<![CDATA[A Black Rose - Blog]]>Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:03:50 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[Post Title.]]>Sun, 04 Mar 2012 19:55:34 -0500http://www.ablackrose.org/1/post/2012/03/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit4.htmlThis is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar. ]]><![CDATA[Post Title.]]>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:37:07 -0500http://www.ablackrose.org/1/post/2012/02/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit3.htmlEven though we didn't make $100.00 to cover the raffle this weekend at the MT.Dora festival, we are a group that honor our word. So congratulations to Alba Vega from Apopka, FL. Thank you to all the people that support us.
]]><![CDATA[Post Title.]]>Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:02:50 -0500http://www.ablackrose.org/1/post/2011/12/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit2.htmlDon't forget our radio interview.This is the information for our Military Sexual Trauma radio interview. If you will like to listen to it or know of someone that is interested in the information, please pass it alone. http://motivational-radio.com/news/ will be airing our interview on Tuesday, December 27 at 7pm ET.
]]><![CDATA[Post Title.]]>Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:01:45 -0500http://www.ablackrose.org/1/post/2011/12/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit1.htmlWe are getting ready for our Memorial Day Campaign. We will be bringing roses for all those MST survivors that have requested to be honor with one. We need your help to make the trip happen. Please donate to our cause what ever you give will be greatly appreciated.
]]><![CDATA[Post Title.]]>Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:55:25 -0500http://www.ablackrose.org/1/post/2011/12/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit.htmlWhy A Black Rose?
People ask me why A Black Rose? Why Military Sexual Trauma? First a black rose, to me symbolize the mourning that my heart is feeling for the lack of care that this country, shows towards all veterans and military suffering from MST. I mourn every time I talk to people about MST and they look at you like you are lying. I mourn every day that pass and our military members are not protected from rapists. Why I decided to take this fight, because as a victim of rape while serving on the Gulf War, I want it to do whatever was possible to prevent this crime from happening to another military member. Also I want it to raise awareness, to create a place to speak out and to create change.
Our Mission:
To Raise Awareness
Our main goal is to show the nation that we will no longer stand for men and women in our armed forces being abused and sexually assaulted.
To Create a Place to Speak Out
Nothing is more painful than holding the trauma of abuse inside. A Black Rose aims to create a safe and-if need be-anonymous way to speak out on the topic of abuse in the military. This issue is real, and your support proves that.
To Create Change
Our military brothers and sisters serving this country still face startling statistical atrocities. Together, we must work towards the prevention of abuse and harassment. We believe that all members of the armed forces deserve to serve without fear of being abused by their fellow soldiers.
Why?
These veterans and military members serve and protect our country. They sacrifice their lives and their hearts for the freedoms we enjoy every day. In return, we have kept quiet about the atrocities of rape and sexual abuse soldiers face each and every day. This cannot continue.
Together, we can shed light on a dark and horrifying truth that has been left alone for far too long. Here, at you will find information and resources http://www.ablackrose.org/ regarding abuse in the military as well as our Black Rose Campaign for awareness.
You don't have to be a victim of abuse to show your support! You just have to care about our soldiers in uniform and their safety.
Please join us at our FB page and show your support htts://www.facebook.com/blackrosecampaign ]]><![CDATA[May is coming!]]>Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:42:36 -0500http://www.ablackrose.org/1/post/2011/04/may-is-coming.htmlHello everyone.

This is just a quick update. Those of you who have indicated that you are interested in joining us for May 30th in Washington, DC should be receiving an email with more information very soon. It's not too late to let us know you'd like to come! Please keep in mind that you are responsible for your own transportation and for now, your own lodging.

It looks like we will be having a good old fashioned rally. What do I mean by that? Well, keep in mind that this campaign is about making sure EVERYONE knows that there are people: real, tangible people with lives and families and futures that are survivors of MST or supporters thereof.

Above all, I want people to know something important. We have posted before talking about contributions to our cause. We realize this is a rather new campaign with little recognition and funding. But let me be completely clear: everyone who requested a rose will have one brought to DC, even if we have to walk there ourselves. This isn't about money. It isn't about big flashy banners and high end loudspeakers. It's about making it clear to as many people as possible that covering up sexual assault in the military, belittling and ridiculing survivors, and ignoring pleas for help will NOT be tolerated. If my mother and myself have to walk up to every person we meet and personally tell them what's happening in the military, we will. If we have to paint signs and stand in DC alone, we will.

But we know that we won't be alone. We know that you will stand by us, whether you are in DC or watching from home. Thank you all for being brave and helping us achieve more than we thought was possible.

Never stop fighting.

-Esteban Rodriguez
]]><![CDATA[We can't stop, we have to keep the pressure]]>Fri, 04 Mar 2011 08:22:56 -0500http://www.ablackrose.org/1/post/2011/03/we-can-stop-we-have-to-keep-the-presure.htmlPlease read this new info about PTSD:

Obama eases benefits process for vets with PTSD
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/07/obama-saturday-radio-adderss-veterans-ptsd/1?csp=obnetwork
]]><![CDATA[Rape rampant in US Military]]>Sun, 26 Dec 2010 20:56:54 -0500http://www.ablackrose.org/1/post/2010/12/rape-rampant-in-us-military.htmlI will like all of you to take your time and read this article.

Report reveals alarming statistics


Mountjoy-Pepka often works with male survivors of MST. She stated in a telephone interview that four per cent of men in the military experience MST. “Most choose not to talk about it until after their discharge from the military, largely because the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in over 60 percent of MST cases is too overwhelming,” she informed Al Jazeera. 

Last week the Pentagon released its “annual report on sexual harassment and violence at the military service academies”. At its three academies, the number of reports of sexual assault and harassment has risen a staggering 64 percent from last year.

The report attributes the huge increase to better reporting of incidents due to increased training and education about sexual assault and harassment. Veteran’s Administration (VA) statistics show that more than 50 percent of the veterans who screen positive for MST are men.

According to the US Census Bureau, there are roughly 22 million male veterans compared to less than two million female vets.

In Congressional testimony in the summer of 2008, Lt. Gen. Rochelle, the army chief of personnel, reported the little known statistic that 12 percent (approximately 260) of the 2,200 reported rapes in the military in 2007 were reported by military male victims.

Due to their sheer numbers in the military, more men (at a rough estimate one in twenty), have experienced MST than women.


]]><![CDATA[New information about military cover up on MST]]>Sat, 11 Dec 2010 22:31:03 -0500http://www.ablackrose.org/1/post/2010/12/new-information-about-military-cover-up-on-mst.htmlDorothy Mackey:I have taken my case to two Presidents: Bush and Clinton; witnessed as the military IG falsified their reports to cover their backsides; went to US courts and denied MY rights as a US citizen; I was ignored by two Ohio Governor's Taft and in doing so; Marie Lauterback and Carrie Goodwin were both allowed to be raped and murdered by their military leaderships, who knows how many more men and women have had the same fate? As an Officer and Commander: I witnessed the human sexual trafficking and enslavement of women, (enlisted and officers) and kids on military bases by Command Executives (Wing CC's, JAGS, IG, Doctors, et al). I was subjected to these crimes as well because I would NOT go along; drugged and raped by aircrew and their wives; gang raped by enlisted in a nuclear storage area; raped on the OB/GYN table turned out to Command Execs for sex parties (Col Don Kaufman), and allowed to be raped when flashbacks began by SMSgt James Kelley of Austin, TX. I witnessed the IGs prejudicially throw out black women and women JUST cause they could, I witnessed the intentional sabatoge of military equipment by NATO leaders and Grumman Corp on the F-14, and Navy Dash -60 allowing these intentionally corrupt equipment kill military months before 1st Gulf War, as I stood up to report it my career was threatened. My 9 years in service was a witness of good verse very evil; in which "barstoolers" the worst of the AF had doctors sexual assault and groom women on the OB/GYN tables. JAGS and OSI and CID NEVER prosecuted reported rapes on the bases I was on. The military even gave out intentionally expired birth control pills (Lo-Oval in 1989) without warning women....to get them pregnant as the military had a "no single women with kids policy", and as women who were pregnant after being drugged and raped were given forced abortions under drugs. I witnessed the most ugly of these acts and was also subjected to it as well, witnessed as military women were raped out of their sanity; Wing Commanders and their VIP friends invited to participate all the while women were drugged, raped senseless and plied with alcohol for command executives orgies and parties.

The VA has gone on to torture victims of these crimes: doctors and counselors falsifying my records to cover up the crimes; my rectum and vagina exposed in an exam to a hallway full of military men in 93 as I was going to testify for a spouse and her kids; Cynthia ENg of Dayton Ohio who were being beaten and raped with the silent allowance of Col Milam (IG). Eng killed her raping, treasonous husband who was selling secrets to the Chinese. The VA has continuously used tactics such as "controlled insanity", abusive counselors who demean MST folks in groups as I have witnessed and experienced it in PHX, VA (08-09) Dr. Amy Street of Boston noted in an unpublished report 09, that military rape is 5 times the PTSD rate higher even then combat PTSD at #4. My bases were: Keesler AFB, MS; Spangdhalem AB Germany (83-89) I have a ltr from General BB Bell of the rapes in Army Europe (2004); Lowery AFB, Co; and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. REGIONAL VA CLAIMS OFFICIALS MUST be exposed who keep denying vets their disabilities to silence us, keep us below poverty line. Who are these Dr, Mengula's? They are OUR rapists, abusers, and their friends. On each I witnessed and or was told by other fellow commanders of sexual abuses of kids in the child care systems; witnessed the allowed rapes and cover up of women; kids by Wing Commanders and Sexual Trafficking and enslavement of military members. I have letters from Senior NCO's supporting these issues.

LET ME make this very clear; the COMMAND LEADERSHIP were directly involved in sex parties forcing their women into orgies, allowing for the abuses on bases without accountability UNLESS it was selected prosecution BLACK MEN or occasion white men.

Six laws exist for military sexual traffickers /leaders (Feres Doctrine, Bivens Doctrine, Intra-military immunity, Title VII and US Code 552A) to get away with raping us and then leaving the military to rape kids in schools and women and kids throughout the world. Many of these criminals are out of the academies, hence they cover each others backsides. Good officers are too afraid to speak up-- silence is allowing our rapes and murders! NO MORE!!!!

]]><![CDATA[Study uncovers ‘hidden epidemic’ of female veteran suicides]]>Thu, 02 Dec 2010 17:23:15 -0500http://www.ablackrose.org/1/post/2010/12/study-uncovers-hidden-epidemic-of-female-veteran-suicides.htmlOHSU, PSU researchers say young women who recently served at a high riskBy Peter Korn

The Portland Tribune, Dec 1, 2010,
In recent years, researchers have detailed surprisingly high suicide rates among U.S. military veterans. With more veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the news that veterans during the course of their lives are twice as likely to commit suicide than non-veterans has led to a number of military mental health initiatives.
In a new study released this week in the journal Psychiatric Services, three Portland researchers claim to have discovered a “hidden epidemic” within those numbers among women veterans.
Click here for the full article
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