I'd like book reviews and articles.

Forgive me but since I don't know what a 'blog' is I can't weigh in on it. I assumed a blog was alot like a message boards. like this one.

A blog is where one person (usually the website owner) writes periodic news items, essays, or updates, and posts them. Readers have an "add comment" box at the bottom. Readers who like the blog can subscribe to it, so that any new entries show up in their email inbox. It's similar to a messageboard in that readers can add comments, but the topics are solely determined by the site owners. For example, there's a Wisconsin Environmental Issues blog at http://thepoliticalenvironment.blogspot.com/ .

I would say a blog but I could see SO many issues with that. Victims that are so fresh and new to healing. Those who are riddled with rape myths and self blame. Their blogs, if used as a research tool, could damage other fresh new victims to the healing process.

If a blog were to be put in place I think it would have to be a carefully managed blog. I think there would have to be a strong voice, like those of competent therapists and people professionally involved in Survivor's lives, in order to balance it all out.

I like the idea or articles and book reviews. What I think would be really cool would be an INTERACTIVE version of rar or lts. But now I think I'm dreaming :P

What if the articles were compiled by an invitation basis?

Like if people were only allowed to post articles if they were invited by the website to be a contributor? That would be ok. Because I'm assuming the website would be run by you and you know plenty of competent people that could contribute. :)

Yes, and if content were provided by recognized experts. I'm also thinking of something like the Trauma Research Archives, with new research explained in plain language so it's useful and applicable in real life. Take a look at www.survivormanual.com for a similar concept.

Fin - a blog is like the journals here at ds but usually with a lot more functions and interactional capabilities.

I think that really depends are what you site goals are..But for me I'd like an almost one-stop shop and I'd really love to hear more survivor voices.

Mostly, unless you stumble across testimonials for a product (therefore biased comments), the first time you hear what a survivor sounds like is in a message board. And the best ones are the scariest to join. Pandys has over 20k members now, after-silence not far from that and this group is not private from the world...so super scary to come here and actually participate, which may put people off looking at all.

What I would like is honest advice from someone in the know infused with some of our discussions...not testimonals but our discussions. Part of the magic of this group is how we interact with each other. We practice good boundaries without avoiding calling each other or disagreeing. So say you were discussing a particular self harm aspect..you'd do your awesomeness with tips and stuff and then you would have a copy of how we had responded to that topic.

Our blogs could be as open or private as we wish..so they would get to see our individualness and what they entails but i'd really like to see the group element. That's what LTS provides..a glimpse of healing. When we talked about our struggles we gave a glimpse of us, our pain and then we talked about how we moved forward.

I'd like a submit creativity area but that's just because i love being creative :)

Articles and guest speakers are always good. Not just 'experts' but real people. Maybe even one of us. There plenty of people on here I just can't learn enough about :)

and then i realise the discussion has taken a totally different direction whilst i wrote =/ See..told you it would depend what you wanted :)

oh..btw..I anticipate a massive site..with a massive server :)

If you want journal articles I have tons - especially regarding SA at a college campus, its adjudication, issues and victimology - oh and offender profiles (undected rapist). I think attorney information would be helpful - how to get one, what the process is like, if there are any pro-bono, (civil) etc.

I have been thinking of writing an article about how investigation processes should go. Now, on campus and with the PD, they seem to find guilt by working hard to discredit the victim, rather than investigate the offender. If they did, I bet he said/she said would be he said/THEY said. Especially at the college level the guy turns into 'the nice guy' - he couldn't have done that - he seems like such a nice guy. HER on the other hand has 'issues', changes her story, seems ---undone. I call this the good guy, bad girl paradox.

Sorry for the rant, but there really isn't much for helping college women -not much of substance it seems. And at college, they f*#k you in the adjudication process all over again.

Yes!!! I want those articles! how can I get them?

"So should it be blogs? articles? tips and advice? book reviews?"

Yes to all of these suggestions, carefully moderated by yourself, for example, for content, etc. Just one comment though, I have noticed on some 'blogs' etc. some very nasty/harsh commentary added by readers. I am not familiar with the inner workings of websites or blogs, but perhaps the comments in some way be approved before actually posting in case they are damaging, degrading, or just plain nasty as some that I have seen.

Matt...what a great question!

I'll tell you what I DON'T want...what scared me off whenever I looked for online help in the past:

1. Some sites are poorly laid out, confusing, and downright ugly. Obviously yours wouldn't be.

2. Some are overwhelming, way too much stuff, kind of like "Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Rape". I had no idea what I was looking for, other than an article titled, "How to Get Over Your Rape and Forget it Ever Happened." The sites that tried to be helpful (with links like "Start Here" or "Read First") directed that info to recent victims. Apparently I blew it by not getting help in time, or I would be long over it, just like everyone else. At least that's what I would think.

3. The rape stories were the last straw that would scare me off. It's not just that they were triggering. Until therapy and RAR, I saw no point in telling one's story, especially in detail. I'd wonder, "What is WRONG with these women?" Why did they write about such horrible things and did they have to be so graphic? If they wanted the whole Internet know they were raped, couldn't they tell it the way I'd disclosed to trusted friends I'd known for years: "I was...uh...raped. By two guys. All night long." I mean, that was bad enough! Maybe I should have left out the "two guys all night long" part. So, I couldn't fathom a sane person telling their story and I couldn't fathom why they would include such shameful, ugly stuff. All this rehashing couldn't be healthy. At this rate, they would never forget!

So...

I'm imagining something beautiful, welcoming, safe...filled with hope...not sugar-coated but gentle...full of good information...not grim (I loved that parts of RAR made me chuckle!)...with some "creative stuff" and some "spiritual stuff" -- exactly the sort of website Matt (with the rest of us involved too!) will create.

I don't want to say there shouldn't be anyone's rape accounts. I live how they were handled in RAR, that they were given context and meaning and value.

I meant love not live.