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STIGMA, INC: TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF WEBSITE USAGE

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Agreement - Please read to access our rape support group

The rape support group is designed to discuss feelings, issues, and
general topics related to rape and incest. Specifically, this group is for anyone who has experienced the trauma of rape or incest.

For general interest, please visit our general information and support group.

If you have conceived a child by rape, or are currently raising a child conceived by rape/incest, you may wish to join our main member's support group.

There are just a few general rules for visiting this site.

1. Some topics might be considered controversial by some, and require that one posts with a warning in the message header stating *MENTIONS (topic)*. Such topics include, but may not be limited to:

Religion or specific religious deities
Abortion
Pornography
Specific forms of sexual activity, for instance, mentioning specific sexual practices

Failure to put a *Mentions* warning when posting about these topics may result in removal from the group.

2. When responding to a post, PLEASE remove as much of the previous post or posts from your message as you can. It clogs up the digest and makes it confusing to read. You may quote the preceeding message you are responding to, but please do not include any previous message prior to the post you are responding to in your message. Failure to follow this rule may result in Yahoo! tagging your mail as SPAM. The administration is not responsibe for any messages not being delivered to the email discussion group because they were marked by Yahoo as SPAM. Failure to shorten posts as appropriate may result in removal of posting ability from the website/email group.

3. Self-expression is encouraged here, but personal attacks of any kind, public or private, will not be tolerated. Stigma's chat room, message boards and email groups are intended to be safe places for members to post. You are welcome to disagree with a member, but calling them names or flaming their character is not allowed. If you have a personal issue to discuss with a member, please take it off the boards and discuss it via PM (private message). Administrative action may be enforced if this basic rule is violated, including, but not limited to, warning the member or removal of posting ability from the website/email group.

4.Punitive action involving legal enforcement may take place if a specific individual repeatedly uses false representation to gain access.

5. Members conceived in rape/incest, and the mothers and adoptive parents of such individuals, are allowed to post in a specified member's group. People with general interest in the issues involved with rape and incest conception have another area aside for this purpose. The latter is also a joint area where cross-posting may take place. PLEASE be respectful of one another. Be aware of where and what you are posting.

6. Confidentiality is expected. Members are prohibited from revealing content of posts in the member's area with non-members of this site in any form. Discussion of a particular post may be discussed in conversation, although the name of the poster may not be given (with the obvious exception of the poster being the person discussing his/her own post, and in that case, identities of those who respond to the post are not to be revealed).

7. Contact initiated between members is at one's own risk. Under no circumstance should the information regarding a user's name, telephone number, email address, or mailing address be revealed to a non-member of this site without expressed permission from the member in question. Identifying details regarding members may be shared with one another to the extent that the posters make it available on the site.

8.Only members who have been approved for membership may enter the members area, including the discussion area. Generally, this means that you were conceived in rape; conceived in incest (or thought to be one of the above); the parent of a rape or incest conceived child (adoptive parent or biological mother).

You must also be over 13 years of age to post. The guidelines of COPPA are strictly enforced.

9. If an individual somehow gained access to the member's area without prior authorization, or misrepresents one's self to gain access (i.e., misrepresenting situation, age, or others facts), it is grounds for *immediate* termination of posting privileges and removal from the member's area of the website. Please be aware that IP addresses are logged, and upon violation, you may be removed from the site with no further notice.

10. The following may not be approved for membership:

Previous members whose posting priveleges were removed due to violation of the rules;
Concerned friends and/or family members (with the exception of the biological mother or adoptive parent of a rape or incest conceived child);
Individuals who were raped or sexually violated but did not conceive a child as a result and/or were not themselves conceived in rape/incest (please review other areas of the site or contact the address at the bottom of this notice for a list of relevant support groups);
Biological fathers of rape or incest conceived individuals
Therapists may gain conditional access to the site, provided they express a valid reason to enter the member's area (i.e., to moderate a therapeutic topic discussion) AND supply verifiable credentials.

11. Stigma, Inc. cannot be held responsible for any damages incurred, either physically, mentally, or emotionally, nor in any other way whatsoever, from usage of this website. This website is in no way substitution for personal therapy, medical diagnosis, or professional or medical help. We cannot diagnose, treat, or cure. Please see a health professional should you have a concern for which you need a medical diagnosis.

You agree to indemnify and hold Stigmatized.org, and any joint or individual officers or employees of Stigma, Inc., harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys' fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of your use of the Stigmatized.org website.

12. Entering and posting in the member's area of this site is subject to the rules and regulations in the state or territory in which you live. Stigma, Inc. is governed by the laws of the United States, and the statutes of the Kansas law code. No implications of similar rights are given or implied to posters in other locales. Use and post at your own risk.

13. The laws governing Stigma, Inc. mandate that the amount and usage of any donations or solicited funds be made available to the public. Full disclosure is available upon request.

14. The opinions expressed on this website are individual opinions and do not constitute the mission statement or personal stance of the support group "Stigma, Inc." as a whole. Stigma, Inc. is not responsible for expressed opinions, faulty information, or general content posted by the users of this site. Grievances may be emailed or stated in writing, deliverable to the email or postal address.

15.Stigma, Inc. reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to immediately, without notice to suspend or terminate these posting guidelines, your registration with or ability to access the stigmatized.org website/membership, upon any breach by you of the above guidelines. The terms of this agreement may be altered or changed without prior warning.

If you have any questions regarding this notice, you may contact us at:

Stigma, Inc.
P.O. Box 109
Bonner Springs, KS 66012

You may also contact stigma@kc.rr.com for further questions,

comments, or clarification regarding this posted notice.

I agree with the terms. Take me to the support group.

I disagree with the terms and conditions.

This page last updated: May 09, 2007