Today's Heroes - Jennifer Cluff and Momology

Today's Heroes - Jennifer Husson Cluff of Mom-ology

Where Being A Mom Is A Way Of Life

Jennifer Husson Cluff Has Been Voted As One Of Canada's Top 5 Parenting Blogs

Over the past few years I have written a series of essays about real-life heroes - incredible individuals who act in kindness and compassion toward others and who inherently, by the nature of their spirits, enhance the lives of those around them. I am fortunate to call each a dear friend. These individuals have made me a better person. They have positively impacted the lives of so many others by direct act or through social activism. Nevertheless, they are what is right about our world.

Needless to say, I feel honored and blessed to have these remarkable heroes in my life for they have not only enriched my own life, but they have profoundly and measurably made our world a better place. It is my privilege to share with you, insight about my dear friend Jennifer Husson Cluff of Ontario, Canada who not only is an active defender and protector of children in crisis as well as children with special needs, but who also is one of the kindest, caring, and compassionate individuals I have ever had the privilege to call 'friend'. It is no wonder why Jennifer Husson Cluff has been awarded the honor of being called one of Canada's top parenting blog writers through her incredible work discussing everyday parenting issues on her Mom-ology website, but also issues revolving around autism and international child abduction and trafficking. From my perspective, Jennifer Husson Cluff is not only one of Canada's top parenting writers, but she is one of the world's most prolific parenting writers because through her writing and social media capability, Jen Husson Cluff has measurably helped save the lives of children in severe crisis.

Before I go any further, let me say this simple thing about heroes: they are ordinary people doing extraordinary things for others during time of need or crisis, and in their act, they seek nothing but to hold the knowledge that they acted in kindness toward another, including individuals they know as well as individuals they may never know. In a hero’s compassionate act, they make the world a better place. And unquestionably, Jennifer Husson Cluff has made the world a better place for others.

Social media has clearly altered the way the world shares information, including a shift away from what may be previously considered traditional media outlets to the more nano-moment overdrive that occurs via social media outlets such as blog sites, Twitter, Facebook, etc., etc. The paradigm of this is a massive world of what may be viewed as dormant voices erupted in the media. The volcano, if you will – the highly intelligent, insightful, connected voices known as parenting blog writers.

Speaking from first-hand experience in my capacity as the Founding Director of the I CARE Foundation, I have seen just how influential parenting blog writers are, particularly when they mobilize on a specific issue or cause. Fortunately for many at-risk children and their parents who have been targeted for international parental child abduction, a large and growing number of parenting bloggers decided to share their powerful voices and write about abduction. In doing so, the number of reported cased in the United States declined by 15% during 2012. This was more than a remarkable event. It was a miracle partially created by some extraordinary parents – mostly mothers who parent, who write, who live, who think, who care, and who stood unbowed. Amongst this remarkable group, and defining all of the above, is Jennifer Husson Cluff.

Over the past year, the I CARE Foundation has worked with Jennifer. Whenever we asked for assistance in sharing messages that could possibly help families at risk, not only did she say ‘yes’ to our request, but asked ‘what else can I do to help?’

And help she did!

Jennifer Husson Cluff is my hero. She is what is right about this world. I value her friendship greatly, am inspired deeply by her belief in others, but more than anything, I value her incredible, insightful voice – a voice that always thinks of others while also being assertive, thoughtful, and at times, quite funny. And as a parent – there is not a day that goes by that I am not amazed by just how caring and attentive a parent Jennifer is to her son Connor, who I think is one of the most remarkable young boys I have ever had the privilege of getting to know – in fact, I am blessed that Connor, who sees the world in its purest form – has been willing to share with me from time-to-time his unique, innocent, trusting, and wise perspective about so many things.

The other day, I was discussing with my fellow I CARE Foundation board of director member, attorney Joel Walter the amazing fact that the number of international parental child abduction cases declined by 15%. His words? “The reason why that happened more than anything is because of remarkable women like Jen [Husson Cluff] who answered our plea to help steward the message about abduction. They [the parenting blog writers] played a dramatic role in what was accomplished.”

I couldn’t agree more with Joel’s statement.

In asking Jennifer a list of questions below, I think you will understand just how remarkable a person Jennifer Husson Cluff is. So with great pleasure, I share with you my interview with my hero, Jennifer Husson Cluff.

1. What is Mom-ology?

Mom-ology is a place where I share anything and everything mom-related… or in reality, parenting-related, as I do have some dad readers too. I originally started writing under another blog name and it was specifically about autism. As time went on, I started branching out into more general parenting topics, which allowed Mom-ology to be born. It allowed me to expand what I wanted to write about. It’s a place where I am able to be me and if that benefits someone else as well, that’s fantastic!

2. You have recently been voted one of Canada's Top Parenting Blog Writers. Why write and what topics do you focus on?

My main goal in writing is to write about personal issues that may be of interest to others. Becoming a stay-at-home mom after being in the workforce for almost 15 years was a difficult transition in one sense. Though I love my son more than anything in this world, I thought I lost a part of my identity as a person in the workforce. So in creating Mom-ology, and writing about the things I do, it has allowed me to share my voice with others again.

Outside of sharing life living with autism… the good, the bad and the funny… I am passionate about raising autism awareness. As a special needs parent, I learned very quickly how to advocate for my son. Society has a lot of misconceptions about autism, and to help reduce the amount of discrimination and unfortunately, ignorance, the views of society need to change. My goal is to do what I can to change those views… to make life easier for my son, his friends and anyone else on the spectrum.

I have also become a bit of an advocate trying to help raise awareness about international parental child abduction (IPCA). About a year ago, I was introduced to this world that I didn’t know existed. I was an outsider looking in… and I can sure say, I didn’t like what I saw. I have been incredibly lucky to be able to assist the I CARE Foundation in any way I can, as they fight to bring about changes in the laws that are necessary to protect innocent children from the abuse and cruel world that is IPCA.

3. You are a fierce advocate of children with special needs. What benefits, if any, has social media had in furthering society's understanding of children who are on the autism spectrum?

Thank you for saying that Peter - it means an awful lot coming from you. As you are aware, education is the key for any type of advocacy. In my opinion, social media has been a huge benefit as we try to raise awareness and help change the way society looks at children or adults on the autism spectrum.

Social media has allowed many causes and advocacy programs to reach people that they would have never been able to years ago. There are bloggers out there advocating and raising awareness for autism, as well as organizations such as Autism Speaks, and the information and reach is unbelievable. For example, April 2nd has been recognized as World Autism Awareness Day and a big part of this day is Autism Speaks’ campaign called ‘Light It Up Blue’. Businesses, organizations and individuals from all around the world recognize and participate in this event. It’s something small but it shows that social media is making a difference and getting the word out there. It allows us to share with society and to help people understand. Many times people’s reactions are based on fear of the unknown, but those fears can be reduced simply sharing information and educating society. I like to think that one day my son will live in a world that will accept him for who he is and part of that will be due to the work that advocates are doing today… but we still have a long way to go.

4. You have stewarded the message of international parental child abduction prevention, and have directly played important roles in helping prevent children from being internationally abducted. How would you describe parental child abduction and how relevant is this in society today?

I would say any parent’s worst nightmare would be to have their child abducted. Making it worse would be to know that it was the other parent doing the abducting! It’s hard to imagine that a parent could do that to their child! Aren’t parents supposed to love and care for their children? I know many of you feel the same way as I do and just can’t fathom the idea. However, it happens… and it happens a lot!

International parental child abduction is a form of child abuse… there is no other way to describe it. The short-term and long-term effects on these innocent children are severe. Not only is the child subjected to parental alienation, but studies show there is an increased risk of being murdered by the abducting parent (filicide) and data indicating victims of IPCA are also at a higher risk of suicide.

If you look at the statistics you will see how relevant this is in society today. There may be as many as 20,000 Canadian children and 125,000 American children internationally abducted by one parent from the other over the next ten years. Of those numbers, only about 10% of these children will ever come home!

As a parent, protect yourself and protect your child… I encourage you to take a few minutes and educate yourself about the WARNING SIGNS of IPCA. The easiest and best way to protect these children is to stop IPCA before it happens!

5. You use your blog to educate others about a host of important topics relevant to society today. What would be two of your biggest success stories on how your blog writing has helped another?

One of the things that I love about blogging is hearing from readers. My favorite story by far would be when I was contacted by a mom here in Canada, after reading an article about international parental child abduction that was shared on Mom-ology. This mom discovered that her three children were at risk of being taken to Saudi Arabia by their father. Thankfully the I CARE Foundation was able to ensure that these children remained in Canada where they were safe. I will ALWAYS remember that day… being a part of ensuring these children were safe… that was truly an amazing feeling!

I have had ‘autism parents’ contact me looking for support for their struggles that mainly revolve around dealing with school issues. Most recently, a parent emailed me after their child was forced into a supposed ‘seclusion room’ at school. Many parents are unaware of their rights in these types of situations and even more are afraid to upset the school and the officials. Helping parents to understand their rights and assisting to ensure they are able to access the resources and support that they need is extremely important. In this case it was to protect a child’s safety… to preserve a child’s dignity… and help a parent to realize they need to be the voice for their child and stand up for what they believe is right.

6. How socially influential are parenting blog writers and mom bloggers in particular?

I wish I could remember where I read this, but it was research stating that in 2012 there were 4.2 million ‘mom bloggers’ in North America. Now each of those mom bloggers have a passion that they write about… it may be fashion, food or fighting for a cause… whatever it is, in those numbers, they carry a lot of weight in the social world. Many parenting bloggers are stay at home moms and we use our blogs to share our voice and with the accessibility of the internet we are able to share our message with more people than ever before. I read parenting blogs from all around the world… I don’t go to buy a newspaper anymore… I use the internet to see what is going on in the world.

7. You have been blog writing for a little more than a year, yet in your first year as a blogger you have become considered one of the most important parenting blog writers. Are there any lessons that you can share with other parents who are or may be considering creating a blog?

Mom-ology was not my first blog but it is the first one that I have actually stuck with and made into something that I am proud of. I struggled a lot trying to ‘find my groove’ so to speak. I can’t say exactly what it was, but everything just fell into place. I write about what I love. I wouldn’t be able to do it any other way. I proved that to myself many times over!! I like to think I’m heading down the right path now though because I sure love what I do.

In my opinion, you need to write about what you know… write about what you love! I think with blogging, you have to do it because you enjoy it. If you put too many expectations on yourself you will probably lose interest. Deciding what you want from your blog is also an important step. Do you want it to be a ‘diary’ that you can share with family and friends, or do you have a bigger goal in mind…making an income? Advocating for a cause? Most of all have fun!

8. I would like to play a little word game. What comes to mind when I say, "Finding Your Voice?"

Funny you should ask this question, seeing as it comes up so much in our conversations!

I believe that your ‘voice’ is who you are… your mind, your heart and your spirit. When you ‘find your voice’ you find who you are truly meant to be and what is your ‘gift’, so to speak. There is a passion inside everyone and the challenge is to find it, but when you do, you will know. I guess for myself, I found my voice after I started Mom-ology. It’s been an incredible journey!

9. How has social media changed the landscape of society?

Social media has made some pretty great changes in the world. If you look at the way we interact with each other there are some definite pros and cons. Social media allows us to stay in contact with friends and family like we never could before, but I also think there is a downside to that in that we have lost some of the social skills that used to exist in society. People sit in the same room with each other and converse via text messages rather than a good old conversation. I must admit that I find that funny when I see it happen. The definition of ‘friends’ has pretty much been redefined due to Facebook. How many of your friends on Facebook are really friends? But if you look at the area of social activism, the changes are amazing! Gone are the days of having a small group on individuals trying to fight for a cause...locally. Today, social media allows people to connect on a global scale which only benefits the area of education and raising awareness. Think about the decline in parental abductions. This information is going out over the internet through the I CARE Foundation and bloggers. Parents are finding out about IPCA and the risks through social media. Children's lives are being protected because of social media! I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty impressive!

10. Three books that have changed your life?

OK, this is really going to show where my life is today! I don't have a lot of free time to read so when I do, most of my focus goes into learning about autism. The first two books are written by individuals on the autism spectrum and each has taught me so much about my son.

Chasing the Cyclone... well, that's kind of a given. Now certainly one of my favorite books, it has impacted my life in so many positive ways... as has the author!!

1. Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin

2. Look Me In the Eye by John Elder Robison

3. Chasing The Cyclone by Peter Thomas Senese

11. Your son has a golden retriever named Ollie. How important is Ollie to your family?

As a companion, a helper, a best friend and member of our family, Ollie is our son’s autism service dog. Quite simply, he brings peace back to our lives as he is our extra set of eyes and ears. He has the amazing ability to make a young boy’s tears disappear by sharing a little nuzzle, or a comforting lick on the cheek, and those tears are replaced with sounds of laughter. Things like providing a warm snuggle at night, Ollie helps our son to feel safe and comforted so that he is able to sleep. A simple cuddle can help reduce anxiety and assists with self-regulation (those things we all take for granted) which makes those daily routines more bearable. If you were to ask what the best thing about having Ollie is, our son’s reply would be, and has been, ‘He is my best friend’.

We have had Ollie for almost 4 years and he has made such an enormous change in our lives. He has a big job but he does it so well! As you can probably tell by all that, Ollie is an extremely important member of our family and we are truly blessed to have him!

12. International Parental Child Abduction rates declined for the second year in a row in the United States. How significant of a role would you say parenting blog writers played in raising social awareness so at-risk parents can protect their children?

First off, I am thrilled at this news. When you shared this information the other day it was, as you know, a reality check for me. As a blogger, you don’t generally see the effect that you have on things like social awareness. If you are blogging about healthy eating, you don’t see how your efforts change people’s health specifically… you have to trust that what you are doing is making a difference.

In the case of parental child abduction, getting the word out on a global scale is beneficial for all. With bloggers having access to the internet and the followers through social media sites, it is easy to get messages out on a massive scale. I guess you could say that the numbers speak for themselves. Though standing up for what you believe in on your own is better than not doing anything at all, I think it takes a strong team to really make a difference. The efforts of the I CARE Foundation and the parenting bloggers that have been working with them are making a difference! I am proud to be a part of that!

13. Who or what inspires you?

That’s an easy one… my biggest inspiration is, of course, my son.

14. What should others know about you and your writing?

One of my favore phrases is 'Live… Laugh… Love'. There are sure a lot of different ways you can interpret that phrase, but any way you look at it, it’s a great way to live! If I could give everyone the ability to at least laugh each day I would. Laughter is the best medicine… it doesn’t take batteries… and best of all, it’s free

I would love it if people would stop by and check out Mom-ology… and of course let me know that you stopped by!

15. What would you like to tell anyone who thinks that their voice doesn't matter or who thinks that they can't make a difference in their own life or the lives of others?

Never let anyone tell you that your voice doesn't matter because it does! Even one voice can make a difference. It took me a while to realize that, but thanks to a pretty good friend... namely Peter Thomas Senese... I am able to see that now. If I can make a difference, so can you!

(End Interview Questions)

There are people in this world that make the world a better place by simply existing, and Jennifer Husson Cluff sure is one of them.  Extremely intelligent, humble, considerate to others, a dedicated parent who has found her voice and who has used her voice for the greater good of others, she is what is right about this world.  

While I sit here thinking about how I would like to end this interview, I have immediately found myself reflecting upon the time when Jen and I first met.  With a smile on my face, I remember thinking after our first conversation how intelligent and caring she is.  But I also remember thinking to myself, "She really doesn't realize just how capable she is, nor how important her incredible insight is."  Well, I can't say how amazing of an experience it has personally been to see first-hand as Jennifer Husson Cluff, one of Canada's Top 5 Parenting writers . . . has found her voice.  Undeniably, the world is a better place . . . and my life has been enriched in ways I could never possibly explain.

And Jennifer, should you ever read this - I want you to know you are a true hero in my eyes.

Kindest wishes to all -

Peter Thomas Senese

Author, Filmmaker, Advocate, and Believer In Miracles

Founding Director - The I CARE Foundation 

Please visit Mom-ology.

http://mom-ology.ca/wordpress/

The I CARE Foundation: Acting Wtih Love and Compassion

LOVE

It is not a coincidence that the I CARE Foundation logo is a majestic heart covered in beautiful colors of young childrens' hand prints.  The symbol represents the LOVE we value, respect, and cherish that is found in our relationships as well as the loving bond between parents and their children.

Indeed, LOVE has the potential to change everything.

In thinking of LOVE and the work of the I CARE Foundation, my mind wanders to the opening words of Chasing The Cyclone.  There readers will see the words:

Love is everything it is cracked up to be

It is really worth fighting for

Being brave for

Risking everything for

And there is no question I do believe in these words.  I hope in your own special way, you do too.

So today is Valentine's Day. It is a very special day for me because I have the most incredible partner in the world in Maria. And hopefully she knows that there is never a day that goes by that I ever take her for granted. I think she knows . . . because I tell her everyday how important she is to me and how blessed I am to have her in my life.

But today is a very special day outside of my relationship with Maria.  You see, the reason why the I CARE Foundation exists today is because a group of us believe that LOVE is really worth fighting for. Being brave for.  Risking everything for. And that love I refer to is the love a parent holds for their child, and the love a child holds for their parent.  But that's not all of it.  In addition, we pay tribute to the love that exists between each individual, children included, and this magical thing called life.

Sadly, sometimes in life there are those who seek to steal the magic away from others. 

And that too is worth fighting for.

I believe that.

So today, on behalf of all of us at the I CARE Foundation, we wish all of you a Happy Valentine's Day filled with the magic of life.

And today to start my own day, I received a telephone call from a young girl age 12 named Paula along with her parents.  Paula is one of the young girls the I CARE Foundation recently rescued from the horrors of human sex trafficking. 

Her words to me were this:  "Mr. Peter. I love you and wanted to be the first person to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day." Her words were soon followed by such kind words by her parents. For the first time in weeks I felt a true sense of happiness.  Clearly, their storms were subsiding.

LOVE.  So much more than a word.

Some of you may know that I have been a little frozen after the recent set of events that led to the rescue of these young children. The trauma they faced and the journey they will remain on makes it very difficult to celebrate anything.

However, today the words of this young girl, followed by those of her mother and father changed that.  Funny how LOVE is so powerful that it can make a heart burst in joy!

And today, I celebrate these young children who are now FREE!

And today I celebrate all the children we have helped bring home as well as those who we have helped protect from abduction.

And today I celebrate the friendships I have created and hold dear.

And I today, like every day, I celebrate the love I have for Maria and my beautiful son, Tyler.

But most of all, today, in my own way, I affirm my own commitment to allow the love I hold in my heart to keep me moving forward in the way I have in my role with the I CARE Foundation.

Wishing all of you a Happy Valentine's Day!

Peter Thomas Senese

* * * * *

For those of you who have not seen the post I made on February 13th, 2013 concerning the children the I CARE Foundation helped bring home, please take the time to read this below:


Over the past two months the I CARE Foundation has played a heavy role in assisting in the planned and successful rescue of 15 young girls who were previously kidnapped and enslaved into the world of the child sex trade in Central America.  The abducted children were all kidnapped from their homes in various countries in Central America and ringled together into one horrible, disgusting working brothel, where they were literally imprisoned as monstrous men and women (yes both men and women) would have their sexual way with them.  Mind you - these victims were children, many who were not yet teenagers.



I AM NOT FOR SALE

Today they are free, reunited with their families, and receiving the medical and psychological care they need. Their respective journeys will be unique to their own circumstances; however, the trauma they shared will bind them forever.  So too, I hope, will the love and care they are receiving, that I pray, will allow them to learn how to trust once again.

The physical health issues and damage done is severe for some of these child victims. It is insane what was done. However, the necessary teams are well underway, providing each with the care they need.

And if you're wondering about the monsters that did what they did to these innocent children, rest assured they will not be victimizing and preying on any young children anytime soon.  Ongoing investigations by the proper trusted authorities continue to work to close down the ancillary abduction rings that prey on children.

The complexities of the journey from enslaved prisoner to becoming a free child are remarkable for each of these children.  Their roads ahead of them will be long and challenging; however, like I said, there are teams in place who are working closely with each child and their now reunited families so that the necessary healing takes place so that perhaps one day, magic will be restored.

I know many of us are committed to this, and I know this commitment is one that I will hold for the rest of my life.

There is no question WHY we must all rise up and fight against predator kidnappers, no matter if that abductor is a parental abductor or stranger abductor.  I remind you that hundreds of children are murdered each year by their parents in the United States alone each year and that felicide is a real threat, particularly amongst parental child abductors.

There is no question WHY we must not permit the child sex trade to exist anywhere in the world. We must renounce places such as Thailand, China, Costa Rica, Columbia, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, and other impoverished countries, including those in Africa, who turn a blind-eye toward the child sex trade and allow monsters to walk amongst us.

There is no question WHY we must stand and do what is necessary in our own way to protect the innocence of a child, regardless if that child is targeted for abduction and trafficking or if that child sees the world in a different way due, say to being on the autism spectrum.  The point being, children should never know abuse.

Several months ago, I announced the production of a film on international child abduction titled '150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children', which I have been working on for some time now. The remarkable recovery of these young children will be shared in our film, in hope that the message shared will further push world governments into understanding that each nation really needs to have international abduction prevention laws and policies that make it extremely difficult for children to be illegally removed from one nation to another.  Of course there is a whole agenda of policy shifts we will address. 

So . . . our work continues. 

I would like to thank all of our friends who kept and keep these children and their families in their prayers.  They all have a long road ahead of them and surely will need your continued prayer. 

But step by step, the lives of these children and their families are being put back together, and we're doing whatever is necessary to help bring back the idea that life really can be magical.

In fact, yesterday I had an opportunity to speak with several of the young children.

What did I say?

I reminded each of them that life is magical and that they have to have fun. And that I am so proud of each of them, and of course, I will see them again real soon . . . amongst other things.

I know they know the love I have for them, and am blessed to know that these children have embraced my caring.  Most of all, I am comforted in knowing that they have embraced the care giving extended to them by professionals who are able to attend to their issues.

* * *

Every once in a while I reflect upon my journey into the world of abduction.  At the pinnacle of my thoughts is the promise I made to one day help other children and their families targeted or taken during the time when I was Chasing The Cyclone.

The I CARE Foundation has directly come to the assistance of over 100 families over the past 14 months.  We have helped bring home a significant number of abducted children while preventing the abduction of many more children.  We have helped create and lobby for new laws and policies that will protect children from abduction, and have taken our agendas onto the world stage.  We have built an attorney network -educating as many professionals and parents - on abduction prevention and reunification.  And we have a very big agenda for 2013 that I am confident will make a big impact in the fight to protect children. 

I am very proud of our organization and our members.  But most of all, I am very proud of the parents I have come to know and care deeply about who have fought for their children.  Truth is, I have many friends in my life, but the parents who I have come to know over the past 7 years have become my family, and their children my adopted nieces and nephews, many who I speak to often.

Last night, I had the chance to speak to my dear friend Amanda's two young daughters, who I absolutely love. 

Several years ago, when Amanda first contacted me, her daughters were at great risk of abduction to Saudi Arabia, and asked for assistance in ensuring that her children would not be kidnapped to a nation that women had no rights.  Well, we did what we had to do, and the children are safe . . . and I intend to ensure that they are always safe.

And over the years, I have spent some wonderful time with Amanda and her two daughters, including time at Disney World.

So last night, as I often do, I called Amanda right before the girls went to bed to find out about their day and to wish them a good night. 

The last words they said to me before I hung up the phone was, "Good Night, Peter Pan."

It is a reminder that children should never be left in Neverland.

CLUELESS IN AMERICA: The Truth About Child Abduction Statistics In The United States (and elsewhere): They Make No Sense!

This article is based upon an exerpt published in Carolyn Vlk and Peter Senese's landmark research report on international parental child abduction rates in the United States titled 'Crisis In America: International Parental Child Abduction Today'. As the report demonstrates, international parental child abduction is an incredibly misunderstood and miscalculated phenomenon that will continue to rapidly spread due to global migratory populations and cross-cultural marriages. Alarmingly, the data that is often used and cited as U.S. government researched statistics is utterly and remarkably flawed, and has no place to be included in any discussion concerning either domestic or international child abduction. This excerpt provided below demonstrates the significance of the problem at hand. Clearly, without proper research and accurate statistics, targeted children and targeted parents of child abduction will continue to be at heavy risk

It is believed that United States children-citizens are being criminally abducted, illegally removed overseas, and wrongfully detained in foreign countries in shocking and seemingly advancing and unprecedented numbers. This despite U.S. court orders prohibiting their removal and/or demanding for their immediate return.


Remarkably, the necessary data required to accurately measure the total number of international parental child abductions (IPCA) does not exist due to the inability to measure what is believed to be a large number of ‘unreported’ cases, which is discussed in this report later on. Therefore due to the inability to measure ‘unreported’ cases, much of what has been previously reported in government and reputable organizations’ studies or statements should be considered as speculation due in part to the inability to measure ‘unreported’ cases, as well as forecasted numbers derived from immeasurable and highly questionable determining methodologies. The only measurable statistics are the number of cases reported to law enforcement and to The Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues (OCI).


QUESTIONABLE DATA AND PREVIOUS RESEARCH

The content of this report includes statistics from the two most current published annual reports which are dated April 2009 and April 2010 and titled Report on Compliance with the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Janice L Jacobs reports that during fiscal year 2009, the Office of Children's Issues experienced a significant increase in the number of reported international kidnapping cases. The 2010 report indicates that we can anticipate the current trends previously seen with respect to the increase in international parental child abductions to continue. In fact, the number of International Parental Child Abduction (IPCA) cases has nearly doubled since the fiscal year 2006 from 64 to 1,135.


Carolyn Ann Vlk, the writer of Florida's Child Abduction Prevention Act, explains, "In response to a mandate of the 1984 Missing Children Act, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJPD) publishes periodic studies titled the National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (NISMART). The NISMART publications are meant to identify the numbers of children who are reported missing and the number of children recovered in a particular year. These bulletins consist of comprehensive studies with an emphasis on examining trends in the incidence of missing children."


The NISMART I study (utilizing data from 1988 and published in 1990) reported that there were an estimated 354,100 family abductions annually. In order to derive data for that study in regards to the number of children that are victims of a family abduction each year a household telephone survey was conducted. The survey included a total of 10,367 interviews with adult caretakers. The Population Estimates Program of the Population Division U.S. Census Bureau estimated the U.S. population at 244,498,982 in 1988. To clarify, a sampling of telephone interviews from 0.0000413% of the U.S. population was utilized to provide the statistical data that is widely accepted as being an accurate accounting of the numbers of annual family abductions.


The NISMART - 2 study, which utilized data from 1999 and was published in 2002, reported that there were 203,900 family abductions annually. This study also utilized a household telephone survey and completed interviews with 16,111 adult caretakers. Additionally, this study surveyed 5,015 youth ages 10-18 who lived in the sample households. During the study year the estimated U.S. population was 272,690,813, thus reflecting completed interviews of 0.000059% of the U.S. adult population. Once again, a small fraction of the U.S. population was interviewed as the only method of determining the annual numbers of family abductions. Critically, and troublesome is the fact that the NISMART studies did not derive any of the data relating to family abductions from law enforcement or other governmental agencies. Data was entirely compiled from random computer-assisted telephone interviewing methodology. Neither study conducted a second survey.


According to the NISMART - 2 study that used data from 1999, only 28% of the 203,900 estimated abductions by family members or 56,500 abductions were reported by law enforcement. This illustrates a great reluctance by individuals to come forward and report their cases.


Now consider that an assortment of generally accepted reports or statements from leading authorities including The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). On April 22, 2002 NCMEC stated in a press release the following, “In an effort to educate the public and to provide more services to victims, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has released a new publication entitled Family Abduction: Prevention and Response and has recently formed a group for adults who were victims of family abduction as children. A commonly misunderstood and complex issue, best estimates indicate that there are 354,000 domestic and 16,000 international family abductions per year.”


We are unable to ascertain where NCMEC determined their 16,000 international child abductions per year. What we do know is that according to the Department of State, in several of their published statements, that there were approximately 16,000 international parental child abductions over a two-decade long period. What these inconsistencies demonstrate is a lack of data. Unknown is whether the NCMEC statement included an estimate of ‘unreported’ cases or perhaps was an error as the same ‘16,000’ yearly number is identical to the Department of State’s ’16,000’ two decade number.

Peter Thomas Senese is the author of the upcoming book titled ‘Chasing The Cyclone’ which critics have praised as an extraordinary story on international parental child abduction, love, and parenting. He stated, “Criminal parental cross-border abduction appears to be increasing in the United States and abroad at significant rates despite the fact that there is not enough accurate data required to establish growth trends in cross-border abductions. The rise of abduction in our country as well as that seen in other nations indicates that we have a global pandemic on our hands. And as more children from different nations are stolen and not returned, including our own children, citizens will inevitably voice their growing anger over the fact that their nation’s children-citizens have been abducted. The stealing of children across international borders can, and very well will inevitably create grave challenges for all nations who sit at the world’s political and economic tables."


The report 'CRISIS IN AMERICA: International Parental Child Abduction Today' researched and published by Peter Senese and Carolyn Vlk unequivocally demonstrates that new, carefully constructed research initiated by our government is immediately needed, and that the number of international parental child abductions is increasing despite efforts to stop this terrible act directed at our children-citizens.

As Senese and Vlk's report indicate, the data used and ALWAYS cited by those involved in child abduction issues are completely flawed. One of the greatest concerns that the authors express in their report is the extraordinary increases of population growth due to migratory population movement. Additionally, there are increased concerns related to abdution due to multicultural marriages or partnerships. What is clear is this: as often as we cite various statistics, some of which are indeed measuarble such as the number of reported cases to the Department of State's Office Of Children's Issues, the fact is we really do not know how many abductions are occurring because of the anticipated large number of unreported cases that exist. And as for the NISMART and NISMART II studies, the methods and technics of these surveys are highly questionabl.

Child Abduction Prevention Law In Florida Changes Court Rules on Custody Cases

On January 1st, 2011 Florida’s landmark ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ (CAPA) was enacted as law. The new legislation establishes an array of risk factors a judge may consider when deciding if there is a chance that one parent may remove a child of a relationship from the state or country or conceal the whereabouts of the child in violation of a parenting plan. Additionally, and critically, the CAPA provides a selection of preventative measures that may be utilized in order to prevent child abduction from occurring.

The new law that unquestionably will protect the lives of thousands of children in Florida each year was drafted by child abduction prevention advocate Carolyn Ann Vlk of St. Petersburg, FL. Ms. Vlk added, "In my opinion the biggest obstacle faced was a lack of information and education. My focus was to protect children by enlightening all individuals involved in the process including judges, attorneys, parents and policy makers. Tragically, too many of our nation's children have been abducted due to the failures by individuals and the courts responsible for overseeing their best interest, including assessing dangers that may lead to their possible criminal abduction. The CAPA law addresses this concern."

The new law was sponsored by Representative Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg) and Senator Eleanor Sobel (D-Ft. Lauderdale). Under their careful guidance, the groundbreaking legislation did something near impossible: it unanimously passed each of the three Senate and three House committees before being resoundingly passed on both the House and Senate floors.

Representative Rouson was previously cited as saying, “I am extremely pleased to announce that as of today, my dream and goal of creating law that would help prevent our state’s children from experiencing the nightmare of child abduction is now a reality. As abduction cases in our state and the nation continue to increase at alarming and unprecedented levels, it has become apparent that the combative way to prevent this epidemic from spreading was to create a sweeping law that will aid the courts in protecting our children. The ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ certainly does this. I would like to thank Governor Crist and all of my fellow lawmakers, including child advocate Senator Eleanor Sobel, for realizing the importance of this law. The significance of this new law in Florida should be a lesson for all states presently considering child abduction prevention legislation; it is critical to the children of every state to have preventive laws in place that will protect their well being. I would also like to thank Carolyn Ann Vlk, the astute writer of the ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ for her tremendous leadership in writing such a sweeping law, and, I would like to also acknowledge Peter Thomas Senese for his substantial advocacy in support of our state’s new law. Today is a great day for the children of Florida.”

As the number of criminal international parental child abductions continues to escalate substantially each year, lawmakers at both the state and federal level appear to have taken notice. The Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues reported that there were 1,623 U.S. children criminally abducted from the United States in 2009. The aggregated growth rate over the past few years is well over 20%. These statistics do not include the substantial number of ‘unreported’ cases that were cited in the landmark report titled ‘Crisis In America: International Child Abduction Today’ (2010) researched and published by Peter Thomas Senese and Carolyn Ann Vlk.

Peter Thomas Senese, the author of the upcoming book ‘Chasing The Cyclone’ and producer of the educational documentary film series ‘Chasing Parents: Racing Into The Storms Of International Parental Child Abduction’ stated, “The number of criminal international child abductions has reached alarming levels. If we project the present growth rate of ‘reported’ abductions to 2020, an astronomical number of our nation’s children will have been ‘reported’ as being criminally abducted. And this does not include the reality that the number of ‘unreported’ cases of international abduction are expected to be at least the equivalent to the number of ‘reported’ cases. This all should raise a flag for every lawmaker and judge in the country that abduction laws and the consideration of risk factors related to a potential abduction are critical rights of a child. A failure by a court to consider such concerns and not apply appropriate abduction prevention measures to ensure an at-risk child’s safety is child abuse.

“The CAPA law unequivocally will protect the lives of many children in the State of Florida so long as judges implement the law. Hopefully more states will follow Florida’s lead. In addition, and equally important to preventive measures in the courtroom, it is critical that federal prevention measures are also implemented. This includes closing the loopholes associated with the travel documentation requirements for children connected to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.”

The CAPA law allows for the presentation of competent and substantial evidence of risk factors. Factors that may be considered when determining if a risk exists include a previous history of child abduction or has been known to violate a court ordered parenting plan, or if there are known threats or clear intent to illegally abduct a child outside of the country, or if the party is likely to take a child to a country that is not a party to the Hague Convention, or if the party has forged or presented misleading or false evidence on government forms or documents in an attempt to obtain travel documents.

Preventative measures which may be utilized as a guideline in protecting children from abduction may include placing the child's name in the Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program, a provision that any U.S. or foreign passport issued in the child's name be surrendered to the court or the petitioner's attorney, that the respondent not apply on behalf of the child for a new or replacement passport or Visa, assessing the need to require a party post a bond, a prohibition that a party may not remove or retain the child in violation of a custody determination.

This law also indicates that violations of the terms of the parenting plan are subject to specific civil or criminal penalties or a federal or state warrant under federal or state laws and may subject the violating parent to apprehension by law enforcement.

Child advocate and lawyer Martin Asatrian commented, "The Florida legislation is a remarkable accomplishment Florida's policymakers achieved in the name of the children of that state. As social and political awareness continues to rise, so too will the outrage of having a child abducted across international borders. It is my hope that not only will the public have a deeper, more compassionate understanding of what both child and targeted parents of abduction must face, but more importantly, it is my hope that lawmakers in other states will demonstrate the courage and wisdom similar to what Representative Rouson and Senator Sobel demonstrated. Clearly, prevention is key to protecting our nation's children."

In closing, Carolyn Ann Vlk stated, "Parental child abduction cases can become very costly especially if search and rescue efforts become necessary. I anticipate that there will be less need for law enforcement involvement if risks are identified and preventative measures are implemented. The State of Florida now has additional capabilities to protect children from becoming victimized and to conserve our state's financial resources. However, the problems of international parental child abduction that need to be addressed as a nation are significant. I look forward to participating in dialogue and action that will better protect our nation's children, including co-drafting new legislation that will close loopholes related to travel documentation requirements for children traveling under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative."

For more information on international parental child abduction please visit www.chasingthecyclone.com