Who Will Love Me? - Dr. Christine Hatchard

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Four Stories of Mother-Daughter Sexual Abuse. A documentary film by. Dr. Christine Hatchard. “This deeply moving film is an extremely valuable contribution to ...


























Who Will Love Me? Four Stories of Mother-Daughter Sexual Abuse

A documentary film by

Dr. Christine Hatchard “This deeply moving film is an extremely valuable contribution to the field of healing from child sexual abuse.” -Ellen Bass, co-author of The Courage to Heal











BREAK THE SILENCE [VIEW THE DOCUMENTARY]

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Runtime: 67 minutes

Audio: English 2.0

Aspect Ratio: 16:9

Color

Subtitles: N/A

Closed Captioning: N/A

UNRATED

This disc is expected to play back in DVD Video “play only” devices and may not play in other DVD devices. ©2011 Dr. Christine Hatchard. All rights reserved. No copying. Subject to applicable laws. Licensed for private home viewing only.

TABLE OF CONTENTS





















Page

Synopsis .............................................................................................. 2 Women in the Film ............................................................................. 3 Production Notes ................................................................................ 4 Making Daughters Safe Again .......................................................... 5 Film Endorsements ............................................................................ 6 News Article ........................................................................................ 8 Contact ................................................................................................. 9

SYNOPSIS Who Will Love Me? [Running Time: 67 Minutes] That a woman would sexually abuse her own daughter is an unimaginable horror to most people. When it's your reality, it's infinitely worse. In this groundbreaking film, four courageous women who were sexually abused by their mothers in childhood share their compelling stories. With sensitive editing and unflinching honesty, viewers will begin to understand the full range of devastating consequences of this form of sexual abuse and the survivors’ hopeful search for healing. Meant to provide a comprehensive overview of a complex phenomenon, topics in the film include; the survivors’ abuse experiences, their mothers’ personalities, confronting their mothers, the role of their fathers, ways they’ve coped, and the impact of the abuse on intimacy, life partners, identity and child-rearing. Most strikingly apparent is the women’s struggles to be heard and believed and their inspirational resiliency above all odds. While each woman’s story is unique, they all share a common, heartbreaking question: “When the one person in the world who is supposed to love me hurts me to my core, Who WILL Love Me?”

WOMEN IN THE FILM

[LEFT TO RIGHT] KRISTEN, 28 - Kristen is a volunteer family history consultant who has been married for four years to a wonderful man. She was sexually abused by both of her parents and speaks candidly in the film about the effects of the abuse. Kristen made multiple attempts to disclose the abuse to professionals, including the police who did not believe her, and a psychiatrist who responded insensitively. ANDREA, 35 - Andrea lives with her partner and has completed training as a sexual abuse advocate. She describes her family as appearing “normal” when she was a child, despite the extensive and violent abuse that occurred in her home. Andrea has had several surgeries to repair the physical damage that she suffered due to the sexual abuse by her mother. MARILYN, 49 - Marilyn is a writer who is happily married and a mother to children who are the joy of her life.  Although she has found some healing through being a good mother to her own children, it has also made her more cognizant of the horror of the sexual abuse and rejection that she suffered as a child from her own mother. CATHY, 36 - Cathy describes herself as having been a smart, extroverted child who had to look perfect to the outside world to maintain her mother’s facade. She often struggles with the feeling that she has to prove that she has the right to exist after being sexually abused her mother. Although Cathy’s parents divorced when she was 10, Cathy’s father was not able to gain custody of Cathy until she was a teenager.

PRODUCTION NOTES [PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/EDITOR] Christine Hatchard, Psy.D. - Dr. Hatchard is a licensed psychologist with a private practice in Eatontown, New Jersey. She has a masters degree in Counseling Psychology and Human Services and a doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with a specialization in Psychological Assessment. She has previously trained and worked as a psychotherapist in college counseling centers as well as a forensic private practice specializing in family law. Dr. Hatchard has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and is currently a Specialist Professor of Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychology at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ. Dr. Hatchard founded the organization, Making Daughters Safe Again (MDSA), in 1999 and has continued to act as Director for over 12 years, during which time she has worked with hundreds of survivors of mother-daughter sexual abuse. In 2011, she was awarded the Martin Luther King, Jr. Unsung Hero Award at Monmouth University for her work on behalf of abuse survivors. “Who Will Love Me?” is Dr. Hatchard’s first film. She began planning the film in 2008 by learning video production and recruiting potential participants for the documentary. She conducted the interviews and filmed the footage over two days in April 2009 and edited the film during 2010. [PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS] Leilani Chin Jaclyn Spurka Juliana Pierce

MAKING DAUGHTERS SAFE AGAIN [THE ORGANIZATION] DR. CHRISTINE HATCHARD, FOUNDER/DIRECTOR The mission of Making Daughters Safe Again (MDSA) is to support and advocate for survivors of mother-daughter sexual abuse (mdsa), to educate professionals and the general public, and to inspire

action, knowledge, healing

and hope. Since 1999, MDSA has been offering innovative online and inperson support services for survivors of mother-daughter sexual abuse, guest lectures, and comprehensive resources for anyone seeking information. We have been featured by homestead.com and included in a national (United States) press release as a model organization that utilizes the Internet. Our articles have been referenced in major publications, translated into several languages, and requested by health-care and legal professionals.   Although based in the United States, MDSA has a truly global

reach.

Visitors to our web site come from over 30 different countries. Our members currently represent 7 different countries, with their stories of isolation and their struggle to receive proper treatment and intervention being universal themes. Our major annual event is a weekend retreat that is attended by survivors from all over the U.S. and other countries. Our hope is that one day, the world will be more aware of mother-daughter sexual abuse so that little girls can be saved, and survivors

can receive the information, support and validation that they so richly deserve.

FILM ENDORSEMENTS “Girls who are sexually abused by their mothers suffer what may be the deepest emotional wounding there is. By letting us hear women talk about their own experiences, "Making Daughters Safe Again" provides essential education for supporters of survivors, both personal and professional, and will help every daughter who has been abused by her mother know that she is not alone, not to blame, and that healing is possible. This deeply moving film is an extremely valuable contribution to the field of healing from child sexual abuse.“

- Ellen Bass, co-author of The Courage to Heal “The women that courageously shared their experiences of maternal incest in the documentary represent countless others whose voices will never be heard because they have been silenced by fear, shame, descent into severe mental illness, addiction, and in some cases, death. While what they experienced was horrifying, these women also represent the amazing strength and resilience of those who have somehow managed to not only survive this devastating form of abuse but tenaciously and with great effort, heal their wounds and become beacons of hope for others. This documentary leaves no doubt that maternal incest is uniquely distinct from other forms of sexual abuse in how it manifests, and in how it impacts the lives of those who have experienced it. To characterize this violation as rape of one’s soul or spirit is not an overstatement; many of us who have also been sexually abused by men will agree that even though these violations were terrible, they do not rise to the level of destructiveness that is characterized by mother-daughter sexual abuse. The world needs to hear these stories.”

- Linda Crockett, author of The Deepest Wound: How a Journey to El Salvador Led to Healing from Mother-Daughter Incest “Who Will Love Me? goes a long way to breaking the silence which has historically surrounded the phenomenon of mother-daughter sexual abuse.  If you are a motherdaughter incest survivor, or a service provider, this documentary offers valuable information about the differing relationship dynamics and sequelae that are unique to mother-daughter incestuous abuse.  As a society, we would rather not think about the issue of mothers sexually abusing their daughters.  But as this documentary clearly highlights, mother-daughter sexual abuse is a reality in the lives of some women.  The more we learn about the characteristics of the perpetrator and the long-term effects of mother-daughter incest, the more we will be able to design therapeutic interventions and help survivors in their recovery process.”

- Beverly Ogilvie, author of Mother-Daughter Incest:  A Guide for Helping Professionals

“Few of us will ever know the depth of betrayal experienced by the daughters of female sexual abusers. Making Daughters Safe Again brings us closer to understanding this hidden tragedy through the touching stories of four very brave women. As they boldly reveal their personal stories to us, we begin to see the far-reaching impact of motherchild sexual abuse. Their courage in telling very personal details of a widely misunderstood and overlooked form of abuse will leave you both humbled and inspired. This film is a "must see" for victims and professionals for its message of hope and healing.”

- John Davidson, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor "Maternal sexual abuse is the last secret to be exposed in a world where societal stereotypes create a barrier to the recognition and reporting of this group of child sexual offenders. The women who speak out in "Who Will Love Me?" give validation, hope and respect to children who experience sexual abuse by their mothers. The candid descriptions of these daughters sexually abused by their mothers are a powerful reminder that the societal stereotype that only men sexually abuse children is a myth that fails to protect children and perpetuates the long-lasting harm caused by this group of female sexual offenders. I highly recommend this DVD to all who work in the field of child sexual abuse and are committed to the protection of children and adolescents. We are all reminded that the greatest danger to children is often in the very homes where they have the right to be safe."

- Karen A Duncan, M.A. author of Female Sexual Predators: Understanding Them to Protect Our Children and Youths “Making Daughters Safe Again has sought to sensitize us to this hidden tragedy by breaking through the iron curtain of silence and appearance of normalcy so often propagated and sustained by not only the abuser but by society at large. The anguish of these victims is multiplied by the solitude exacted by a lack of understanding and acceptance of an abuse that fractures not only their mind and bodies, but their very souls. Their struggles are poignantly reflected in the telling of their personal stories. As they draw you into the confines of their existence, you are forever changed. Through their disclosure, they expose themselves once again to the pain of reliving the abuse and the pain of judgment and rejection of their experiences by the audience. Despite this, they reach out to us and to other victims who suffer in silence to bathe this dark secret in a beam of bright light and to heal us all of an ignorance that does as much damage as the abusers themselves. I applaud these women and MDSA for boldly confronting the last frontier of sexual abuse denial - mothers who sexually abuse their children.”

- Writers and Editors of Female Sex Offenders web site: http://femaleoffenders.com

IN THE NEWS: ASBURY PARK PRESS: JANUARY 9, 2011

CONTACT Media requests/interviews: [email protected] or 732-614-5888 Bookings for guest lectures/keynotes by Dr. Hatchard or film viewings: [email protected] The women featured in the film and other survivors of motherdaughter sexual abuse may be available for interviews or to speak at events. All requests must be made through the email contacts above. Making Daughters Safe Again (MDSA) Resources and information on mother-daughter sexual abuse and support services for survivors: http://mdsa-online.org Film web site: http://mdsafilm.org Available for purchase: http://amazon.com

©2011 Dr. Christine Hatchard. All rights reserved.