Could you and/or your family members use a “safe space”? Would you use it?
A theme that emerged in research by Lisa Sample, Ph.D., is that registered citizens and their family members need a “safe space” where they can simply talk freely about their situations. Many do not even trust therapists because of Nebraska’s “mandatory reporting” law. That’s the law that requires therapists to turn over to law enforcement some of their patients.
Nebraskans Unafraid is considering a plan to provide a venue for a “safe space” meeting where registrants and their families may meet and learn from others who are in similar circumstances. We are not sure how many people actually would take advantage of such a program. Our society’s shunning of former offenders and their families engenders such shame that people simply are unwilling to reach out to others. To use a “safe space” meeting, you would have to overcome that shame. Do you think you could?
Please give us an answer by taking a minute (literally — it’s only four simple questions) to respond to our survey. Find the survey by clicking here.
I think this is a great idea. Hard for me making new friends ever since my conviction. Would be nice to meet others in the same boat as me who understand what life is like being an enemy-of-the-state registrant.
One of the things we can learn from each other is that together we have more power than we do alone. We can use our collective power to boycott all American products and travel. Even if this action does not seem to have an effect, it has a tremendous effect for registrants. From there, other collective actions can take place.