NEWS FLASH!! Squirrely's Operation Freefall 2011 took place at 10am on May 27th with the grace of mother nature, my tandem master Mike and Skydive New England Lebanon, Maine and of course your loyal, kind and generous support.

This year's fundraising efforts ran 600 dollars short of our 1000.00 goal. However true to my promise I subsidized the cost of my tandem jump and videographer to keep my pledge to jump for SOAR99 and Operation Freefall 2011. Most importantly I received generous support from WSCH TV 6 (Portland) and WABI TV 5 (Bangor) increasing awareness throughout Maine as a survivor of sexual abuse and that survivors may learn to thrive once more.

As a result my Fundraising efforts for 2012 will commence earlier and hold more promise & creativity than ever in January 2012!

Blue Skies Forever!!! Kara "Squirrely" Shirley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWfWEf25cDM

When Kellie Green, the founder of Speaking Out About Rape (SOAR), made her first skydive on January 18, 1999, she had no idea that it would become a national event. It was her way of reclaiming the day she was sexually assaulted. On January 18, 1994, Kellie’s life was devastated by rape. Five years later, she regained control. Through the healing process, Kellie’s perspective evolved from “rape victim" to "rape survivor" to "Kellie Greene, person." This is the spirit of Operation Freefall.

Since April of 2006, I have myself found my Operation Freefall participation to be an equally liberating experience from circumstances different than Kellie's.

Augustin Burrows describes the devastation of childhood sexual abuse, with poignant accuracy in his memoir "Running with Scissors":   "I feel like I've walked through some door, into some room and I'll never be able to leave. I feel like nothing is the same. Just like that. Nothing will ever be the same again........... I also feel like I can't ever tell anybody about this although I really, really want to. What happened has to all be mine. I feel crowded by this. Like I need to go home and think about it for a week or maybe the rest of my life."

The statistics are shocking

http://www.darknesstolight.org/KnowAbout/statistics_2.asp

·       1 in 4 girls is sexually abused before the age of 18.

·       1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18.

·       1 in 5 children are solicited sexually while on the internet.

·       Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults (including assaults on adults) occur to children ages 17 and under.

·       An estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse exist in America today. 

·       Even within the walls of their own homes, children are at risk for sexual abuse

• 30-40% of victims are abused by a family member.
• Another 50% are abused by someone outside of the family whom they know and trust.
• Approximately 40% are abused by older or larger children whom they know.
• Therefore, only 10% are abused by strangers.

Consequences of child sexual abuse begin affecting children and families immediately. They also affect society in innumerable and negative ways. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/saycrle.pdf

 

              Health and/or Behavioral Problems:

o   The way a victim's family responds to abuse plays an important role in how the incident affects the victim.

o   Sexually abused children who keep it a secret or who "tell" and are not believed are at greater risk than the general population for psychological, emotional, social, and physical problems often lasting into adulthood.

o   Children who have been victims of sexual abuse are more likely to experience physical health problems (e.g., headaches).

o   Victims of child sexual abuse report more symptoms of PTSD, more sadness, and more school problems than non-victims.

o   Victims of child sexual abuse are more likely to experience major depressive disorder as adults.

o   Young girls who are sexually abused are more likely to develop eating disorders as adolescents.

o   Victims of child sexual abuse report more substance abuse problems. 70-80% of sexual abuse survivors report excessive drug and alcohol use.

o   Young girls who are sexually abused are 3 times more likely to develop psychiatric disorders or alcohol and drug abuse in adulthood, than girls who are not sexually abused.

o   Among male survivors, more than 70% seek psychological treatment for issues such as substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide.  

These effects can continue throughout the life of the survivor so the impact on society for just one survivor continues over multiple decades. Try to imagine the impact of 39 million survivors.

 

Sexual abuse touches every life when it leads to losses of trust, decreases in self esteem, and development of shame, guilt and depression. 

 

Sexual abuse touches every life when it leads to eating disorders, substance abuse, suicide, promiscuity/prostitution, and other psychobehavioral issues.

 

Devastating reality and life experience are "why" I’ve committed myself to this event; personally as well as professionally until I "Squirrely" can no longer jump out of perfectly good airplanes.

 

On May 14th, 2011, I’ll again be participating in "Operation Freefall": the nation’s boldest, highest-altitude, and most daring effort to put an end to sexual assault. I’ll be joining individuals at skydive centers across the country who will take to the sky 2 miles high and jump , to raise awareness and money for sexual assault. 

 

Operation Freefall is the only event of its kind to increase awareness of sexual violence. The event is held simultaneously across the country the last Saturday of each April (May due to the Maine climate). In the past decade Operation Freefall has raised over $1,000,000 with nearly two-thirds of that going back to local community organizations to:

·       Enhance local support and outreach services for survivors of sexual violence.  

·       Provide recovery, risk-reduction, and prosecution information to tens of millions of people, including many in your local community, each year.

·       Help victims of sexual violence through the healing process.  

·       Educate lawmakers, police officers, students, the public, and the media about sexual assault.

My big leap is a small but positive & personal contribution as 1 of 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse. By participating in Operation Freefall 2011, I’ll be raising funds for Speaking Out About Rape (SOAR). http://www.soar99.org.

 

Would you consider making a tax-deductible pledge to help me achieve my goal?  Prior to determining if you wish to donate, you may peruse the weblinks above for additional information. You may give your tax-deductible donation at this website. [SOAR’s Tax ID number is 59-3619948]

 

If you would prefer to make your pledge offline you may download a pledge form from  http://www.operationfreefall.com/register.html and please indicate that I am the sponsored jumper. All checks should be made directly payable to Operation Freefall.

 

I hope you’ll share in this incredible adventure by supporting me in my fundraising efforts.   If you want to share a bit of what I'll be experiencing during the 2011 event, please check out my live video footage of Operation Freefall at http://www.youtube.com/rhodyrx99.

 

As always, thank you kindly for your generous emotional and financial support.

"Flying the friendly skies"~ Kara aka "Squirrely"

Kara Shirley, PharmD

 

Registered Pharmacist and Immunizer~ Maine, New York and Pennsylvania

Independent Pharmacotherapy Consultant

Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy, Psychiatry & Geriatrics

www.drkarashirley.com