Teenage Pregnancy

Teenage Pregnancy

          Hello, this is IGL and this post is about teenage pregnancy. The world is full of teenage girls who have become moms unexpectedly. In the past decade, the rate of teenage pregnancy has risen drastically. Sometimes girls get pregnant on purpose, or they accidentally forget about protection. A baby comes with great responsibility and sometimes teenage parents don’t have that ability. A child might mess up grades, friendships, family and romantic relationships, careers, and future college chances. Adulthood is the perfect time for a child, because it comes with wisdom and responsibility. Not all teenage parents are irresponsible, but most do not know how to care for a baby. It is best for the adults to teach their children the best way.

          Girls have been involved in cases where they forget to put on a condom, or maybe are drunk or high. In other words, they don’t know what they’re doing. There are girls in this world that think they can be fitting parents for a baby at a young age, still in high school and not yet with a stable job. The ones that think they can do this and are confident and responsible enough don’t really know the difficulties of being a parent. Yes, I am thinking about the girls on Maury who claim they have the sufficient sources for a child. But when they do get one, they can’t take care of it.

          However, keep in mind: Never judge a teenage mother or father, no matter their race, gender, nationality, appearance, or age. You do not know the complete story of their lives. Even though in the two above paragraphs, it seems like teenage moms are not responsible, you do not know what really happened. True, there are girls that are naïve or strive to get a baby, but that may not be the case for everything. A teenager can get pregnant by many causes, some even gruesome, such as sexual abuse. Rid of all stereotypes that teenage moms are ‘sluts’ and ‘have sex every day’, because that may not be the case for every girl.

       The Candie’s Foundation is an organization that aims to educate teenagers about the dangers of becoming a teenage parent. They motivate students to think before they act and use protection. They send campaigns across schools to teach girls about the responsibility about having a child. But they do this uniquely. They use celebrities to expose parenthood and advocate against it to catch teenagers’ attention.

          A lot of girls are pressured into having sex. When this happens, usually a baby is accidentally formed. It could be forced, or they decide it in consolation for their partner. Sometimes, the boyfriend is peer pressured into having sex with his girlfriend, so both ways can happen. A girl or guy might not be ready to take such a huge step in a relationship, and irresponsibility comes with it. Sometimes, people peer pressure themselves because everyone else is doing it. However, not everyone else is doing it. They might boast about it, but in truth, they might not be sexually active. In fact, STDs can spread when people are not careful, like the HIV, which causes the deadly disease of AIDS.

          Preventing pregnancy is the best way to, well, prevent it. Abstinence is the number one choice, but everyone knows that doesn’t always work. Condoms are a common way for protection. It acts like a balloon, and wraps around the genitals of either partner. It prevents the sperm into reaching the womb, where fertilization takes place. Birth control pills are the second choice, for girls. The female takes a pill every day to delay the ovulation. If the female forgets to take it for one day, she can get pregnant a few days later.

          When a teenager gets pregnant, she panics. Fortunately, for U.S. citizens, the government formed a law called the Safe Haven Law. This allows babies to be legally dropped off at an adoption center, hospital, or other “drop-off area”. This only applies to parents that haven’t abused or neglected their child before. The parent and child are given the same bracelets, so if the mother wants to reclaim him or her, it’s possible. The Safe Haven Law can be a less stressing choice than to just leave the baby on the street, so some do take this choice. Just remember to think wisely.

          Finally, there is one way to deal with a baby. This choice is disputed whether it is moral or immoral, based on common sense, science, or religion. It is abortion. Abortion is when the mother, while pregnant, kills the baby. Some grabs it by the skull and pulls it out, or they take a pill. Abortion is a serious choice to make. For some girls, it might cause dysfunctions in having children later on in life.

          There are many ways to help. You could:

1. Tell someone about it
2. Donate to organizations such as Candie’s Foundation or the Brignoni Foundation (not mentioned here)
3. Take responsibility if you are a teenager pregnant. Choose to keep the baby, give it away as the Safe Haven Law, or abort it.
4. Do not give in to peer pressure
5. Adopt a child
6. Use protection at all times
7. Do not judge others

Be careful on future teen pregnancies!

Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Stop Women Abuse!

Stop Women Abuse!

          Hello, this is IGL and this post is about women abuse. Around the world, abuse has happened to everybody before. We all know that women have a more likely chance to getting abused my others because of their weakness. In many cases, women are violated sexually or physically against their will.

          We all most likely know what rape is. Rape is when a person is forced to have sex with another person against their will. Usually, it happens to females but it could also happen to boys (usually when they are children). The rapist can be a male or a female, even though a homosexual rape towards women is very rare. Rainn.org states that most rape victims are under the age of thirty and that only 3% percent of rapists are put in jail for their crime. That is an outrageous percentage. Rape is something that nobody should have to go through. Consequences of rape include a high risk of substance abuse, such as alcohol or drugs to take away depression of the past event. You could also receive an STD and/or become pregnant. Victims may also become traumatized and gets insomnia or trouble sleeping. Worse of all, victims may resort to suicide. Whatever you do, prevent a person from suicide or prevent yourself from suicide. If you get raped, call the police immediately and call a sexual assault hotline as quick as possible. If you know someone else who has been raped, do not be judgmental and recommend a sexual assault hotline.

          To avoid rape, follow these steps.

• ·         Be aware of your location and the people around you.
• ·         Avoid places with few or no people at all.
• ·         Be confident when you walk, even if you don’t know where you’re going.
• ·         Trust your instincts.
• ·         Bring a phone and some money to go home for.
• ·         Go with a trusted person.
• ·         Avoid listening to music with headphones to block out sounds.

Also, tell your child at the comfortable age so they are aware of rape and sexual assault.

          RAINN (Rape Abuse Incest National Network) is an organization that helps people that have been sexually assaulted and spreading awareness. RAINN specializes in many things, including providing the national hotline and statistics. However, they succeeded by donations from generous people. Donate at this site: http://www.rainn.org/donate/ways-to-give

          Domestic violence is when a partner in a relationship abuses the other partner physically, sexually, or emotionally. Usually it is when the male abuses the female, but in some cases the wife/girlfriend is the one putting it on. Domestic violence affects the health of the partner, causing broken trust. If a partner is forcing you to have sex or forcing you to get pregnant, it is best to consult with a doctor secretly to get birth control methods without him knowing. To leave an abusive relationship, always seek shelter and bring a phone with you. Don’t make it obvious that you need help and don’t go anywhere alone. Keep your privacy and don’t share anything out loud to someone or online.

          To keep safe from domestic violence or an abusive person, follow these steps.

• ·         Meet in public
• ·         Tell someone, like a friend or parent, where you’re going and who your date is
• ·         Avoid parties that have alcohol
• ·         Have a reliable source of transportation
• ·         Bring a phone

If you’re going to a place with alcohol, follow these steps.

• ·         Don’t take drinks from anyone but yourself
• ·         Have your drink besides you at all times
• ·         Don’t drink from punch bowls or public drinks
• ·         If you didn’t pay attention to your drink, throw it away immediately
• ·         Don’t drink too much

Signs of an abusive relationship:

• ·         Always stalking you and wanting to know where you are at all times
• ·         Trying to take things fast
• ·         Major jealousy and pushiness
• ·         Suggesting to do sexual activities often
• ·         Putting inappropriate pictures of you online without your permission
• ·         Threatening you if you break up with him
• ·         Blaming you on the harm he gives you

Human trafficking is when someone is taken into a profession they are fooled into, usually something sexually but could also result in forced labor. It usually happens to women. They could be tricked into a job, but is actually taken into a human trafficking ring. They are usually resulted in sexual labor or forced prostitution in most cases. If you see a victim of human trafficking, call the police and they will take care of it.

There are many ways to help stop women abuse. You could:

1.       Spread awareness of all types of women abuse.

2.     Start a petition and get people to sign it.

3. Donate to organizations that specialize in this, such as the Human Trafficking 

4.     Befriend people that have been abused by others.

Together we can make a difference!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Stop Child Abuse

Stop Child Abuse

          Hello, this is IGL and this post is about child abuse. Child abuse has been a major conflict in the world for many years. It is when a child is abused physically or emotionally under the age of eighteen by an adult. It hurts the child and breaks trust from the child to others, maybe causing social disabilities in the future. Child abuse doesn’t tend to happen in a certain place. It could happen in any place, economy, race, or population. No matter how much you apologize to that victim, it will never be the same. For example, take a piece of paper and crumple it as hard as you can, no matter what. Then apologize to it and smoothen it out thoroughly. Now observe. The paper will never be the same, just like a child.

          Physical abuse is when a guardian/parent abuses the child with contact of their body. This includes hitting, kicking, punching, slapping, whipping, and more. Many parents believe physical abuse as a discipline is the best way to teach a child how to behave. However, if continued on, the child will live in fear instead of understanding the meaning of the “lecture”. Some parents instead physically abuse their child out of anger or some unimportant reason.

          Emotional abuse is somewhat like bullying, but between a parent and a child. Putting down a child is not okay, and certainly will break trust between a parent and the child may dislike the adult. Limited affection and screaming/threatening will hurt a child’s feelings.

          Child neglect is when a guardian/parent takes care of a child but does not meet their needs. Failing to give the child food, shelter, clothing, education, or hygiene is child neglect. If an incapable mother has a baby that she cannot take care of, she should resort to giving it up for adoption (safe haven law). Substance abuse or unstable ability is also counted as child neglect. A safe environment is always needed for a child.

          Child sexual abuse is when a child has come into contact with an adult sexually. Usually, it is a person the child knows, like a parent. Both boys and girls can be victims, but males don’t usually report it because they have a feeling to be brave and fearless. Never think that a child is joking about sexual abuse and call the police.

          There are many signs that a child is being abused. For physical abuse, unusual injuries, intense all the time, uneasy when people lightly touch them, or wearing irregular clothing (like long pants on a hot day). For emotional abuse, low self-esteem, extremely demanding or aggressive, irregular behavior, or a detachment between a child and a parent are signs of emotional abuse. For child neglect, inappropriate clothing for the weather, untreated illnesses, incomplete cleanliness, or constant tardy are usual signs. For child sexual abuse, knowledge of sexual behavior, trouble walking or sitting, doesn’t want to participate in activities, avoiding a specific person, receiving an STD or getting pregnant before the age of 13, and running away from home are constant signs of child sexual abuse.

          Drug and alcohol abuse, witnessing domestic violence, lack of support and parenting skills, and if a parent has an untreated mental illness all are risk factors to child abuse. If you know something about a child being abused call the police.

          There are many ways to stop child abuse. You could:

1. Start a petition and get people to sign it.
2. Spread awareness.
3. If you currently are abusing a child, stop!
4. Donate to organizations that help stop child abuse.

-Stop child abuse!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Stop Sexual Abuse

Stop Sexual Abuse!

       Hello, this is IGL and this post is about sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is the assault against a person unwillingly sexual, like rape. Most of the time, sexual abuse happens to girls. And most of the time, the rapists are familiar to the victim. Rapists also threaten their victim not to tell by causing fear.

          Sexual abuse cases are successful because of fear and embarrassment. The abuser threatens the victim not to tell by causing something to happen when the case is exploited. Embarrassment is when a person feels like when someone knows, they will have doubt in them. For example, if a teenage girl is raped and becomes pregnant, she would fear that her parents would be disappointed in her.

          Audrie Pott was a teenage girl that was sexually abused. She was at a party when she became drunk and fell unconscious. Three of her schoolmates decided to rape her and post inappropriate pictures on the internet. The next day, the pictures go viral and everybody in the school knows about it. A few days later, Audrie hung herself.

          Audrie’s family founded an organization, the Audrie Pott Foundation, after Audrie’s death. The foundation gives free scholarships to art and music, important and valuable aspects to Audrie’s life.

          The American Foundation For Healing is a foundation that helps children and adolescents that has had first hand experiences of sexual abuse. AFFH aids people in believing in themselves and staying physically and mentally healthy. 
          There are so many people in this world suffering. But there are ways for you to help. You could:

1. Spread the word and educate people around.
2. Start a petition to help victims of sexual abuse
3. Donate to organizations such as the Audrie Pott Foundation or the American Foundation for Healing.
4. If you have been sexually abused, remember to stay strong and move on with life. 
5. If you know someone that has been sexually abused, remind them that there are people out there that love them and can help them. 
6. If YOU are the abuser, stop. 

Help stop sexual abuse!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL 

Help the Republic of Congo!

Help the Republic of Congo!

          Hello, this is IGL and this post is about the Republic of Congo. The Republic of Congo is the country next to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Republic of Congo is a bit wealthier than the Democratic, but it is still a poor country.
          The population is about four million people. But unfortunately, because of AIDS, the lifespan has decreased, birth mortality increased, and the death rate is taking over.

          The GDP per capita, or money made for each person, is about $4,700. That may seem a lot, but that’s how much they make every year. It doesn’t’ really supply much.

          About 1.514 million people are victims of forced labor. That is about ¼ of the population. It is also a destination for child slaves for forced labor, human trafficking, and sexual trafficking.

          There are many ways to help. There ways to help that you can do. You can:

1. Spread the word
2. Donate to that country
3. Start a petition
4. Adopt a child

These ways can help the Republic of Congo in so much difference!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Stop fur factories!

Stop Fur Factories!

          Hello, this is IGL and this project is about stopping fur factories. All types of animals are captured for their fur. They spend their life in a small cage then are killed and their fur is used in clothing. And you do NOT want to see a bloody pile of dog and cat carcasses on the dirt. Yes, people kill dogs and cats for their fur. Many times factories say that they use artificial fur, but most of the time, this isn’t true.

          No matter if the animal is endangered or not, they are killed for their hair. It is also been reported that raccoons are skinned ALIVE in factories. I’m afraid I’m going to go against Fey Sommers on this post (we know Ugly Betty is an old show) but fur is murder!

          The horrible thought of skinning so many innocent animals every year is so terribly terrible. There are ways you could help. You could:

1. Shop fur-free
2. Spread the word

Help stop fur factories!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Syrian Civil War

Syrian Civil War

          Hello, this is IGL and this topic is the Syrian Civil War, or the Syrian Uprising. The Syrian Uprising has been going on since 2011. It is the war between the rebels of the Ba’ath party and the people who stay loyal to it.

          Many people have fled the country. Some stayed, but live in devastation. Many people die from bombings and riots. Nearly 70,000 people were killed in the war.

          The children of Syria have been through so much through the civil war. There family and friends were killed. A girl, Turkieh, says that her mother was shot and killed when she came back from the market. A boy states that many friends that he used to play with our now dead and missing body parts.

          Save the Children has built refugees in Syria for children. Sadly, they are running out of food, water, clothing, blankets, and medicine. These children deserve this.

          Even though this war is one of the most sad and devastating, you could help too. You could:

1. Donate supplies to refugees in Syria
2. Spread the word. You could write letters to the newspaper or post reports to the library.

Even though there are usually more options, either one of these are very helpful for Syria. Help Syria!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Stop Animal fighting

Animal Fighting

          Hello, this is IGL and this project is about animal fighting. There are many types of animal fighting, even some most people have never heard of. Sometimes animals are fought to the death and these games are considered “entertaining” to some people.

          Dog fighting: Dog fighting is when two dogs are brought together and trained to fight the opponent. The losing dog is usually left dead, but even the winning dog could die because of its harsh injuries. The owners bet each other to see which dog will win. And people come to watch two dogs tear each other’s limbs off to survive. Dog fighting is illegal in some places, but is still common in most areas like Pakistan, China, South Africa, Japan and Russia.

          Hog-Dog fighting: Hog-Dog fighting is the blood sport of when a hog is held captive by a rope and a pole. Dogs are released to torment the animal and kill it. Even the dogs could be hurt by the tusks of the hog. It is most common in the rural south of the USA. Hog-Dog fighting is still present.

          Cockfighting: Cockfighting is a game when two roosters are held together to fight and peck each to the death, like dogfighting but with roosters. After a game, the owner of the rooster throws it away like trash after the bet. Cockfighting is still present in Cuba, Peru, Southern India, Pakistan, Iraq, and Japan.

          Fox penning: Fox penning is the sport when foxes and coyotes are trapped in a fence with no escape. Dogs trained to kill these animals are released and have to try to kill these animals. Foxes are sold to fox operators. They trap them and haul them in cages. Sometimes, foxes and coyotes die on the trip there. The owners bet on their dogs to kill the foxes.

          Bear Baiting: Bear baiting is the game when a bear is trapped by a pole and a rope. Their teeth are flattened and their claws are cut. Dogs are released to kill the bear. The bear has no self-defense weapons to protect itself. The bear is killed to the death. It is allowed in South Carolina.

          As you can see, there are many more blood sports. But these are just a few examples of animal cruelty. But how could you help stop animal fighting? You could:

1.     Spread the word. Tell everyone the truth about animal fighting. You could also write a letter to the newspaper or put up flyers.

2.    Tell the people in charge. You could write a letter to the state’s government or your country’s political leader.

3.    Help the animals yourself. There are many retired animals from animal fighting. You could adopt one if you like or bring it to the animal shelter.

There are many simple options you could do. Stop animal fighting and help the animals.

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Stop Eating disorders!

Stop Eating Disorders

          Hello, this is IGL and our new project is eating disorders. Eating disorders are when someone abstains from food to make their body thinner. Sometimes people purge and skip meals. Most of the time people with eating disorders are young adults or teenagers.

          Eating disorders could affect a lot of people. Sometimes when someone is bullied, they are called fat and overweight. Because of that, the person purges themselves to look better. Or it could be because someone is just a “queen bee” and keeps their eating disorder as something to look better in their revealing clothing. Or maybe it’s because their friends are all skinny and inspire that person to contain an eating disorder. Either way, it’s not a good thing.

          Another BIG reason why most people have eating disorders is because of the media. Yes, the media. The media nowadays include super skinny models, movie stars, ettica. In other words size 1 ½ dresses and outfits. Still, there are some healthy and normal-weighted people in TV shows and celebrities that go against bulimia, but most people are still super thin. Our member, Kristine, one day was watching TV shows on her computer. Then, when she came across a clip from the Disney Channel TV show “So Random” (the individual show, not the one in Sonny with a Chance) she was super shocked of what she saw. It was the episode when the male model came to his girlfriend’s house. They were talking about how the male model ate only one full meal a week, which is bad. And the model said that his agent told him that if he wanted to get the jobs (being famous) he couldn't eat ANY carbs. This is so outraging! Now they were supporting eating disorders on children’s shows!

          Even if you skip breakfast so you could look like Ali Lohan, that’s still considered an eating disorder. If you have a minor eating disorder, consider visiting a therapist to get over it. But if it is a hardcore, serious eating disorder (like going without food for weeks or purging) go to a treatment facility if you can't overcome it when you try.


          NEDA is an organization that helps young girls going through eating disorders. NEDA is a non profit organization that reaches out to people with their self-esteem issues. To help, you can plan a NEDA walk to raise money and spread awareness to eating disorders. If you don't want to plan a walk, then just donate! NEDA has a program in which you can donate a car so they can auction it off. Besides, they will take care of all expenses for sending the car over.

          No matter what happened in the past, accept who you are. How you look like on the outside doesn't really matter to how you are in the inside. There are ways to discourage eating disorders .You could:

1.     If you have an eating disorder yourself, stop it. Don't let how your image looks like affect you. If it’s a minor case, try seeing a therapist or a doctor. If it’s serious, consider going to a treatment facility

2.    If you know someone who has an eating disorder, tell them to get some help.

3.    Spread the word. Write a letter to the newspaper, tell someone about it, or just encourage people to stop eating disorders.

4.    If you or someone you know with an eating disorder is afraid of getting overweight or obese, skipping meals is not the answer. Food has healthy nutrition that helps you, not goes against you. However, if you don't want to get too overweight, avoid fatty food like hamburgers, French fries, hot dogs, or fried chicken.

5. Support NEDA and maybe donate to the organization. 
    (  http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org  )

So you see, eating disorders affect so many people in the world every day. Help stop eating disorders and make the world a healthier place.

-Idea+Gift=Love

Stop the Puppy Mills!

Stop the Puppy Mills!

          Hello, this is IGL and our next project is puppy mills. Puppy mills are breeding facilities that breed dogs numerously. Many pet stores and pet shops say that they get their puppies from person breeders. Usually, they get their puppies from puppy mills. But what’s so bad about puppy mills?

          EVERYTHING! L Puppy mills are basically prisons for dogs and puppies. They puppies are stuffed with others in small cages without any toys or love. They also drink contaminated water and dirty food. They have bloody feet from jumping and struggling in the cage. They have lesions on their eyes and they don’t have enough space in the cages that they crawl on their food. Puppies also live in their poop and pee. Sometimes a puppy dies and the people in charge don’t discard the body. Therefore, puppies could get contagious diseases easily.

          Once upon a time, there was a little girl that wanted a puppy. With her parents, she went to the pet store and bought a Chihuahua puppy. Two days later, they brought it to the vet and it was determined that the puppy already had a disease when it was sold. It would die in a few days (Courtesy of Animal Planet).

          So, the animal shelter has many healthy animals waiting for adoption. Adopt an animal from the animal shelter if you want a guaranteed and healthy dog/puppy. And also, a trusted breeder would be good too. But how could we stop puppy mills? You could:

1.     Notify it to other people

2.    Convince your local pet store to get healthier puppies

3.    Ask your town’s government

4.    Write a letter to the newspaper

5.    Buy puppies from healthier sources

6.    Ask your local library to make a notice

7.    Post flyers at the vet

Stop puppy mills and help the puppies!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Free the Girls

Free the Girls

          Hello, this is IGL. This is our new project. This project could have some inappropriate and confusing parts for little children. Free the Girls is an organization for helping women and girl in Africa. In Mozambique, Africa, many girls and women are sold for their bodies. Sometimes, children are sold too. The families are starving and need to sell their women or daughters to gain some food or shelter. Most of the time, the family would think they would end safely. But this is false. The African women would become a prostitute or sex slave.

          Free the Girl’s founders heard about the crisis in Mozambique. They decided to start an organization to help those women and girls. They decided to gain charity for these women by having people donate their bras to Africa. These bras would provide the slaves some confidence and safe income. They really need it.

          But unfortunately, they don’t have money for the shipping to Africa. Thankfully, CNN saw the organization and decided to help them out. Now, Free the Girls are launching programs in Mexico, El Salvador, Kenya, Mozambique, and Uganda. You could:

     1.     donate a bra

     2.     donate some money

The slaves in Africa need it!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL