[DSM-Iowa] I'm A Survivor.

[Tai Tomasi]

Mary,

Thank you for sharing part of your story.  You are not alone. None of what happened to you was your fault. I too am a survivor of multiple sexual assaults  by multiple transgressors in the NFB And elsewhere in the blind community.   I’m sorry you have had these experiences. Please let me know how I can offer support. There are  some peer support resources on Facebook and via email if you are interested in knowing more about them. On Facebook, you can search for the blind survivor support collective. You can also email them at blindsscollective at gmail.com  . there is a private Facebook group For survivors called Marching Together.  Like you, I plan to get involved with efforts of the task force and hope it’s work will lead to systemic change. I am here to support survivors on their healing journeys. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you. I am sending love and solidarity.

Tai Tomasi, J.D., M.P.A.
Email: tai.tomasi8 at gmail.com
Sent from my iPhone. Please excuse my brevity and any grammatical errors.

> On Jan 10, 2021, at 3:44 PM, Mary McGee via DSM-Iowa <dsm-iowa at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello, again!
>               I just listened to the Presidential Release and, I must say that I’m impressed with the words.  But, as they say, talk is cheap but it takes money to buy whiskey.  I’m now on the board of our chapter, so it’s time to be honest.  I’m a survivor, who was sexually assaulted at a National Convention way back in 1976 by a national leader of the organization.  He was just the first one; one or two other followed at different times.  I also had an employee of the Iowa Commission for the Blind “come on” to me.  I’ve heal it in for years because I also come from an abusive childhood and thought it was my fault.  I was a fish who jumped from the frying pan into the fire when I thought the blindness community would be different.  It wasn’t. 
>               I sincerely hope we can move forward in this.  I am not ashamed to say that I post on #MarchingTogether.  I will be vocal about this issue.  I’ve spent years in psychotherapy and I’m not ashamed of that!  Training is nice.  Talking is nice.  At the local level, I want to see us DO something. 
>               I will also seek help from the Survivors Task Force.  I encourage everyone to do that if they feel the need.  We must uncover this mess, root it out, and fix it?  I want to help!
>               I sent my contact information in an earlier email.  If any of you want to contact me, please do, even if you want to tell me full of it, because you’re entitled to you opinion. 
> Cordially,
> Mary L. McGee
>  
> _______________________________________________
> DSM-Iowa mailing list
> DSM-Iowa at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dsm-iowa_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for DSM-Iowa:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/dsm-iowa_nfbnet.org/tai.tomasi8%40gmail.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/dsm-iowa_nfbnet.org/attachments/20210110/4ca29477/attachment.html>