Blogathon 2007 -- Making a Difference Today, Along With a Resource For Tommorow

Hello, everyone,

This is my Blogathon 2007 blog, and I'm blogging to raise money for Stop It Now. Let me tell you a little bit about the Blogathon, and Stop It Now, and then I'll tell you why I'm doing this.

(To make a pledge, click here! http://www.blogathon.org/pledge.php?blogid=327 [Note:When you get to the pledge page, it asks for your email address and password. Below that, you'll notice a line that says, Don't have an account? Sign Up!. You want to click on the SignUp link, and this will allow you to make the pledge.])

Of course, bloggers are always making a difference. But during the Blogathon, they aim to make a difference in a big way.

The Blogathon is an awesome event, where bloggers from all around the world sit down at their computers, and blog to raise money for needed causes. This year, starting on July 28th, at 6 am Pacific Time (USA), Blogathon Bloggers will begin to post something every 30 minutes, non-stop for 24 hours, staying up into the wee hours of the night, in order to raise money for their chosen cause.

People blog for all kinds of charities, and they are sponsored by people like you. Imagine that -- YOU can make a difference without having to stay up all night with us. Of course, you can blog, too! Check out the blogathon website for more details. But if you'd rather support one of us, that's awesome too. You make your pledge at the blogathon website, and either now or when the blogathon is over, you simply go directly to the charities online donation form and make your promised contribution. You can donate anything from $10 up to $1,000 or more. (I don't know if you can donate less than $10, you need to check with the charities giving policies. But if they say you can donate less, and that's what you can do, then heck, do that!)

No money passes through Blogathon or me (or any other bloggers). It is sent directly from the giver, to the charity. The purpose of pledging on the Blogathon site is to just keep a record of how much is raised, and to make it all the more fun and motivating for those of us feeling dizzy from the 38 cups of coffee we will need to stay up the entire time! :-)

Now, let me tell you a little bit about Stop It Now, and why I'm doing this, and what I mean by my blog post's title: Making a Difference Today, Along With a Resource For Tommorow

Stop It Now is an organization that aims to educate and empower adults to stop childhood sexual abuse. So many programs focus on educating mainly the children on what they should do to stop or prevent abuse.

But let's be clear -- that's good, kids should have the tools -- but this is not a child's responsibilty. It is never a child's fault, and it is unfair to place the majority of responsibilty into their hands by telling them to say "no" and leaving it at that. (Note to Adults: Saying No never stopped anyone from hurting me as a child.)

Children, when it comes to reality, are not the ones with the most power to stop abuse from happening. They are small, young, and so much more naive than those who do have the power to stop or prevent abuse -- who does have the power to stop abuse?

Adults.

Those who are around the child, those who know the child, those who raise the child -- it is the adults who need to know what the signs are that a child is being abused AND the signs that someone may be abusing a child. Stop It Now also offers a hotline. From their website:

"For more than 10 years, our national toll-free Helpline
(1.888.PREVENT) has provided thousands of adults a unique outlet to
confidentially voice their concerns. We provide support, information and
resources that enable individuals and families to keep children safe and to
create healthier communities."

But Stop It Now goes even further -- they put the responsibility to stop abuse at the core -- they also offer their hotline to adults who are thinking of abusing a child. They offer these people the help and resources they need to prevent the abuse from happening before it happens.

You can read more about Stop It Now on their website: http://www.stopitnow.com/about.html

Now, why am I raising money for Stop It Now? And what do I mean by my blog post's title, Making a Difference Today, Along With a Resource For Tommorow... ?

I am an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I strongly believe that there were many adults in my life who knew things, who saw things, and could have done something to prevent or stop what was happening to me -- and they didn't. They were all silent. By blogging for Stop It Now, I hope that the donations and the awareness raised through the Blogathon will help children not get as hurt as I did as a child.

Also, Stop It Now offers resources to those who suffered from Childhood Sexual Abuse. The aftermath of abuse is something few people can imagine, unless they themselves have experienced it. I hope by raising money for Stop It Now more survivors of childhood sexual abuse will be able to reach out and get help, and heal from the pain of their past.


I did blogathon last year, and we raised almost $100. Which is great! This year, I thought perhaps to do a bit more. Instead of just posting random things during the blogathon, what if I created a blog that would sit on the big Internet and act as a resource for those looking for help.

So, while I post for the blogathon this year, I intend to post about the many ways survivors can heal from the past. Anything from comfort to grounding to stoping self-harm to resources to hotlines -- whatever a survivor could possibly find helpful during a time of crisis, I hope to post on my blog during the blogathon.

This way, not only will I be blogging to raise money for Stop It Now -- I'll also be creating a resource online for survivors.

To make your pledge, click here!

http://www.blogathon.org/pledge.php?blogid=327
[Note:When you get to the pledge page, it asks for your email address and password. Below that, you'll notice a line that says, Don't have an account? Sign Up!. You want to click on the SignUp link, and this will allow you to make the pledge.]