Peter Senese's Chasing The Cyclone and The I CARE Foundation

                                                           

Peter Senese's Novel 'Chasing The Cyclone' Leads To Creation Of Global 'I CARE Foundation' Non-Profit Organization

When I first decided to write 'Chasing The Cyclone' after the ordeal of racing into the storms of international parental child abduction, I thougth that perhaps one day there may exist an opportunity to share the messages contained in 'Chasing The Cyclone' in a way that would have a much deeper impact than the prose of a deeply inspired novel created to educate others about child abduction.

That dream and hope has been fulfilled in many ways by the creation and impact of the I CARE Foundation. And though the foundation has had many successes, it is in our achievements that we are reminded that there is so much work to be done in order to protect children from abduction.

Failure really is not an option. 

                        The I CARE Foundation

The not-for-profit        I CARE Foundation has gradually become a visible stakeholder in the world of international parental child abduction prevention and reunification with a large and growing list of impressive accomplishments.  The Foundation's Board of Directors and Advisory Board are made up of some of the most dedicated volunteer child advocates imaginable. They give of their full resources at levels that are unheard of. Remarkably, the efforts of the I CARE Foundation's Board have not been in vain: there are many children from all around the world who today are either back home after previously being internationally parentally kidnapped, or, they remained at home because the plan to internationally abduct them was prevented, in great part due to the action of the I CARE Foundation.

The accomplishments of the I CARE Foundation include assisting in numerous LEGAL international child abduction recoveries and reunification, heavily participated in exponentially more successful acts to prevent abduction from occurring, our ongoing groundbreaking research in the area of international child abduction and trafficking has provided new, accurate, and insightful information as to the severity of the global epidemic society as a whole has before it, our comprehensive and expansive reporting of our research findings has led other stakeholders to protect numerous children from abduction while allowing us to significantly advance our legislative initiatives, some of which have either already become law or agency policy, while legislative initiatives are moving forward in a manner we could hope for.  Additionally, we continue to build a national network of pro bono lawyers who participate in the U.S. Department of State's 'Hague Convention Attorney Network', while nearing completion for the first-ever international child abduction case law data base.  

                                                                          Legislative Initiatives:

Today, there is a significant chance to help children targeted for abduction.

1. Modify the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative so all individuals traveling abroad must present a valid passport regardless age and type of travel.


2. Create a secure screening list for individuals determined by courts or law enforcement as high-risk child abductors who posses a right to U.S. citizenship similar to the existing Prevent Departure Program that only applies to individuals who do not posses a right of American citizenship.

So if your really interested in assisting, on behalf of the I CARE Foundation, we would welcome your assistance. All you need to do is send an email to mediarelations@stopchildabduction.org.

Peter Thomas Senese and Carolyn Vlk add ‘Prevent Departure Program’ Segment to ‘Chasing Parent’ Documentary.

Child abduction prevention advocates Carolyn Vlk and Peter Thomas Senese are pleased to announce the addition of the ‘Prevent Departure Program’ to the ‘CHASING PARENT: Racing Into The Storms Of International Parental Child Abduction’ documentary film series produced by Pacifica TWST. According to the two advocates, the little-known ‘Prevent Departure Program’ may be one of America’s most useful and powerful tools capable of preventing international parental child abduction.
In a joint statement, Ms. Carolyn Vlk and Mr. Peter Senese said “ The ‘Prevent Departure Program’ may be one of the most important tools available for targeted parents at risk of having their child internationally abducted. It is critical that targeted parents and individuals at the forefront of this great battle understand its existence and potential implementation. It is our hope and anticipation that by creating this important segment in the ‘Chasing Parent’ documentary series, we have made accessible critical information parents and lawyers need in order to protect our nation’s children.”

Carolyn Ann Vlk, who drafted Florida’s ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ law, and Peter Thomas Senese, the author of ‘Chasing The Cyclone’ and the creator of the ‘CHASING PARENT’ educational documentary on international child abduction are committed to raising society’s awareness and understanding on the growing epidemic of international parental child abduction while also calling for new abduction prevention laws and having existing child abduction prevention laws fully implemented and utilized.

With over 1, 600 reported cases of U.S. child-citizens criminally abducted from America in 2009 alone (the year of the last reported data), it is clear that creating and enforcing child abduction prevention programs and laws are critical to protecting our nation’s defenseless children. Since 2006, the number of reported international child abductions has doubled. The vast majority of these children are never returned, as is best demonstrated that there are over 230 American children illegally detained in Japan due to their abduction. Japan has never returned a U.S. child-citizen abducted to their country.

The actual complete picture on international parental child abduction is much more grim.

As Carolyn Vlk and Peter Thomas Senese have pointed out in previous published reports, the number of actual international child abductions originating from the United States is substantially larger than what is reported due to a failure to weigh the large number of unreported international parental child abduction cases. This is discussed in the recently published report titled ‘Crisis in America: International Parental Child Abduction (2010 Updated).

The Prevent Departure Program may be used by the Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues (OCI) in conjunction with the DHS in preventing the departure from the country of non-U.S. citizens considered to be either in the process or at high risk of abducting an American child-citizen.

The Prevent Departure Program documentary segment was directed by child advocate J.J. Rogers (D.G.A), and produced by Peter Senese and Carolyn Vlk. The film segment was narrated by Peter Thomas Senese.

To view the film segment of the Prevent Departure Program or to learn more about International Parental Child Abduction, please visit the official website of Chasing The Cyclone (www.chasingthecyclone.com).

At risk parents of child abduction or their lawyers should contact the Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues Abduction Prevention Unit in Washington, D.C.

For more information on Peter Thomas Senese, please visit www.peterthomassenese.com.