Angela Shelton is a model, actress, comedian, writer and filmmaker who set off across the country to make a documentary about other women named Angela Shelton during the recent writer's strike. It was supposed to be funny. Instead she ended up documenting the lives of 40 women, 60 percent of whom had been raped, beaten or molested, and found herself on a path to self-discovery in her film "Searching for Angela Shelton," available in its entirety at SnagFilms.Angela and her crew of five climbed into an RV and took off in search of other women with her name as a way of examining women in America. According to Angela, "My survey said that women have been screwed over, raped, beaten, stolen from, starved, frozen in fear, kept silent and weak, but we are stronger than any force imaginable. And we have not only survived, we are prevailing and you haven't seen anything yet. "
While on her journey, Angela found that the Angela Shelton in Charlotte, N.C., where her father lives, tracks sexual predators. Angela's own father molested her as a child, and it becomes clear to her that this journey isn't just about other Angela Sheltons -- it's about her as well, and she ends up on her dad's doorstep on Father's Day, to have a talk about the abuse he subjected her to as a child.
Since making the film, Angela and her movie have been featured on "48 Hours Investigates" and "Oprah," and the movie has been shown on Lifetime. She now travels the country speaking about sexual abuse and has started a foundation to help survivors. She was awarded a certificate of appreciation by the United States Department of Justice for her work with crime victims, and she is releasing a workbook for schools and support groups to use in conjunction with her movie to help survivors deal with trauma.
Not bad for a lady we get to watch drain a septic tank.
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Tuesday 27 October
By Charley Ponton
It is very interesting in todays society to paint the WHITE MALE as the most hated life form on earth. AS a white male, just try to get a date or a job in this society of the United States and you will find discrimation in a big way. The women look at the white male just as the PIGGY BANK to be looted. That is how the women in this country look at the white male.
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Tuesday 27 October
By Brenda Bradley
Charley - The white males have earned their reputations fair and square! You may have not abused a woman but I'll bet serious money you have been in the presence of plenty of men who have told "dumb blond jokes", made disparaging remarks about a woman or women in general and you have most likely laughed with them or simply remained silent. You most likely have not had the courage to speak out to them in he presence of other men to say those jokes/remarks are inappropriate and that you are disgusted by their woman hating behavior. In short, you reap what you sow! Too bad for you!!!!!
Tuesday 27 October
By tjwillu
I think you are right. Just hope for that someone special that you can call your own! Most races are reporting the same types of things. Black women feel that black men want any woman but them now. It's status now and money now. Asian men are asking why their women are marrying only white men. It use to be trade, now it's money period. Also, people want to mix now and break away from the stigmas that come along with being a part of their racial group. Just hope for your personal self and let God choose the color!!!
Tuesday 27 October
By Tamara Simpson
Oh my god, grow up. How did we start out talking about sexual abuse and end up talking about the poor white male? That's like talking about our horrid history of slavery and then changing the subject to white men.
Tuesday 27 October
By Carolyn
Charley, you have no sympathy here and your misogynistic comments are wrong and disgusting.
This was an incredible movie. I don't even know how to describe it. Sad, yes. Inspiring, yes... I just want to hug Angela Shelton so bad and tell her what a beautiful, wonderful person she is.
Thursday 05 November
By Adrienne
If you think so, ask any Muslim guy in America how he gets treated...White men are getting negative attention now, but this is pretty recent... Remember, it wasn't more than 50 years ago that is was completely ok to insist on a black person not using the same bathroom as you...about 100 years ago it was ok to beat your wife as long as the branch wasn't bigger than your thumb (hense the saying "rule of thumb") and back around when Jackson was president, you could actually get paid to kill off my ancestors as long as you had an ear, nose or scalp as proof...oh, and you'd get to keep the land too as a bonus.
So please, before you get too upset and how you're being treated, think a little bit about what all these other groups of people have had to endure for centuries and ask yourself how bad you really have it.
Tuesday 27 October
By Mom2Many
The amount of sexual abuse is beyond anything I could have ever imagined and our society's response to it is even worse. As for the white male comment...well many men are abused as well there is basically no support for them either. I don't think race is an issue...sexual abuse affects all races and both sexes but as a society we brush it under the rug and make excuses for the perps. In the USA you go to prison for selling drugs and commit rape against a child and get told not to do it again.
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Tuesday 27 October
By tjwillu
Oh yeah! This is an excellent project. I had thought to find all the women with my same name but I had no money. Helping others is what we were born to do. Good cause. Now that's reality!!!! Why do some men abuse their daughters? What in the world is that about? Please stop getting off on your own children men!!!!!!
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Tuesday 27 October
By computer
I was molested by my father from the age of 5 until 15. That is, he attempted to rape me quite a few times. When I confronted him about it when I was 30, he denied it. Yup, it is more prevalent than we think, and I imagine it has been happening for centuries. But we are in a culture that finally has the ability to not sweep it under the carpet and we have the means to correct this immoral behavior...among others. No women are not perfect, and we may never know why a man deviates sexually (the only reason we can come up with is that he believes he is entitled to) but its high time we protect our children!!!!!!!!
Tuesday 27 October
By MeMe
After many years in a male-dominated industry, I can say that there are definetly tons of abuses suffered by women from the good-old boys who want to work with their friends instead of a woman who is more than qualified. So..Charley P, you're really way out of whack there. Although I understand your comment about the white male being the most hated--I, as a white female feel the same way. My belief is that as a woman, I have learned to overcome that reality and even sometimes ignore it and persevere towards my goals--rather than take on a defeatest attitude. Men, however, have been raised to believe they are better than women and should be more dominant. So--when men get rejected, they can't handle it because they're not used to being passed over again and again. Women just smile and carry on because that's the way we've been raised. As for the PIGGY BANK comment--who are you hanging out with little girls or women? No one I know looks to a man as a PIGGY BANK. If a man pays for something, it's because they want to. If you resent paying for a woman's meal, date etc., then don't do it. If the woman wants to be with you, she won't mind. If she does--then maybe she's not the right woman.
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Tuesday 27 October
By Debra Anne
Dear Charlie, Maybe you just whine too much. Signed, An American Woman
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Tuesday 27 October
By Denise
I really cannot understand how an inspiring movie about empowering women to overcome extreme adversity and heal, to carry on in life as simply as just being happy with whomever they may be, and not see themselves only as a woman chiseled into reality through child abuse, can be exploited into a man's interpretation of cultural prejudice towards him? Is he naturally daft or did he miss the point that this is not about racism or bigotry towards men? Did he finish the movie? Did he not witness the anguish? Is it his own guilt that spurs him on into a defensive stance? White men, they ruled the world for eons and now you whine with bitterness. You can't find a job? You aren't looking hard enough. Women just want money? Then greed is a projection of your own reality for you surround yourself with like-minded people. To be able to survive in this country a woman must find her own way. But we, as women, have rivalry against one another to sap our energies, lessen our strengths, and reduce our power. We should unite, as one Angela suggested. Women have been ruled by men for centuries, so buck up and stop sounding like something is due you and go out and earn what you have! As for the film, I thought it was beautiful. Angela Shelton is a wonderful person who has reached out to others in her own search for validation, thereby bringing peace to herself and to the ones she touched. Even her white male brother.
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Tuesday 27 October
By glo w
I was married to a Los Angeles city fire capt. I caught him molesting his 8 year old daughter. Her underwear off, her nioght gown over her head. I said what are you doing? He said kissing her goodnight. He had been raping his 3 kids, and his 3 step children as long as they could remember. I refused to reunite. he ended up with sole custody, as I stole all their love. The judge said he had to learn to be a father. He was rehabilated. My 3 younger children never saw me for 10 -13 years. They do not know anything about me. He got everything I had, and never suffered a single day. Our laws must be changed, no more reunification!!!! I lost all I had...... He was pampered and coddled!
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Tuesday 03 November
By Brian
Welcome to the world Men have lived for decades. I can point to at least 10 men I know who have lost their kids and all their money to a woman who realized that if she left she would be paid to raise his kids and not have to answer for one dime of the money. It is NOT right, fair, or good for the kids. Kids need a Mom AND a Dad, and both should earn a living and contribute EQUALLY in dollars to the upbringing of them.
Sunday 01 November
By Alicia
This is NOT about you; it is NOT about what you lost - This is aobut what your childern have lost; it is about what women have lost and thier strength to over come.
Why is it men seem to think that abuse is about them?
It is not; men abuse women and the men think hey this about me - it in short is abuse all over again.
I sure hope you didn't act like this when you were re-untied with your daughters if you did; you just raped them all over again.
Stop being selfish; think of the women in your life first; before you think and complain about what you missed out on.
Those duaghters of yours missed out on a childhood that should have been filled of innocence, love and support.
Tuesday 27 October
By Greg
Perhaps white males are the highest percentage of abusers, but I have to say it's a real drag being treated like a potential abuser when it's never entered your mind! And I'm supposed to toughen up, not whine, etc.
I think I'd kill anyone who would abuse my wonderful little 6-year old daughter, and I agree with those here who say these idiots need zero and I mean ZERO chance to recover, reform, etc.. It's a bad enough deal they need to DIE if guilty, for that's the only way to REALLY reduce this crime.
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Tuesday 27 October
By Ken
Just finished the movie. I want to say, as a real man, this was needed more than many people realize. A real man doesnt worry about how people treat him, he worries about he treats other people. Thats when good people enter your life. If and when bad people enter you know it. Good people are strong enough to say/do something. This movie hits very close to home, not in the fact that I was abused, but that I know far too many wonderful people who were and all of their stories were told here. Dont stand on the sidelines. Thanks Angela, and all the other Angela's, for giving the possibility of a new future to those who dont think they deserve it, when we all know they do.
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Tuesday 27 October
By Ken
Just finished the movie. I want to say, as a real man, this movie is
needed more than many people realize. A real man doesnt worry about
how people treat him, he worries about how he treats other people. Thats
when good people enter your life. If and when bad people enter you
know it. Good people are strong enough to say/do something. I know how white men can be treated in this society because I am one and have been eyed suspiciously, thats not going to change who I am or what I'm capable of. This movie hits very close to home, not in the fact that I was abused, but
that I know far too many wonderful people who were, and all of their
stories were told here. I hope I do right by them.
Dont stand on the sidelines.
Thanks Angela,
and all the other Angela's, for giving the possibility of a new
future to those who dont think they deserve it, when we all know they
do.
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Tuesday 27 October
By E. Giordano
One issue that BADLY needs national addressing is the assault cover-ups in the military. It is out of control!
I was in the navy for a short 9 months...before those dogs did me dirty. Everyday I was treated like I was walking down Hooker Ln. Whistling, name calling, hazing, staring, groping, propositions, you name it -- in public! Not all the time, but any amount is unacceptable. Many of the men there were so disrespectful it was disgusting. I felt very threatened by them. I hated it -- but I put up with it. Big mistake.
One of those not so lucky nights one of them got me into an empty space on the ship and raped me. I couldn't believe this horrific thing had just happened to me. It played over and over in my head til I started to tell myself it wasn't true. It was just a dream. But I would almost vomit every time I saw that man -- or any man disrespecting me. Two weeks went by and I could deny it no longer -- and many people could tell something very serious had happened. I could hardly function. I finally decided to tell the truth. It was literally killing me.
I went to my chain of command. Huge mistake # 2. As soon as they found out who it was, they totally turned it around on me. The denial came in every form: said it was my fault for walking into the room, that I was a liar, that he just "roughed me up", that I was being dramatic. Somehow it got pinned on me -- that I was "confessing" -- so I was swiftly punished and kicked out so fast I didn't even know what hit me. TOTALLY SWEPT UNDER THE RUG. THIS GUY GOT A SLAP ON THE WRIST -- I WAS PUNISHED, PUBLICLY HUMILIATED, TREATED LIKE A CRIMINAL, AND KICKED OUT.
It is now 4 years later, and I'm still picking up the shattered pieces of my life. The injustices nearly crippled my will to survive. Only Jesus and the desire to help others through this has been the source of hope that kept me alive.
This issue needs to be addressed, and it needs to be addressed NOW. This total re-victimization must STOP!
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Thursday 05 November
By Adrienne
I can't say I know what it is like to be in the military, but I'm married to someone who is and it's incredible the stories I have heard and even things that have been said to me by some of his "co-workers". I'm very sorry that you were punished and I hope that when going through the military route didn't work you went through a public one...I don't know how it works if you're on a ship, but I know on a base you can at least report their asses to the state police. One day I hope that jerk gets what he deserves...and I hope it involves something violating so he gets some idea of the gravity of his actions.
I think I would have hurt him, maybe even killed him...you must be a very strong lady...