The National Network to End Domestic Violence and Facebook have partnered up in an effort to keep survivors of domestic violence safe when using social media. In many stages of the domestic abuse cycle, using social media can be dangerous to the victim. Things an abuser finds online can cause further abuse, violence and stalking. Once the victim and abuser are no longer together, social media also can still allow an abuser access to the survivor’s life.
Some say that abusers should simply stop using social media if they are worried about abusers following their activities. However, NNEDV and Facebook feel that this solution is unacceptable and isolating. Survivors should have the same safety as anyone else when using social media. To help survivors, NNEDV and Facebook have created a guide to Facebook privacy and security settings. They hope that this guide will serve as a valuable resource for survivors who want to continue to connect with individuals who care about them. This guide could also be useful for those who are currently experiencing cyber bullying or other forms of virtual abuse.
Having children is an event that many in Americans choose to embark upon and has been built into the "typical" model of the American dream. While there are many factors that contribute to the decision to have a child, early child care costs from infancy to the start of grade school may be a large deterrent. According to Census Bureau, the cost of child care has almost doubled in the last 25 years. This burden falls heavily on working mothers as they are more likely to leave their jobs to take care of children if they make less than their partner. And once children reach grade school, these women find it difficult to get back into, and become a competitive force in the workplace again.
Regardless of income, many feel the strain of childcare. However some of the hardest hit are those right above the income bracket to receive government assistance and those living in poverty. While the average percent of household income spent on childcare is about 7%, It can be much higher for low income families (about 30%!). This can impact the families ability to pay for other things such as housing, utilities and food; which can effect the health and wellness of every family member.
Planning is an essential part of being prepared. If you are planning to have a child, start early (even before you are pregnant!) and figure out what options you have availible and what would work best for your family. Availible childcare services may even play a role in where you choose to live. Of course, almost half of pregnacies in the US are unplanned, giving parents less time to setup a gameplan. Once you discover you or your partner is pregnant it is time to start looking at options. Make sure to ultilize some of your most valuable resources... family and friends who have recently gone through the same thing! For those in the Philadelphia area http://www.philadelphiachildcare.org/ is a resources that helps parents find childcare. If you are not in the Philadelphia area, simply type "childcare" followed by your area for results. Good luck parents!
Bullying has always been a concern in schools, but the growth of technology allows for a new dimension of bullying called cyberbullying. On top of in-person verbal or physical abuse, a child may continue to receive hurtful messages or be slandered online even after the school day ends. This gives bullies the ability to harm their targets at times that used to be safe and many states with bullying laws do not include actions performed off campus.
It is also apparent that this is an issue we are seeing more in young girls. Girls are more likely to both be cyberbullied and cyberbully someone else. And while many student suicide cases are not based solely on cyber bullying, we have been seeing an increase of (girls especially) suicide in which cyberbullying is involved. In some of the worst cases, students are sexually assaulted only to have it posted on the internet where they are further humiliated and sometimes blamed for what happened. Examples like this have come to light recently with cases such as the Stubenville, Ohio rape case. ( As we mentioned in our "Rape Culture Around the World?" entry) What does this mean? As technology and social media remains an integral part of our lives, usage needs to be talked about more frequently between parents and children. Making sure that children and teens are safely using social media is very important. Moderation at younger ages may be an esstenital part of developing healthy online habits early on. Teaching children how to address different online situations and how to present themselves can be valuable not only in childhood, but for the the rest of their lives.
While less common, adults can also experience cyber bullying and virtual slander and should also be cautious when using different forms of social media. If you see these things happening, don't "like" it and make sure to talk to friends who you suspect could be vicitms of cyber bullying. Want more info on Cyber Bullying? Visit the Cyberbullying research center website Cyber-bullying in the news:
The Government may be in a gridlock right now, but the new Healthcare Marketplace developed by the Affordable Care Act opened yesterday! You can access it here at https://www.healthcare.gov/. Many people still have questions about what these changes mean for them and what steps they should take next.
We will try to answer some of your questions here:
What is the Affordable Care Act?
On March 23, 2010 the Affordable Care Act was signed into law. The Affordable Care Act is essentially a remodel of the current US healthcare system that strives to:
-Make healthcare affordable to all US citizens.
-Encourage greater utility of preventative care and screenings.
-Have almost every citizen covered by some health insurance plan.
What is the Healthcare Marketplace?
The healthcare marketplace allows you to shop for an insurance plan that works best for you and your family. The marketplace application will let you know what you are eligible for based on your income, and allows you to compare coverage options side by side.
How to I access the Marketplace?
You can access the Marketplace online: https://www.healthcare.gov/
Over the Telephone: 1-800-318-2596
and in person. To find a location near you, call the number listed above or type your zip code into the "find local help" section on the following linked page https://www.healthcare.gov/contact-us/
Who can buy insurance through the online marketplaces?
Individuals and families who are not offered affordable health insurance through their employer, those who are uninsured or under-insured and businesses with fewer than 50 employees can buy health insurance through the exchanges. “Unaffordable” insurance through an employer is considered to have premiums that are more than 9.5 percent of household income.
Will this be costing me money? It depends, but probably not as much as you've heard in the news. If you already have insurance through your job, this probably won’t directly affect your monthly premiums — and could actually end up saving you money in the long run byeliminating your co-pays for preventative care, like regular check-ups and STD screenings. If you don’t have insurance, on the other hand, you’ll be eligible for a plan in the new marketplaces and you’ll have to pay a premium for it. That’s more expensive than paying no monthly premium, but arguably cheaper than going uninsured and having to pay out of pocket for all of your health services, plus the penalty for not getting insurance. Depending on your income (and whether or not your employer offers an insurance plan), you could receive federal subsidies to help cover part of that premium.
What if I can’t afford any health coverage?
If you can’t afford health coverage right now, the Affordable Care Act hopes to change that for you. There are two ways the health reform law could accomplish that. If your income falls below 138 percent of the federal poverty line (for reference, that’s about $15,415 for an individual and $26,344 for a family of three), you could be eligible for expanded Medicaid coverage under the law. But it depends on where you live. Although the Affordable Care Act initially intended for the Medicaid expansion to be universal, the Supreme Court ruled that it should be optional — so now, not every state is participating.
You could be eligible for federal assistance to afford an insurance plan in the new insurance marketplace in your state. federal subsidies are also available to help Americans buy plans on the newly-created marketplaces, most of the options will be relatively inexpensive.
How Long do I have to sign up for a plan?
The initial open enrollment period started yesterday, October 1st, 2013 and ends on March 31, 2014 with some coverage plans projected to begin as early as January 1 2014.
Still want more information?
the following is a short clip that gives additional information on the changes that will be happening due to the Affordable care act. It is also available Spanish by clicking here.
Don't wait! Start talking about your options for healthcare today!
And don't forget to visit https://www.healthcare.gov/
