[BlindTlk] Caring concerns of James and Susan Gashel

Tue Jul 13 20:18:10 UTC 2021

Apparently it is not well advertised then. If this was being done would we have problems this magnitude or at least with so many people feel that their issue was ignored to come to the rising like this? As we all know sometimes what’s on paper isn’t put into action.

It wasn’t so long ago that I was attending Blind Inc. and there was no mention of sexual assault, domestic violence etc. in any seminar. There was nothing done to staff that made people feel uncomfortable for students.

Ericka Nelson

> On Jul 13, 2021, at 12:44 PM, Peter Donahue via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Good afternoon everyone,
> 
>    That's already being done.
> 
> Peter Donahue
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: BlindTlk <blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Ericka via BlindTlk
> Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2021 11:53 AM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Ericka <dotwriter1 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [BlindTlk] Caring concerns of James and Susan Gashel
> 
> Thank you Mark. I apologize for all the errors in my post. I got interrupted several times trying to write that post with dictate  well – – you know how that can go.
> 
> For those who cannot figure out my errors, I proposed that we start having seminars for both staff and students  in our training centers. This way staff and students will know the difference between sexual-harassment and other abusive behaviors versus respectful, caring actions. We all have had words come out of  our mouths we  wished did not. However A training centers especially we need to watch what we say and do and how we act. Many students are coming with pretty low self-esteem and possibly have already been abused in someway. We need to make sure that our actions are not misinterpreted and we also have to make sure that our training centers are as comfortable for the students as on paper it looks like. I know people who have been affected by and are survivors of abuse at our centers. I know staff that by their actions could be misconstrued as either uncaring, not taking someone’s situation seriously, or harassing / abusive. One thing we could do is put blind social workers in our training centers. But also like any other business we need to make sure we are being the best blind role models, not just blind role models at our centers. I proposed for those survivors not abused at training centers have a fair way to report and handle these harassment or otherwise non-nurturing actions (via affiliate constitutions, by-laws, and immediate low cost assistance from both the Human Services Division and a survivors group). We need to remember that not all of us come from the same background, have the same family situation or social skills. And not everyone feels comfortable disclosing to someone with vision. Promoting blind therapists and getting assistance for the survivors I think it’s really important. As someone who has worked in human services in some capacity taught me that assumptions are dangerous, more dangerous then anything else. We want people to feel comfortable being blind. Personally if I was assaulted I would not feel comfortable talking to a sighted person. Some people feel more comfortable talking to someone of their own sex in counseling or in training for certain reasons.
> 
> Yes, we need to focus on helping blind people, but can’t we start with our training centers and support blind survivors? These are places where we are trying to make people more self-confident and feel like they can take on the world again. HHaving a very safe place where they can come and share abuse/Sexual the Lilacs or a Restaurant it’s very important. And it’s very important that our staff do not cross these lines themselves. It’s about time that we took on the soft skills as well as the obvious skills of Braille, cane travel and technology. I’m very proud of Blind Inc. for how they included self-defense while I was there. However not everyone was able to take advantage. That’s only one way to address things. Let’s work together to improve what’s already been created rather than scream about how it’s written. Screaming about things doesn’t get anything accomplished.
> 
> I challenge chapters/affiliates/division to come up with their own ways to focus and combat this serious situation then submit them to headquarters. Perhaps with everyone’s  creativity and heart we can really come together and focus on both making life better for the blind and take care of each other. We talk about caring for each other, but I know from experience that promises to mentor and help aren’t always followed through by people and organizations. It’s happened to me by people from the NFB. Perhaps this is the true reason people are leaving? I’ve come close over the years.
> 
> Ericka Nelson
> 
>> On Jul 13, 2021, at 9:37 AM, Mark Tardif via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> This is all extremely important information.  Thank you.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Mark Tardif
>> Nuclear arms will not hold you.
>> -----Original Message----- From: Ericka via BlindTlk
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2021 9:41 AM
>> To: gwunder at earthlink.net ; Blind Talk Mailing List
>> Cc: Ericka
>> Subject: Re: [BlindTlk] Caring concerns of James and Susan Gashel
>> 
>> I am not defending anyone. To take that into consideration as you read.
>> 
>> I do know there are people that training centers who have either hurt others sexually or have been victims themselves. Is this a Bolinas issue? Yes it is. We cannot control the rest of the world what we can’t control how are training centers react. Having a policy coming from the headquarters of the NFB it does not tolerate this gives power to the victims and the staff to either throw out a client who is being abusive or a staff member who is being abusive. And we also must remember that not everyone is comfortable bringing harassment and sexual abuse/violence.  Well I have not been sexually assaulted etc. there is a lot of shame involved. They feel they could have prevented it. They wonder what’s wrong with them. So many emotions and society doesn’t help. Still today the victim is looked at as the one who “asked for it.“ And there’s a lot of drinking going on during conventions.. I’m people are not any different. I am certain somethings happened that aren’t wanted.  We have to admit in someway that we are not perfect blind people. Having said this, the code of conduct and How as an organization we handle things needs to be a combination of allowing other agencies to assist yes we have a cancer survivors support group. That’s good. We do need a support group for this.  For support, resources, and access to assistance at a lower cost through the human services division perhaps. I may not be elegant at what I’m saying here, but I think everyone understands where I’m going. perfect;
>> 
>> For example was look at training for NFB training center staff and seminars and how to protect yourself from sexual predators. How do you recognize Anna genuine act of respect and affection versus abuse. Remember many students are coming with no self-esteem and lack of confidence to begin with. For someone  who tends tord disrespectful actions he’s been down students seem like prime targets. We begin with hard and fast rules and training in the centers which is directly behind us related. Then slowly look for or other situations where they come up? This week we are changing but not dramatically. We cannot react just something that happened 40 years ago but we can’t change how we do things where it has the most impact. We must take those folks complaint seriously. But I don’t think what’s currently constructed is best.
>> Ericka Nelson
>> 
>>>> On Jul 12, 2021, at 5:29 PM, Gary Wunder via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> It is very easy for an issue to be exploded in so many directions that it is impossible to discuss any part of it constructively. May we narrow this to one point for the moment? I want to know when the NFB has ever asked me or any of you to apologize for our being White, for our geographic location, or our religious beliefs? The only thing I've been asked to do is accept that not everyone in our circle shares these characteristics with me. At no point have I ever been asked to leave my other characteristics at the door and just be blind. I have been accepted as a package and have felt prized as a member. I want to extend that to others as it has been extended to me. How to implement do unto others is harder than asserting it as one of my values, but I'm willing to undertake the challenge, and I think my brothers and sisters in the NFB are willing to do the same.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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