Showing posts with label Custody. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Custody. Show all posts

Friday, July 17, 2009

Where Is The Asylum For American Women?


Apparently, our government is seriously considering granting asylum for battered women from other countries. Now there is a concept! Curious, I contacted a church that helps those granted asylum and learned when our government provides assistance, the person is given housing, placed on public aide amounting to approximately $2,000 a month and in many cases a second hand vehicle so they can get around. And other perks depending on the individual’s needs. We cannot take care of victims of abuse in our own country. Why are we extending a hand to foreigners? Is the abuse different or more life threatening from the women in our own country?

Women whom are born in United States are living in the same conditions as those the government has offered to help with little to no options for safety and proper services to escape their abusers. I personally know several hundred women whom are beaten, raped, kept like prisoners in their own homes and forced to deal with their abusers one way or the other or else they will be killed, identical life threatening situations as the women in the New York Times article. Where is the asylum for American women?

If our government can come up with a way to house, educate and find jobs for battered women from other countries in this economy, we should first have a system in place for American women before we start offering a safe haven to immigrants.

Do not misunderstand. I am about helping battered women, but let us help those where we have the greatest need, and the highest mortality rate, right here in the good old United States.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Triggers are Signs from Heaven



by: Debra Roberts, Your Full Potential.org



I have made some connections through Facebook lately that have stirred some emotions within me and wanted to write about them. The subject matter is abuse, domestic violence to be specific and getting help. While listening to a radio program by Susan Murphy Milano I became very emotional and began crying. She was discussing domestic violence situations where wives and mothers were being murdered, their children taken away from them and how the ex husband controlled and dominated the women. It triggered something deep within me that I must have buried to survive. Our minds bury or block things because too much trauma at once is debilit ating. It is a coping mechanism for survival. That is what I did and as I heard the show today it brought up memories that need to be reprocessed and dealt with. I recently asked the person who did this if they would go to counseling with me and surprisingly they said they would. I have believed or perhaps needed to believe that the past has been buried, there is complete forgivenss and moving on was the answer and I was finally O.K. That is obviously not the case because triggers brought up the past as though it happened yesterday, which tells me it needs to be truly dealt with.

The fear that I am allowing to control my thoughts right now is the fact that this person will return to the raging person he used to be once in counseling. He says he is not the man he used to be and his actions appear to prove this is the truth, however I am still not sure. This person went through a serious reocurring illness that had a profound impact on them. It was a terminal illness and by the Grace of God they did not die. I believed and still believe that this illness was a gift from God which got the persons attention and was used to change them. However, as I relive some of the trauma in my mind, I truly wonder if it was not buried just like I buried mine? Did the illness become the focus and the abuse get forgotten? Was it ever really dealt with? These are the questions that I need answers to. I know my calling and my purpose is to help educate and empower people who have endured abuse and once I begin speaking out in reference to this, my prayer is that I am free to do this with no retaliation from the person who committed domestic violence against me.

I am still trying to reach my full potential, remember it is a life long process! Today, I became frozen in my tracks as I remembered what I had truly lived through and what I endured. I think I forgot or wanted to forget because it was too painful to remember. It wasn't time to remember it. However, God has chosen this time in my life to deal with this issue so I can help others more effectively. I heard Joyce Meyer once say, "What is buried Alive Never Dies". Obviously the rotting corpse began to stink today to the point that I was forced to look inside and see what was causing the stench. It is time to dig it up and give it a proper burial. With God guiding me and me relying on his Strength, I know I can edure whatever road is before me. I can and will Reach my Full Potential with God. I believe the triggers that caused me to weep today were signs sent from heaven. The signs are meant to slap me in the face so I would wake up and see clearly that it was time to properly deal with it and Truly be Set Free. Jesus came to set us Free and free indeed is what I will be as I depend on God to help me Reach My Full Potential.



"I have learned the secret of being content in any
and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether
living in plenty or in want.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength (Phil 4:12-13)


The Susan Murphy Milano Show will be addressing the issue of "Mothers Without Custody" with Janice Levinson from Protective Mothers Alliance due to an overwhelming response from listeners. Please join us Wednesday July 8, 4PM EST, 3PM CST on BlogTalk Radio.

Follow the link HERE

Friday, June 12, 2009

Susan Murphy Milano: Breaking My Own Chains of Fear


Suddenly, the divorce was being contested. The son’s father had a new expensive attorney representing him. She wondered how he could afford a four hundred dollar an hour attorney from the largest law firm in town.The woman was summoned to court on an emergency order filed by her husband’s lawyer. She could not figure out for the life of her what was happening. In court, both of their lawyers filed their appearances on behalf of their clients.

Immediately, the judge ordered the case sealed. The court determined she was a public figure, and it would not be in her child’s best interest if people had access to their personal information. The judge without a hearing granted the removal and temporary custody of her son to his father. The mother was devastated as any parent male or female when their own flesh and blood is ripped from their hearts.

They left out the courtroom, the woman asked to speak with her son’s father for a moment.“Why are you doing this? We had an agreement.” He smiled. “Had, meaning past tense.

We no longer have an agreement. All I am going to tell you is watch your back. You have pissed off a lot of people in this town who want to see you go down.” He excused himself and left.
Later that day, the woman met privately with someone from city government, hoping they would be able to provide answers to her questions.

“You have not only embarrassed the city, you cost them a tremendous amount of money in assisting families by filing wrongful deathlawsuits on their behalf.” “What are you talking about, she asked?” “You heard me,” said the city official.“Who is behind this?” she demanded to know.“I am not at liberty to disclose details. I will tell you that you better re-think how you are assisting your clients. Make sure you have release forms indicating you are an advocate, not a lawyer and signed by every single client. "Cause lady they ain’t finished with you yet." Lay low for awhile. I would not do any media interviews if I were you. Tighten your seat belt, you are in for a bumpy ride” The woman thanked him for his time and left. The woman’s divorce had turned into another war.

She had no strength left to fight this battle. Her son, like so many man and women who lose custody of their children as another way to manipulate and control their victims was now a casualty of the cruel and common tactics often used in divorce as one parent attempts to send the other out for slaughter. This experience was similar to what the woman witnessed while helping others to whom she had provided assistance, watching while abusers continued to victimize women and their children, as they were ending the relationship with the person. As with all battered women her emotional mental stability became a major issue before the judge in court, due to accusations from the son’s father, citing that she had grown up in a violent household and how her father had killed her mother in 1989. Yes, the woman I speak of is me.

“She’s crazy!” the lawyer said during the next status hearing in court, using newspaper articles about me advocating for other victims and my parents’ death certificates to make his irrelevant point. He waived them like a flag in front of the judge. Proving his ignorance of victimology he exclaimed “your Honor, we ask the court to consider the public life lived and led by the plaintiff.
She speaks, lives and breathes her parents’ tragedy. At this time we feel it is in the best interest of the minor child and his safety to ask that continued temporary custody be awarded to my client, the child’s father, until such time as Ms. Murphy-Milano can be seen by a psychiatrist to determine her fitness as a parent. Additionally, we have filed a motion with the court ordering a mental health evaluation.”

In disbelief my lawyer said “Your honor, I object. The only harm being done to the minor child is this child's father denying access to his mother. If council is so insistent on a mental health assessment, then I respectfully ask the court for an evaluation on Mr. Milano,” responded my lawyer. I sat at the table with my attorney, stunned by the lies from my son’s father. My attorney objected to the motion, saying there was no basis for the allegations the other side was presenting. “Conveniently taking what my client does to help others is not a valid reason to deny visitation or remove custody. Your Honor, the respondent has manufactured lies, there is no proof to back up these outrageous allegations,”said my attorney.“It’s best for the child that we err on the side of caution,” responded the judge. The judge ruled that both my son’s father and I schedule mental health evaluations with a person chosen by the courts. In the meantime, no decision would be made as to when I would be allowed to have visitation with my son. The judge wanted to wait until after the mandated evaluations.

I knew this process could take months. It was clear my son’s father was angry with me for ending the marriage, and he was going to use my son to teach me a painful lesson. Denying access to my son was devastating. Now I was in the same boat without oars to row, like many other women to whom I had provided assistance. More importantly, my son was a helpless pawn in his father’s sick game. With the tables reversed, I was alone. I had similar feelings when my mother died. My son had been ripped away from me. I knew where all of this was headed and I wanted no part of it. I was unable to fight both the legal system and now my son’s father.

Whoever was behind this master plan wanted me out of the way. The words my son’s father used in court were like daggers thrown at perfect aim, straight at my heart. Because the court records to my divorce had been sealed, any hope of regaining visitation or custody of my son was sealed as well. The powers that be knew the media would have no access to the divorce case file. And would likely not investigate what was happening in the divorce proceeding because the proceedings and records were closed off to the public.The legal system and the political machine were punishing me for refusing to play ball. The divorce was final with custody issues in reserve to be revisited at a later date.
Suddenly, I did not feel worthy as a mother. I questioned my faith in the legal system and in God.

People use fear to silence other people. For nearly 20 years that tactic has worked on me, until now. Pandora's box has been opened and without my knowledge. The 1993, seal on my divorce lifted and the contents now open to the public for which I have provided a link HERE for anyone interested. (Case Information Cook County, Illinois, Summary for Case Number 1993D012470)

I only learned the file was unsealed after receiving a phone call from a person from another State where I resided from 2000-2006. My son's father was well aware that I moved back to Illinois. And I have documentation of our correspondence from my son's father at my Cook County, Illinois, mailing address. Once again he has used a back handed method to have a legal case proceed without my knowledge. I was not legally or properly served. It also shows on the court docket computer screen that I "participated" in a few hearings which makes me wonder if my former husband had a woman in court pretending to be me?

Fear should have died with my father. Instead the power of the secrets that have held my heart in chains die as I press this send button, now.

Stay tuned to part two of this series "Disabling Secrets Empowers Our Truth" Monday, June 15, 2009.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Los Angeles Police Fails Child Abduction Case

 
On April 4, 2009, 10-year old Tomas Betsis-Dunstan from Pacific Palisades, was forcefully taken in what 5 witnesses say was a choke hold from his school by his father George Betsis and Australian businessman. The couple never married but there was long custody battle between the couple.

In addition, there is an ongoing investigation by Los Angeles child protective services are sexual in nature. Considering the imminent danger to Priscilla Dunston's own life the Los Angeles police department are refusing to do their jobs and issue a warrant. This includes the less than dynamic team within the Los Angeles County District Attorney Karen Strickland, who in my professional opinion is treating this case without importance to the life of 10-year of Tomas and his mother. If George Betsis planned and hired a private investigator for several months prior to abducting his son, Priscillia Dunston's life is in danger. This is classic domestic violence 101 and Damn the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office for refusing to do their job. Did they not learn from the murder of another victim, gunned down by her husband in January of 2008. Will they wait until blood starts dripping? And where is Steve Cooley hiding, under his official desk? Or is waiting for bloodshed before he writes an inter office memo to cover his Distrist Attorney behind?
Similar to the Jack and Duncan Connolly both taken during a visitation by their father who subsequently murdered the two young boys, the mother was not believed. The police as in this case allowed precious time to pass before finally releasing a missing person's number No. NR09175KS. But yet no amber alert.
In an interview airing early this morning Austrilia Time the father makes his case on television with this interview on the a curent affair exclusive. George Betsis is hiding out somplace an apartment in the Santa Monica, California area.
We will cover this case on Justice Interrupted Investigates, Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 10:00 PM CST to discuss the issues that a parent faces when in a relationship and is unable to get police assitance or justice in the safe return of their children.
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