- Paris Hilton Celebrates Congress Passing Her Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act: federal oversight of the 'troubled teen' industry
- Pelicot trial - 20 years in prison for aggravated rape after he drugged and abused his then wife, Gisèle Pelicot, and invited dozens of strangers to rape her
- Las Cruces daycare co-owner faces federal child abuse charges
- The Survivorship Trafficking and Extreme Abuse Online Conference May 2025
describes abuse and violence
Here's what you need to know about the Pelicot trial Paul Kirby BBC 12/19/2024 Judges in the French city of Avignon have sentenced Dominique Pelicot to 20 years in prison for aggravated rape after he drugged and abused his then wife, Gisèle Pelicot, and invited dozens of strangers to rape her. Dominique stood accused alongside 50 other men. Of the 50 co-defendants found guilty, 46 were found guilty of rape, two guilty of attempted rape, and two guilty of sexual assault.
For almost a decade, Gisèle Pelicot was unknowingly given sedatives by her ex-husband, who has admitted to raping her and inviting men he had recruited online to have sex with her in her bed at home while she was unconscious and unaware. Although Dominique Pelicot admitted the charges against him, most of the other men on trial denied what they did was rape.
It was Gisèle's decision to waive her anonymity and throw this trial into the open - in her words, making "shame swap sides" from the victim to the rapist - something which has turned the 72-year-old into a feminist icon. Dominique has also been found guilty of attempted aggravated rape of the wife of one of the co-accused, Jean-Pierre Marechal - who admitted drugging and raping his own wife, Cillia, and inviting Dominique to rape her too. Marechal was found guilty of attempted rape and aggravated rape. Dominique Pelicot was further convicted of taking indecent images of his daughter, Caroline, and his daughters-in-law, Aurore and Celine.
"I am a rapist," he previously told the judges. "I acknowledge all the facts [of the case] in their entirety." He had begged his ex-wife and three children for forgiveness, but his actions have torn the Pelicot family apart. Prosecutors had asked for jail sentences for the defendants ranging from four years to 20 years, the maximum sentence for a charge of aggravated rape....
From 2011 to 2020, Dominique Pelicot plied his wife with tranquilising drugs and sleeping pills without her knowledge, crushed them into powder and added them to her food and drink. Gisèle Pelicot suffered memory loss and blackouts because of the drugs and she has spoken of 10 years of her life that have been lost. He was eventually caught because a security guard reported him to police for taking photographs under women's skirts in a supermarket.
"I thought we were a close couple," she once told the court. Instead, her husband was going on a notorious but now banned website called Coco.fr to invite local men to their home to have sex with her while she was comatose....
Not only has this case been held in full view of the public, but the evidence against all the accused was recorded on video by Dominique Pelicot at the time and then played out in court. Gisèle Pelicot, who has divorced her husband, said the men "treated me like a rag doll". "Don't talk to me about sex scenes. These are rape scenes," she said. Therefore none of those accused has been able to challenge the allegation that they were in Gisèle Pelicot's room while she was comatose....
Gisèle Pelicot has attended almost every day of the trial, appearing at the court in her sunglasses just before nine o'clock. Her decision to waive her anonymity is highly unusual, but she has stood firm at every moment. "I want all women who have been raped to say: Madame Pelicot did it, I can too.".... https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c390d8nd4n4o
Paris Hilton-backed child abuse bill headed to Biden's desk for signature The measure requires more federal oversight of the 'troubled teen' industry. ByIsabella Murray December 18, 2024
The House passed the Paris Hilton-championed Stop Institutionalized Child Abuse bill on Wednesday, a sweet victory for the celebrity hotel heiress after the nearly three years she's spent lobbying politicians in Washington on the issue of reform in the "troubled teen" industry.
The measure that would require more federal oversight into these facilities for troubled minors passed by a vote of 373-33. All those who voted against the legislation were Republican, most from the far-right faction of the party....
The Senate passed the bill a week ago with unanimous support. It now heads to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature.... Hilton for years has been an advocate for reform in congregate care facilities and residential treatment programs for "troubled" minors. She's brazenly described her own traumatizing experience at Provo Canyon School in Utah when she was a teenager.
Hilton also testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in June, emotionally recounting her experience being at Provo Canyon School as a teen. "These programs promised healing, growth, and support, but instead did not allow me to speak, move freely, or even look out a window for two years," she testified in 2023. "I was force-fed medications and sexually abused by the staff. I was violently restrained and dragged down hallways, stripped naked, and thrown into solitary confinement."
The Provo school in Utah, which is still operating today, released an updated statement in June 2024 saying they couldn't comment on the operations or student experiences at the school prior to August 2000, when it had changed ownership shortly after Hilton's stint there. Provo said it did not "condone or promote any form of abuse," in their statement.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/paris-hilton-backed-child-abuse-bill-headed-bidens/story?id=116917971
Paris Hilton Celebrates Congress Passing Her Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act: ‘This Is a Day I’ll Never Forget’ “This moment is proof that our voices matter, that speaking out can spark change," the reality TV star said By Angel Saunders Updated on December 18, 2024 Paris Hilton is celebrating a huge milestone after using her celebrity and personal experience to enact protections for institutionalized youth. “Today is a day I will never forget,” the celebrity DJ, 43, began as the caption to a 20-photo Instagram carousel on Wednesday, Dec. 18. “After years of sharing my story and advocating on Capitol Hill, the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act has officially passed the U.S Congress,” she said.
The bill regulates best practices regarding the health and safety, care, treatment and appropriate placement of youth in boarding schools, boot camps and other youth centers, according to Congress and the organization's website....
Hilton continued with her caption, adding, “This moment is proof that our voices matter, that speaking out can spark change, and that no child should ever endure the horrors of abuse in silence. I did this for the younger version of myself and the youth who were senselessly taken from us by the Troubled Teen Industry.”....
Hilton first opened up about her experience in her 2020 documentary, This Is Paris. "It was supposed to be a school, but [classes] were not the focus at all," Hilton previously told PEOPLE about the behavioral health center her parents sent her to as a teen. "From the moment I woke up until I went to bed, it was all day screaming in my face, yelling at me, continuous torture."....
Ahead of the bill being passed, Hilton shared an open letter on Instagram earlier this week, stating that she was “physically restrained, sexually abused, isolated, overmedicated, and stripped of my dignity” as a teenager at Provo Canyon School. The mother of two urged “every member of the House" to “think of the children who can't speak for themselves.” The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act was passed “unanimously” by the Senate on Dec. 11, before the House also voted in its favor. Next, it will go to President Biden before it can be signed into law.
https://people.com/paris-hilton-celebrates-congress-passing-her-stop-institutional-child-abuse-act-8763937
Las Cruces daycare co-owner faces federal child abuse charges A Target 7 Investigation has revealed that federal authorities believe the owner may be tied to claims made decades ago Dec 18, 2024 Aliyah Chavez
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — A Las Cruces daycare co-owner has been charged in connection with sexually abusing a minor in his care. And now a Target 7 Investigation has revealed that federal authorities believe the owner may be tied to claims made decades ago. The case has led to the closure of the daycare and a call for any additional victims to come forward.
Federal Charges and Allegations
Juan Jose Cardiel, 79, co-owner of the home-based Cardiel Childcare Services, was arrested earlier this year on state charges related to allegations of child sexual abuse. Despite prosecutors wanting to hold him until trial, a judge ordered he could be released on a $7,500 bond. However, just weeks ago, federal prosecutors added charges of attempted enticement of a minor, which carries significant penalties. He is now being held in jail on the federal charges. “These are incredibly serious charges. This person could be facing life in prison if convicted,” said KOAT legal expert and former prosecutor John Day. According to court documents, a 4-year-old child reported inappropriate behavior by Cardiel, including being shown explicit content and being asked to engage in inappropriate acts. Officials noted that the use of electronic devices in the alleged crimes made the case eligible for federal charges.
Legal Proceedings
After being charged federally, Cardiel chose not to contest being held, ensuring he will remain in custody until trial. Day explained that this decision might reflect the weight of the evidence against him. “There’s no benefit to the defendant to challenge detention when the evidence is strong,” Day said.
History of Allegations
While Cardiel has no prior criminal convictions, federal prosecutors noted he was involved in a 1996 civil case at the New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped, which included allegations of abuse involving other potential victims. That case was settled out of court. Additionally, court records show a domestic violence order of protection was filed against Cardiel, alleging another potential victim. “There was no criminal history. But this investigation will show other court filings that indicate the potential of other victims,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez.
Daycare Closure
Cardiel Childcare Services has been shut down, and its daycare license has been suspended by the state. Authorities expressed gratitude to the child who came forward and encouraged other potential victims to report their experiences.
“These cases come to us from the strength of victims and children who speak up about things that are happening that are wrong. Often, that’s the only way we find out,” Uballez said....
https://www.koat.com/article/las-cruces-daycare-co-owner-child-abuse-case/63232515
The Survivorship Trafficking and Extreme Abuse Online Conference 2025 - Survivor Conference will be on Saturday and Sunday May 18 - 19, 2025. This year's topic is "Celebrating the Gains Fighting Ritual Abuse." The Clinician's Conference will be Friday May 17, 2025. This year's topic is "Progress Against Extreme Abuse." Please write info@survivorship.org for more information. The Conference Web Page is at https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-trafficking-and-extreme-abuse-online-conference-2025
