Award for Bedfordshire Freedom Programme

Hi Pat,

Just to let you know at the Equality and Diversity Awards held by Bedfordshire Race and Equalities Council, Central Bedfordshire Council won the award for Leading Change with the Freedom programme. I was very proud to accept the award on behalf of the council and the Freedom programme.

Fantastic the work with victims of Domestic Abuse is being acknowledged.

Take care

Ginny

 

The first review has been posted on Amazon already!

Another amazing and powerful book from Pat Craven, creator of the FREEDOM PROGRAMME.
FREEDOM'S FLOWERS is an account of the effects of domestic abuse on children -
with children, young people and adults telling their own powerful and disturbing stories of 'living with domestic abuse and violence' as children!
The book will unsettle and disturb you ... it will make your stomach churn ... it will tug at your heartstrings .. and it will make you cry ...
because it is an honest and realistic account of how a minimum 0f 750,000 children in the UK alone - every year - suffer physical, psychological, sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of the significant males in their mother's lives.
I am a social work and psychology professional of 25 years standing, and I am desperate that every social work and health professional reads this book ... I believe the information and knowledge within its pages could prevent another 'Baby 'P' in the future - I plead with you to read it as soon as possible!!

FREEDOMS FLOWERS

NEW BOOK

Freedoms Flowers is a book about the effects of domestic abuse on children. It is composed of firsthand accounts from these children and their mothers. Some of the children write as adults from memory and some are male. The youngest contributor is eight years old. Their stories describe not only the abuse from the perpetrators but the dreadful collusion from the professionals who should have been protecting the victims instead of worsening the effects of the abuse. This book is for every teacher, social worker, solicitor, judge and member of the medical profession who comes in to contact with any aspect of domestic abuse. It is for every woman who is staying with an abuser for the sake of the children. Every woman whose children wet the bed, throw tantrums and attack other children should read this. Every woman whose children have been taken into care should also read this. The book also sends a strong message about hope. The contributors describe how their lives were saved when they attended the Freedom Programme. They did not need therapy or threats to save their children from abuse. They only needed information to enable them to make informed decisions. Knowledge is power!

It is available from Amazon worldwide. If you want 50 copies or more they cost £5.00 each plus p&p. Please place orders directly with me for delivery within 30 days.

 

END OF AN ERA

Sadly my association with the theatre company has come to an end.

My training events will no longer include the play.

Sexual assault by an anaesthetist

Last spring I heard from a woman who was sexually assaulted by an anaesthetist when she was unconscious in a private hospital. She was waiting for an operation on her collar bone. He also administered a date rape drug. As a result she was confused for about 5 days and did not report it to the police. She challenged the hospital management but they denied anything had happened. She knew she had been assaulted because she was injured. She thinks he may have used an object.
We were wondering how many other women have experienced this. If it is widespread we can start a campaign.
Pat

Finally free!!!

Dear Pat,

Firstly I would like to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU for the Freedom Programme, it has changed my life. I had already left my husband when the police officer dealing with my case suggested your programme. I was struggling with guilt at this poor man that seemed full of remorse after beating up my son in December 2009. It was close to the first court case and, after months of stalking and harassment, he was finally jailed for breaking his bail conditions. He had sent a 19 page letter to my friends. They were amazing. Most of them were there when he broke my jaw several years previous and all relieved that I had the guts to remove him from MY house. It took him beating up my son to give me the strength to stay away. For some reason he justified it whenever I was on the receiving end, but I could not forgive him for hurting my son.

I am almost divorced from him. As I work I have to pay for court fees etc and couldn't afford them, so he is divorcing me. Am sure he is very happy at that because it proves he was wronged by me. I just want the final part of my life back. He gets legal aid as he is not working and spent several times and many months in prison. Hmmmm! My solicitor has managed to get most police reports / hospital reports into the divorce as we are currently waiting for the financial hearing (17th October) He expects a huge amount of money from me. He omitted the damage he caused to MY house (bought by me years before I met him, he controlled the finances and left me in debt.)

Anyway, I am sending this to you in case you can use it. If it helps just one woman change her life, then that is brilliant. My cup is more than half full, I have amazing friends / family and just about to start a fantastic new job. I am still single, 3 years on, but that is my choice. If I see the warning signs I run in the opposite direction. I have also been working on me, finding out who I am, what I like and, most importantly for me, being the mum I knew I always was. I have 4 amazing children between the ages of 16 and 23. I am so proud because it could have been horrible for them but we have had nearly 3 years of giggles, laughter, fun, love and happiness. Its been a struggle at times but thats life!

Love and happiness to all