Re: Fake sweat lodge, sexual/spiritual abuse, Northern NM
Date: March 14, 2009 12:28PM
Note: If you don't want to read a lot of soul-searching, skip to the last paragraph!
Hmm. Not sure that this post wouldn't be more appropriate for a journal, but I'm kind of interested in input too.
I did post in several places on the Newagefraud site. Also read some articles and many other posts. So now it's occurring to me: I really would be adding insult to injury to ask anyone in the Native community to hold this woman accountable. I did want to get all of what happened out there as a warning and a heads-up. Selfish reasons too: I'm angry and want to talk, talk, talk about this.
But I think it really falls on me to hold her accountable. I'm starting to wonder what else I can do. A part of me wants to stage a protest (one-woman, if need be) at the site of the next dance. At the same time, I don't know if I have the guts for that, and I also don't want to ruin the dance for the few Native women who do attend. (This is such a complicated situation.) I still believe the leader is a fraud, a "plastic shaman" and so are most of those involved. But there are a few Native women who do go.
I do want to do what I can to prevent her from messing up anyone else. (True, that's probably already happened, but I can't do anything about the past.) Thinking maybe to write a letter to the ed. of one of the local newspapers: Has anyone tried this in terms of outing a spiritually abusive situation? Was it effective? What were the repercussions. (Know that sounds selfish, but I'm wanting to consider that too.) I understand she could probably sue me if I named names. I mean, it's not like her kind of abuse comes with a rape kit and hard evidence. It would all be her word against mine.
Even so--I'll just ask. What kind of things have people out there done to out various spiritually abusive situations publicly?. How effective was your method, and what were the repercussions?