By: Linda Hartoonian Almas, M.S. Ed Recently, I've spent a fair amount of time reflecting on my life, especially my childhood. I've also spent some time writing about these reflections. I can't say exactly what caused me to embark on this mental "roots" journey, but I can say that I identified some remarkable realities, along the way. These realizations helped me understand my vulnerabilities. This, in turn, brought clarity regarding what may have made me so attractive to an individual with psychopathic features. It helped me understand what it was about my past that encouraged me to allow a large portion of my adult life to be swallowed whole by disorder and dysfunction. It matte …
Documentary exposes rape in the military
A new documentary sheds light on the military's biggest cover-up—the rampant sexual assault of both female and male service members. One frightening statistic: Women who've been sexually abused in military service have a higher incidence of PTSD than men who've been in combat. Read Ending military rape: The crusade of "The Invisible War," on Salon.com. Link supplied by a Lovefraud reader. …
Does the sociopath treat the next wife better?
Lovefraud recently received the following email from a reader: I always knew there was something wrong with my ex-husband, and friends and family did as well. There were lies, gambling, cheating, drug use, rehab 3 times, head games. He would drive erratically with our son and I in the car (even when our son was very little). He would speed up if there was a cat or other animal in the road. I would always completely freak out so he never ran one over when I was in the car, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did when I wasn't. (I could tell his counselor in rehab #3 knew there was more to his problems than just drug addiction.) He was clean for a long time and that's when I realized it wasn't t …
Shifting The Blame
Well, I'm delighted to report that my son completed all his exams last week — and is confident that he did well. Recognizing his ability to respond to the challenge, he did everything within his power to make the most of the situation, staying calm and able to think as clearly as possible in a highly pressured situation. So, regardless of what happens next (the results are published in a couple of weeks) the fact remains that he's done his very best, and it's over. Which is why, this week, I decided to expand on the subject of blame and responsibility. There's a huge difference between thinking in those two opposing terms. There's also, of course, a huge difference when people choose to u …
Sandusky and church verdicts put institutions on notice
On Friday, June 22, 2012, the verdicts were announced in two important child molestation trials that had been going on simultaneously in Pennsylvania: Jerry Sandusky, the former assistant football coach of Penn State University, was convicted of 45 of the 48 child molestation charges against him. And, Monsignor William J. Lynn was found guilty of essentially contributing to a cover-up of sexual predators among Catholic priests in the archdiocese of Philadelphia. The priests had been molesting children for years. Lynn was the first high-ranking church official to be prosecuted for failing to protect children. The Philadelphia Inquirer has reported on both of these cases extensively. You …
Sandusky and church verdicts put institutions on noticeRead More
We are valuable, and the psychopath can’t take that value
By Joyce Alexander, RNP (retired) One of my cousins, a lovely lady in her early 80s, who still has every marble she ever had and a heart as big as a wash tub, sent me the following story in an e mail. I had heard the story years ago, but hadn't read it in a long time, but today when I read it, I thought about how the psychopathic experience makes this a very valuable analogy. A well-known speaker started off his seminar holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He ”¦ proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, "Who still wants i …
We are valuable, and the psychopath can’t take that valueRead More
LETTERS TO LOVEFRAUD: Can you help a woman who is trying to hold on?
Editor's note: I received this email a few days ago from a Lovefraud reader, whom we'll call "Larissa." At first I declined to publish it, because Larissa is raw with pain, to the point of seriously considering suicide, and I was afraid that it would trigger other readers. She said she was going to a hospital for help, if she could find someone to watch her dogs. Well, she found a dog-sitter. She went to the hospital. The hospital sent her home, telling her to see a psychiatrist. This woman is in need of support. She needs to be heard. She needs to be understood. Therefore, I am publishing her letter. If you are raw with pain yourself, it is probably best that you don't read it. But if …
LETTERS TO LOVEFRAUD: Can you help a woman who is trying to hold on?Read More
Finding the pieces of my soul
Editor's note: The following article was written by the Lovefraud reader who posts as "Adelade." She previously wrote, "Lessons from Jurassic Park: Sociopaths simply are." When I first realized that my marriage was over, I was literally overwhelmed with the ensuing emotions that followed my initial discovery. After the exspath left and I had an opportunity to do some in-depth financial research, the emotions centered around fear and despair. Fear with regard to my immediate and foreseeable future, and despair with regard to the gravity of the obvious marriage-for-money-only. I've been grappling with fear and despair for a good while, now. Sometimes, I have fits of one (or, both) that …
Reclaiming Our Power – One Decision At A Time
Thank you for your continuing comments after my posts. I feel deeply honoured to be here, and I am so glad that my stories seem to help in some way - it makes all the bad experiences worthwhile! As each new week arrives, and the time comes to writing an article, I look back and search for something that has hit home in some way shape or form. Something that has made a difference to me and that, therefore, I hope will be of value to my friends here on Lovefraud. This week there have been a couple of things — a photograph that a friend sent to me was one of them. It was one of those quotes that tends to do the rounds on social media sites. One with a photograph and a motivational or p …
Andrew Funches AKA Ty Fortner scams 18 women, yet no one will prosecute
He pleaded that he needed cash—fast—because "Fat Tony" from the Chicago mob was after him to repay a gambling debt. Four different women fell for that story, and others believed they were investing in his insurance business. They all lost their money—possibly $250,000 all together. Meet Andrew Funches, AKA Ty Fortner, AKA Drew Fortner, AKA Logan Zander—the newest case study on Lovefraud.com. Read: With multiple aliases but the same scam, Andrew Funches swindles more than 10 women Victims started seeking each other out via the Internet, and eventually found as many as 18 women who'd been swindled by the same con artist. Ten women are named in official records—lawsuits and Funches' ban …
Andrew Funches AKA Ty Fortner scams 18 women, yet no one will prosecuteRead More