“Police Brutality”, is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement. In the United States “qualified immunity”, is used to protect officers from litigation after incidents of police violence. Crazy right? I know you are getting tired of hearing about how another black person has been killed by the police. Well I am and if you didn’t know I am a black African American. In the first 8 months of 2020, 164 black people were killed, stated by LI Cohen . IN THE FIRST 8 MONTHS, are you serious.
My connection to this topic is myself being a black woman. I’m tired of hearing how white police officers brutality cleaning Black Afrain American. I’m going to be totally honest. I’m scared because I feel like it’s getting worse and I fear for me and my family’s safety. I think this is important for others to know because it happens all the time and it’s not like the police get the consequences that they really deserve. This issue is significant because we are fearing people that are supposed to protect us. This was stated in another article, “For young men of color, police use of force is among the leading causes of death.” This here picture represents an estimated lifetime risk of being killed by police by force as while as sex. This data is from 2013 to 2018. You can’t make these things up. I think it is important for me to know these things because I am a black woman and I have brothers and a father that at any time could be a risk. I can start to educate myself now because anything can happen. Let me tell you about a man named Walter Wallace Jr., he was a 27 year old man. He was mentally ill and his mother tried to let the police know that but they didn’t listen. He was armed with a knife but was 20 feet away from the cops and yeah should have put it down when and if they even asked him to. But as you should know cops carry teasers, they didn’t need to shoot SEVERAL TIMES, if they had TEASERS. Now read this article and tell me what you think. Crazy right? Same situation but you know the difference? He was a “vicious” black man if they were “fearing” for their lives. In conclusion, I wonder if this is ever going to stop. When are white police officers going to start using their none racist brains when it comes to handling a situation with black people? When I continue my research, I hope to learn more about defunding the police because this will solve most of the problems in the world. Like there is no reason ANYONE should be afraid of someone/system that is supposed to protect us from any harm but is causing the most harm . When it is going to happen?, is it still even something that people are stealing trying to enforce?

Human trafficking leaving effects on victims is basically guaranteed, whether they’re physical or mental. Human trafficking is something that can happen to anyone, most commonly women and girls. Many females don’t feel comfortable going out in public because of the possibility of being trafficked. That doesn’t mean that men and people who don’t identify as either (male or female) don’t also experience being scared of human trafficking because it can happen to anyone. It is very important for people to recognize how this constant fear of being trafficked holds back people from living their life. It leaves people just as a shell of themselves. When someone is trafficked they are stripped of their humanity. They are bought and sold at the hands of strangers. Hopefully spreading awareness of the effects trafficking can leave on people will make people sympathize with people who have experienced this.

This image shows a point I made in my post. That Human trafficking spares no souls and can happen to anyone.

As a teenage girl, Human trafficking and other types of sexual or just abuse overall have always kinda had a little spot in the back of my mind. I have never experienced anything more than unwanted nudes or catcalling by older males when I am walking in the city. And that is common for most teenagers. I think everyone should know more about the after-effects of someone that experienced human trafficking is very important because then it might be taken more seriously. Some people that have experienced Human trafficking or rape might be hesitant to come forward because some people might not believe them. According to the Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center, about 20% of America’s population are survivors of childhood Sexual assault. As many as 90% never report anything to law enforcement and 30% will never report it to anyone. According to the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organization, in 2018 at least 48.5% million people were enslaved in human trafficking.

This infographic shows many statistics of human trafficking

The most common effects Human trafficking can leave on a person is depressed, and PTSD. Those are more mental, More physical ones would include sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, or pregnancy. Having such concerns especially at such a young age is already very common amongst teenagers (especially this like depression, anxiety, and stress). An Interesting fact to keep in mind if you are talking to someone with past experience of being trafficked is that the effects of the trafficking can be emphasized based on past trauma, whether it’s violence abuse, or sexual. Another less talked about or less known effect is a victim can adopt a lack of independent skills, often relying on people they trust to help them live a normal life. These effects can also happen after they experience being trafficked. Often due to not being supported by family and loved ones or how the law failed the victim in trying to seek justice. It is so important that we focus on these effects as much as we should ensure more victims feel safer sharing their stories. Obviously, that trauma will never go away but there is so much good a person can do when they let others know that they are not alone.

This other infographic shows more statistics about human trafficking, more globally based.

So in conclusion understanding, the long-term effects that human trafficking can leave on a person is a very crucial step to making them feel like themselves again. We also went over a few heartbreaking statistics. Overall I am very pleased with the information I learned while working on this post. I would like to learn more about survivors and how their story has inspired others to go on. Another interesting topic to me is the effects human trafficking can leave on the victim’s family. So in general I am proud of my work and the information I have gathered.

This is a Ted Talk by Noy Thrupkaew. She talks about how human trafficking is a part of our daily lives, more so than you’ll think. How it is more than what we just think it is.

This is my annotated bibiliography

“Body shape is something that a majority of women struggle with, as many believe their size is too big, too curvy, or even too skinny.” (The catalyst.) This is a quote I took from an article in a high school newspaper. It touches on what I believe to be a huge issue in our society. Toxic beauty standards. In our society we’ve set an unrealistic standard for ourselves. We look at highly edited pictures of so called “instagram models” and believe that is what we should look like. Young children look into the mirror and wonder if there’s something wrong with them, and wonder why they don’t look like the models they see on TV. All over the world people try to change their appearance because they’ve come to the belief that they don’t fit into the standard. The toxic, unrealistic standards that are portrayed everywhere.

An image showing how [body dysmorphia] (https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Freverehealth.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fdysmorphic.png&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Freverehealth.com%2Flive-better%2Fwhat-is-body-dysmorphic-disorder%2F&tbnid=xRMohUBVSX_lvM&vet=12ahUKEwj5u47t78zvAhUiAN8KHfdsCUgQMygGegUIARDiAQ..i&docid=HwhjpIwyzQE8nM&w=701&h=701&q=body%20dysmorphia&ved=2ahUKEwj5u47t78zvAhUiAN8KHfdsCUgQMygGegUIARDiAQ) can look.

When I was brainstorming what I wanted to focus on for my you and the world project I thought about issues that matter to me and things that affect me personally. One of the biggest that came to mind was toxic beauty standards, and specifically how they’re portrayed on social media. Beauty standards are something that have been around forever. While conducting research for this project I found a blog post that listed Standards for women’s bodies from 1292 B.C to today. It described the traits that were most desired and expected from women in each time period, it was this article that gave me new meaning to the term, “Toxic beauty standards.” Why is it that the so-called standard of beauty changes all the time? Why does our society constantly change what our bodies should look like, and why do so many people fall into the trap of thinking that they aren’t beautiful because they don’t fit into the standards that are constantly shifting?

Something that’s most definitely not talked about enough is how beauty standards directly affect people. Especially young girls and teenagers. Unrealistic beauty standards are shown all over the place, social media apps fill their explore pages with instagram models showing off their “Perfect lifestyle.”

“Instagram model” who often shows off her so called [perfect lifestyle] (https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fneoreach.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F06%2FTop-10-Models-on-Instagram.jpeg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fneoreach.com%2Ftop-instagram-models%2F&tbnid=dRW8k9Pprye0SM&vet=12ahUKEwjotaPa98zvAhXHBt8KHZ49AVUQMyguegUIARCcAg..i&docid=4i56BqQ3cr5PoM&w=1393&h=900&q=instagram%20model&ved=2ahUKEwjotaPa98zvAhXHBt8KHZ49AVUQMyguegUIARCcAg)

Magazines print the newest it model on their front pages.

Models posing for a [Vogue] (https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etonline.com%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Fvideo_1920x1080%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2017-02%2F1280_kendall_gigi_ashley_vogue_020817.jpg%3Fitok%3D-baLoriu&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etonline.com%2Fnews%2F209818_kendall_jenner_gigi_hadid_and_ashley_graham_slay_the_cover_of_vogue_stunning_group_photo&tbnid=xtPRkBwKAlYIHM&vet=12ahUKEwiulK7g-MzvAhUGT98KHYaFDtIQMygBegUIARCkAQ..i&docid=yRJhO07Rf3iYgM&w=1920&h=1080&q=gigi%20hadid%20kendall%20jenner%20vogue%20cover&ved=2ahUKEwiulK7g-MzvAhUGT98KHYaFDtIQMygBegUIARCkAQ) photo shoot

In our society it’s hard to live without constantly comparing yourself to the people around you. This constant comparing and doubting yourself can lead to a lot more serious issues and can take a large toll on your mental health. One of these side effects is developing an eating disorder. According to the alliance for eating disorder awareness, around 30 million Americans have experienced a clinical eating disorder in their lifetime. And an article by Jessica Defino for Hello giggles stated that “Studies prove that beauty standards directly contribute to anxiety and depression. They can trigger body dysmorphia and disordered eating. They can fuel low self-esteem, self-harm, and even suicide. All of these conditions have risen in recent years, and all of them are unequivocally connected to beauty standards.”

Infographic showing different [stats] (https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fthebodyimagecenter.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F09%2FNEDAW1-730x1024.png&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fthebodyimagecenter.com%2Feducation-awareness%2Feating-disorder-statistics%2F&tbnid=N5c06vymT4GxWM&vet=12ahUKEwjf6YGs-czvAhWJdN8KHfNVBgoQMygCegUIARCCAQ..i&docid=8cipRVgBTa9MIM&w=730&h=1024&q=how%20many%20people%20have%20eating%20disorders&ved=2ahUKEwjf6YGs-czvAhWJdN8KHfNVBgoQMygCegUIARCCAQ) about eating disorders

This quote really ties it all together. The effect beauty standards have on people across the world. They’re terrible for our mental health, can lead to serious medical conditions, and drastically lower self esteem. We must reflect on this as a society. Why do we constantly promote an unrealistic standard when we can just focus on celebrating the beauty each individual person has? And why have we decided that a certain set of traits is the standard for beauty?

When someone asks you “What is one of the biggest problems in the world today?”, what is your first reaction or answer? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. One of the biggest problems in today’s society is cruelty towards animals. This isn’t just every-day domestic animals, but also farm animals and livestock. This topic is relevant and interesting because it is about respecting life in the best way possible. I am personally interested in learning more about animal cruelty because I love animals and I want to be a veterinarian one day and it hurts me to know that some people abuse and intentionally or unintentionally hurt or even kill animals. From learning more about animal cruelty in Pennsylvania, I get a better understanding of the topic and can start with making changes in my state and my surroundings first. Other people should also understand that pets and animals do so much for the human race, supporting, providing comfort, providing food, and just being treasured and helpful to humans. Animals do so much for us, so why can’t we make sure that while they’re alive, they are respected and treated with some type of decorum?

Before the laws are discussed, what about the basic facts? There is a lot to know about animal abuse in Philadelphia, but the most general information helps give a solid understanding of the severity of animal abuse and its effects. Research has shown that animal abuse crimes can be linked to violent crimes towards people. Hoarding also endangers an animal, the hoarder trying to take care of more animals than they can. The gender and age range for intentional animal abusers are mostly men under 30 and for hoarders, it is women over 60. The most commonly reported cases are for dogs, cats, horses, and livestock. The weak protection for livestock under state laws makes it so that only the most shocking cases are reported. “Data on domestic violence and child abuse cases reveal that a staggering number of animals are targeted by those who abuse their children or spouses.”, according to The Humane Society of The United States. This shows that there is a direct link between domestic violence and animal cruelty. With this information, I hope that people can take it into account when reading about the laws. I also hope that people can realize the severity of animal cruelty and know that these things need to change.

Now that the basic information is figured out, what about the laws and punishments for animal abuse? There are set punishments in Pennsylvania for animal cruelty, as stated in Animal Cruelty Laws in Pennsylvania. This site states that animal cruelty is a serious charge the culprit can be fined, be charged with a misdemeanor, a felony, or go to prison. It is illegal to abuse, beat, torture, abandon, or mistreat an animal and the punishment depends on the circumstances of the case. Neglecting an animal in any way, whether it be not providing necessities, locking it in a car during hot weather, or tethering it up for more than nine hours without the needed care, is met with a penalty from a fine to felony charges, all based on the severity of the risk or injuries. Medical procedures that aren’t done legally and by a certified vet fall under animal cruelty. A fine is given for poisoning an animal and if it is done unintentionally, it’s considered a misdemeanor. According to E.A. Gjelten, “ It’s a felony in Pennsylvania to participate in organized animal fighting in any way, from owning or training the animals to betting on a fight or simply attending as a spectator.” After Libre’s law, animal-abuse legislation named after an abused puppy was passed. Libre, a Boston terrier, was found starving, covered in mange, barely alive on an Amish dog-breeding farm in Lancaster County in 2016. He was saved by a delivery-truck man, being saved from his impending doom. When his law was passed, dog tethering laws have been improved, stating that a dog cannot be tied down for more than nine hours in 24 hours and the tether must be three times the dog’s length. In harsh conditions, a dog can’t be tethered for more than 30 minutes and must always have access to water and shade. Animal cruelty penalties are strengthened as well. Humane Society officers and veterinarians can’t be sued for wrongly accusing someone of animal cruelty. The abuse of horses is treated the same as cats, dogs, or other pets. Anyone that is officially convicted of anything animal-cruelty related has to give up their animal (Philadelphia Inquirer).

An official data chart from the AOPC about Libre’s Law, animal abuse, and counties

When researching animal abuse, the data that does and doesn’t exist about cases is astounding. The information about reported animal abuse cases is important to know to see numerically how harsh animal cruelty is. As stated by Pennsylvania Capital-Star “In 2017, 965 offenses were reported. In 2018, that number climbed to 11,836. By 2019, the number of offenses reported was 8,405. The total number of animal abuse cases filed from 2017-2019 statewide is 4,804, according to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.” Many animal abuse laws and policies have been put in place to prohibit, limit, and, overall, stop animal abuse and cruelty. The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) monitors the offenses and provides data on it that can be viewed. The number of cases in 31 Pennsylvania counties ranges from 19 to 888 in 2018, because there is a difference in how cases are reported. In most counties, charges can be directed straight to a district judge, but, in Philadelphia, it has to be brought to a detective. Humane officers also need to notify the defendant that they have been charged with an animal abuse offense, so if they ignore it or let the animal go, the police can’t do anything, explaining the low number of cases in Philadelphia. Overall, Pennsylvania has over 4,000 reported animal abuse cases around 2018. These are only the cases that were officially reported, and it’s counting up to thousands. If all of the animal abuse in Philadelphia were reported and documented, who knows how many cases there would be. So many animals, so many years, but what impact has been made? What has been done to stop this pain?

What can be learned from this research after further inspection? What’s the takeaway? I have realized that animal abuse in Philadelphia is a much bigger problem than I initially realized. This matter is very important and should be taken more seriously. It also should be discussed a lot more than it is. I wonder what other animals are being abused that isn’t really discussed. I question what matters are being taken to not only fine or charge animal abusers, but to also limit the number of cases and make animals safer and treated better than they are. How are livestock being treated? Or farm animals? I hope to learn more about specific cases in Philadelphia and police involvement in these matters and if they are truly doing their job when it comes to animal abuse.

A photo of Libre, the dog that the most prominent Philadelphian animal cruelty law is named after.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mental illness is widespread and it’s only increasing. When I noticed there were a lot of common themes in movies I watched that included someone with a mental illness of any type, I saw that they were mostly aggressive, dangerous, etc. Stuff that really seemed off to me because I know a number of people who suffer from minor to more severe cases of mental illness who weren’t as the media showed it to be. There was also the fact that the media only really showed one perspective of the mental illness, which wasn’t the actual experience of the person who suffered from it which interested me. So I wanted to look into it more and see what the reality was versus how the media portrayed it. According to Mental Health Awareness Blog, about 19% of the Adult population, 46% of teenagers, and 13% of children are affected by a type of mental illness a year. With this amount of people being affected, the right representation of mental health should be portrayed in popular culture right? With that in mind, there are so many ways for this to be implemented in a more secretive way into a movie or show that could easily blow over someone’s head or just subconsciously influence them. For example, you’ve seen people in straight jackets acting violent and hysterical in movies, and then people make it a Halloween costume, when in reality many people were tortured in insane asylums by being put in a straight jacket so they weren’t able to fight back or do anything. All of that sometimes even happened to people who were only perceived as “crazy” and/or weren’t even a little harmful.

One form of media that is more accurate and a better portrayal of mental illness is art. When talking about the media and mental illness, I believe you can’t only talk about what’s wrong but bring in a better solution or alternative for gaining information on the topic. That better alternative would be more specifically visual art, in terms of drawing, sculpting, painting, etc. In “The Connection Between Mental Illness and Creativity” by Caroline Keenan, she shows us how some famous artists actually showed some signs of mental illness through their art and since art is a form of basic self expression in a lot of cases, it is probably the most accurate source of information on their experience. Keenan says “Munch’s painting, titled Self-Portrait in Hell, is made to show his feelings on his life at the time as a man and an artist: a private hell” with the corresponding picture underneath :

-> Self-Portrait in Hell, Edvard Munch, 1903

This painting has a lot of depth to it, just not from a first glance alone. If you look and analyze it to the best of your ability, you’ll never really get a true meaning out of it, but still, you’ll get at least a feeling out of it. For example when I look at it, it’s a simple, but dark and contorted background, void of shading. While the actual self portrait is a nude, possibly meaning he feels exposed or weakened a lot. Other artists like most famously Vincent Van Gough who cut off his own ear, and made the iconic starry night while looking outside his hospital window, had suffered from mental illness that was shown in their artwork as well.

How can you or others make an impact or help reduce the stigma around mental illness? An article by Rafi Letzter called “The News Is Telling You a Distorted Story about Mental Illness” is really informative on how you might do this. Before doing this though, one of the main things to keep in mind is that mental illness is pretty common making it more normal, so normalizing it would be key to the overall goal of reducing stigma. One of Letzter’s points that really struck me was when he stated that “On the flip side, a group of researchers (including McGinty) showed in 2014 that positive stories about mentally ill people can reduce stigma and discriminatory attitudes, while increasing support for treatment” which would really help because with the right treatment they could get help and not have to suffer from their illness as much.

There are so many ways mental illness affects communities small and big, but what I would like to know is how this change will happen and how it can hopefully be normalized to the point where people won’t have to not only be affected by their mental health of which they cant control, but also won’t be affected by the media and social stigmas around it. More websites to help learn about this topic and examples of ways to help of educate [<-here->] (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Wrj9TfKrxSYpJ7JoHiiRQ0W4q34H1Eq0yTN2Cr1VZrM/edit?usp=sharing)