficking

January 14, 2024 · 1:00 am

Enslaved 2024 – Part 1

“Slavery – A Study in Marble” by Valentin Galochkin, Author Valentin Galochkin, (PD)

The White House has proclaimed January as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month [1].

Scope

Over 40 million people are trafficked worldwide [2A]. Women and girls constitute about 71% of all human trafficking victims [2B]. In fact, one in every four victims of modern slavery is a child [2C].

Geographic Distribution

Trafficking centers around areas with international travel hubs (airports and seaports), access to highways, seasonal work, a hospitality industry (often associated with tourism), a sharp disparity between rich and poor, and a large immigrant population [3A][8].

A. Overseas

According to the International Labor Organization, Asia and the Pacific region have the highest incidence of forced labor and forced marriages [5].

B. United States

In our country, experts estimate that there are over 199,000 instances of human trafficking (which includes sex trafficking) annually [4A].

The top ten states for trafficking in 2022 were Mississippi, Nevada, Missouri, Nebraska, Florida, Texas, California, Arkansas, Oregon, and Georgia [2D]. Continue reading →

14 Comments

Tagged as child labor, child sex trafficking, children forced into prostitution, forced labor, forced marriage, human trafficking in the United States, modern slavery

January 7, 2024 · 1:00 am

Rape and Sexual Assault at the US Coast Guard Academy

US Coast Guard Seal with motto Semper Paratus (“Always Ready”), Source Navy Reservist (March 2008), (PD)

It is a shame that we must begin the New Year with a focus on misogyny in the military.

Four courageous women have testified before Congress to the rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment they were forced to endure at the US Coast Guard Academy with no consequences to the perpetrators [1A].

Legally, rape is non-consensual sexual intercourse by physical force, threats, or drugs [2A]. Sexual assault involves any non-consensual sexual contact [2B]. Sexual harassment involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, verbal or physical intimidation either in the workplace or in an educational setting [3].

One woman had to continue living and studying beside the student who had sexually assaulted her [1B].
Another attempted suicide after being raped and sexually assaulted by two different classmates [1C].
A third woman was groped in front of dozens of laughing onlookers [1D].
The fourth woman was actually penalized for the damage which resulted when two students broke down her dorm room door to attack her and her roommate in their beds [1E].

The demeanor of these women was professional, their testimony compelling. As CNN reports, their stories are not unique. Continue reading →

8 Comments

Filed under Abuse of Power, Justice, Law, Rape, Sexual Assault, Violence Against Women

Tagged as misogyny, rape in the military, sexism in the military, sexual assault in the military, sexual harassment in the military, US Coast Guard

December 31, 2023 · 1:00 am