As the Senior Advocacy Supervisor and a former child welfare caseworker, I know firsthand how important it is to stay up to date on the latest research and newest best practices in the child advocacy world. In January, I had the opportunity to attend The Annual San Diego International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment, along with a handful of my colleagues. The weeklong conference is filled from morning to night with workshops, plenary presentations and training in every subject matter related to child abuse, neglect and maltreatment. Sasha Joseph Neulinger was one of the keynote speakers who really stood out to me. He introduced himself as a filmmaker and survivor of sexual abuse. He spoke about his autobiographical documentary, Rewind, which he directed and produced. In the documentary, Mr. Neulinger confronts his trauma and shares his childhood through a series of home videos.
After his speech, I watched the film. The film is about the sexual abuse he and his sister suffered and generational trauma. I found it interesting and difficult to watch as it is very personal and emotional. The material is difficult, but I found myself even more frustrated by the non-offending “adults”— his mother, father, and extended family members. Mr. Nuelinger speaks with his parents about the abuse, as well as his psychiatrist and law enforcement, to piece together his traumatic childhood. The film also shows the bureaucracy of the criminal justice system and how survivors can be often be re-traumatized in the pursuit of justice. I don’t want to share too many details, as I believe almost anyone can learn from watching this film first hand, even if you don’t work in child welfare.
Mr. Nuelinger needs to be commended for creating and sharing this documentary and for how he proceeded to move forward with this life. He truly is inspirational! The film is currently available to watch on Prime and Hulu. If you’re a CASA Volunteer needing in-service credits for this year, this is something you could watch that would count towards that. Keep in mind when you turn it on, it might not be appropriate for everyone, particularly children, to watch, and the ratings note such.