Is it the followingmath of the Corona years or is it just the fact that a sporting event format has become obsolete? The Linz Triathlon, which has been a fixture in the sporting calendar for 20 years, will not take place this year on June 10th at Lake Pleschingersee. The TriRun Linz team as organizers sees the time for a fundamental new beginning.
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March 22, 2023
On the followingnoon of today, March 21, Cristina Kirchner participated in the III World Human Rights Forum at the Kirchner Cultural Center (CCK). From there he charged once morest the Justice and reiterated that she is proscribed to appear at the presidential election October. However, the candidate for the PRO, Patricia Bullrichrejected this position and invited her to compete.
The vice president made a thread on Twitter, where she stated that “they do not persecute us because we are populists, or from the left, from the right, or from below or from above. They persecute us because we equalize societies, for social justice, for the right of workers to actively participate in the gross product of what they produce.
As a result of this, Patricia Bullrich quoted the former president’s tweet and lashed out: “Enough of the story, Cristina,” she titled. «Justice persecutes her because they took her all, because the money she stole generated the greatest poverty in our history. Submit yourself to Justice like any other citizen and stand for the elections if you want to know the opinion of the Argentines. I’m waiting for you!”, replied the former Security Minister of Mauricio Macri.
Patricia Bullrich once more
Previously, the PRO leader had a similar clash with the leader of the Frente de Todos, whom she challenged in the October presidential elections. On that occasion, in dialogue with A24, she affirmed that she “is not afraid” of going to a battle once morest Cristina Kirchner and challenged her to present herself because she does not consider that she is banned despite the fact that in Kirchnerism deny it.
«I don’t give him up for dead, but Cristina is afraid to present herself. I think I win for her. What would she tell him? That she separates from her, that she has done very bad to Argentina, that she did not deserve to have this division. I win because she is in tune with what the people want: order, determination, economic change, progress and encouragement of power groups,” she asserted.
ENOUGH OF THE STORY, CRISTINA
Justice persecutes her because they took it all, because the money she stole generated the greatest poverty in our history.
Submit yourself to Justice like any other citizen and stand for the elections if you want to know the opinion of the Argentines.
¡Yo… https://t.co/0rw68iNSqh— Patricia Bullrich (@PatoBullrich) March 22, 2023
A study on youth support: Misunderstood Protective Mothers
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
Parents seeking help from the Youth Support Service following realizing their child is a victim of violence or incest on the part of the father can face backlash, as shown in the cases of Delphine and Julie. Delphine was under her violent spouse’s influence for years, and even following they separated, she wanted her daughter to see her father. However, disturbing remarks and marks on her daughter’s body led to complaints with the police, which were not followed up. Julie went through a similar situation with her son, with both mothers being accused of suffering from Münchhausen syndrome by proxy when seeking help. This controversial and scientifically unrecognized concept is associated with parental alienation syndrome and can be used to discredit mothers who denounce violence on the part of the father. The lack of means of investigation and evidence of maternal toxicity further exacerbate these situations. As a result, protective mothers can be dismissed from their children’s lives, ultimately putting them at risk.
They realize that their child is a victim of violence, even incest, on the part of the father. They are worried and ask for help from the Youth Support Service. And suddenly, everything turns once morest them.
Münchhausen syndrome by proxy
Delphine lived for several years under the influence of a violent spouse. Physical, verbal and psychological violence was part of his daily life. The birth of his daughter did not help matters. Delphine lived everything in silence. Out of shame. So as not to further complicate the situation. When she and her spouse finally separate, little Lucie is 3 years old. Delphine still wants her to see her father. She tells herself that it is not because he was violent with her that he will be with his daughter.
The little one spends every other weekend with her dad. When she returns, she makes disturbing remarks. She speaks of beatings and strangulations, she mimics gestures. Marks on his body, especially on the neck, corroborate his words. Delphine is worried. She went several times to her attending physician and then to the emergency room, who found suspicious lesions. In addition, the father would not follow the medical treatments prescribed for the little girl who suffers from respiratory and digestive problems. She filed several complaints with the police once morest her ex-husband. They will not be followed up.
Delphine seeks help and an association directs her to the Youth Assistance Service (SAJ) of Liège. She goes there with a certificate from the attending physician. But, gradually, this request for support will turn once morest her. Despite the elements she brings – certificates from several doctors, numerous written testimonies, photos – the workers do not believe her. They tell her that she is seeking revenge on her ex-husband. A child psychiatrist declared her to be suffering from Münchhausen syndrome by proxy. She is the one who would induce diseases to her daughter to draw attention to herself. It is therefore she who would be dangerous. Lucie is therefore entrusted to the sole custody of her father.
A counter-expertise sweeps away this diagnosis. But nothing helps. The more Delphine defends herself, the more she is kept away from her daughter. Six years following his removal, the visits supervised by a psychologist – which took place one hour a month – were abruptly interrupted by the Youth Protection Service.
At least a hundred similar cases in Belgium
Julie went through a similar situation with her son Arthur. She too was under the influence of her ex-companion and father of her son. When they separate, Arthur is 3 years old. She wants the little one to continue to see his father. But when he returned from weekends with him, the little one complained of stomach aches. He spends hours on his potty and Julie observes strange stools. She went to her doctor several times, then to the emergency room, which referred her to a gastropediatrician. She informs him that her son has been sexually abused. Julie falls from the clouds. “You know it exists but it concerns your child is inconceivable“, explains Julie.
The doctor directs him to the SAJ and at first the father is ruled out. He can only see his son framed. But when Julie learns that he was able to go out one followingnoon with his son, she loses her temper. “From there, I was typecast. And it all turned once morest me“. She would force her son to say that he is abused by his father. Because the child talks, he talks regarding physical and psychological violence, sexual assault too, with the help of objects. He talks regarding it to psychologists and a report from the Center for the Prevention of Sexual Violence (CPVS) found anal lesions.
Julie is also accused of suffering from Münchhausen syndrome by proxy. It’s all down to parental conflict. He is forced into mediation with his ex-spouse. “It was absurd, that was really not the point, I was long over this relationship, all I wanted was to protect my son“, explains Julie.
Several experts and associations have analyzed cases like those of Delphine and Julie. Vie Féminine, Femmes de droit or Innocences en danger – Belgium have identified around a hundred similar situations. “This census took place in 2020explains Miriam Ben Jattou, jurist and founder of the association Femmes de droit. We have collected other testimonies since. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg !”.
In both cases, it is a question of discrediting mothers who denounce violence on the part of the father on their child.
How are such situations possible? Several experts associate the concept de Munchausen Parental Alienation Syndrome, a controversial and scientifically unrecognized concept. “In both cases, it is a question of discrediting mothers who denounce violence on the part of the father on their child“, emphasizes Marie Denis, clinical psychologist. “I have also read in reports terms like “hysterical” or “paranoid” which aim to pathologize the discourse of mothers. Of course, manipulations can exist in cases of separation, but we must first analyze whether there is violence or not.“
We did not receive authorization to question the staff of the SPJ in Liège with whom Julie and Delphine had to deal. Only Valérie Devis, General Administrator of Youth Aid, agreed to speak. “I have heard of this controversial topic. But I want to say that, in my opinion, parental alienation is not a reason for taking care“. In the files that we consulted – where intra-family violence is very present – this concept was however well used, explicitly or implicitly, in expert opinions, in reports written by the SPJ or in judgments of the Court of family or youth.
Hide this incest that I cannot see
For Myriam Ben Jattou, the denial of incest would also play a role in the demonization of protective mothers. “The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 20% of women and 5-10% of men have been victims. And besides that, the speakers have the impression that if all the accusations had to be believed, there would only be that. Well… Yes actually. There shouldn’t be a week without hearing regarding it. But it’s so uncomfortable that we prefer not to believe it.“
Before taking up the post of General Delegate for the Rights of the Child, in February 2023, Soulayman Laqdim had a long experience in justice and in youth assistance. According to him, the lack of means of investigation also comes into play in the management of these files. “I saw many magistrates very affected, torn between their intimate conviction that a person was guilty, and the impossibility of gathering tangible proof. At the Liège public prosecutor’s office, the frame has been reduced by a third in recent years. This is reflected at the level of the police zones: longer and less efficient investigations“.
A bundle of clues allowing one to question the integrity of the father is not always enough to penalize the aggressor. “But there is even less evidence of maternal toxicityadds Verlaine Urbain, of Innocence in danger – Belgium. Parental alienation or Münchhausen syndrome by proxy are labels that are often attached to them without a medical report. But that is enough to dismiss the mother of the child. In any case, this is what we observe in our files.“
The stories of Delphine and Julie are a stark reminder of the reality of domestic violence and the dire consequences that result from a lack of proper support for victims. These mothers sought help for their children, only to be discredited and accused of causing harm themselves. The concept of Münchhausen syndrome by proxy and Parental Alienation Syndrome has been used to pathologize the discourse of mothers and discredit their claims of violence once morest their children. In situations where intra-family violence is prevalent, these concepts are often used explicitly or implicitly in expert opinions and court judgments, despite not being scientifically recognized. The lack of proper investigation and resources for law enforcement also plays a critical role in these cases, preventing the proper punishment of the aggressors and causing further harm to the victims. The demonization of protective mothers and the denial of incest must stop if we hope to create a safer future for children and families.
Lp(a) has a similar effect to the “bad” LDL cholesterol. While an excessively high LDL cholesterol level can be reduced at least within certain limits through a healthier diet and more exercise and can otherwise also be treated with medication, the situation with Lp(a) is different. The genes largely determine how much Lp(a) is in the blood and there are currently no drugs on the market that can reduce this genetic risk factor.
First drugs are tested
However, the head of the Institute for Genetic Epidemiology at the Medical University of Innsbruck, Florian Kronenberg, sees a silver lining when it comes to drug treatment. There are currently studies worldwide with drugs that can reduce the Lp(a) concentration by 80 to 90 percent. It is expected that this massive reduction will also reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. The first studies should be completed in 2025, says Kronenberg.
Lp(a)-Spiegel
The Lp(a) level is not considered elevated if it is below 75 nmol/L or below 30 mg/dl.
If the drugs really do reduce heart attack and stroke rates, then these drugs would first be used in patients who have already had a heart attack or stroke. Only further studies would then show whether these drugs are of any benefit at all in people who have had a stroke or heart attack.
There is no need to panic when the Lp(a) level is high
The most important thing for Kronenberg is not to panic if an increased Lp(a) value is detected. If there are no other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol levels or diabetes, then an elevated Lp(a) value is easier to bear than if there are many risk factors, says the expert.
A single measurement is sufficient
One should never look at an elevated Lp(a) value in isolation, but relate it to the other risk factors and then develop a plan on how to proceed. That might be a change in lifestyle, but often also a drug treatment of the other risk factors, says Kronenberg. The Lp(a) value can be examined as part of a blood test. According to Kronenberg, a one-off measurement is sufficient because the value is genetically determined and is therefore only subject to minor fluctuations.
Tyrol at the center of Lp(a) research
As far as research on Lp(a) is concerned, Innsbruck has held a leading position for decades. In the 1990s, the former head of the Human Genetics Section, Gerd Utermann, and his team published the most fundamental work on Lp(a) genetics. This is what made it possible to prove Lp(a) as a causal risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, says Kronenberg from the Tyrolean research.
Lp(a) has been examined in large population studies over the past few decades and there is very precise data on the frequency of an Lp(a) increase and on the connection with heart attacks, “we are still very active there,” says Kronenberg.