Well, this is a first for me. I was speaking with a friend earlier this evening on Facebook about poetry. I've published several of my poems here on MS in the Poetry forum, so on a whim I decided to Google one of the lines of my poem that had the deepest meaning to me. To my surprise, I found my poem had been lifted (plagiarized) verbatim from MS and published on a fiction writing forum within someone else's work and proclaimed as their own. It had been changed ever so slightly, but was about 98% word for word mine. So, the obvious question is whether the plagiarist is a fellow survivor here that saw my work and decided to use it, or whether it is a non-survivor that trolls survivor sites for material to use.

Either way, I feel exploited.

I wrote the webmaster of the fiction site explaining the situation and telling them that I wanted the piece containing my work removed, and I provided them with a link to my poem here which shows a posting date that precedes the publication date of the plagiarized work (I posted my poem here in 2007, the fiction piece was posted in 2008).

My work may not be any great literary piece, but it represents MY pain and experience and is very personal to me. Kind of sucks to see it ripped off like this.

Wow that's terrible. I'm really sorry someone disrespected your feelings / works like that.

Note that they are now super-duper-vulnerable to the worst kind of public humiliation. You could sign up there and post the link and flat-out say "this guy stole a RECOVERY POEM from a SEXUAL ABUSE SURVIVOR and tried to pass it off as his own. Isn't that SICK? What is it about this person that makes him drawn to do bad things to people relating to sexual abuse, hmmm?"

Flaming well is the best revenge. >:)

Wow, that's pretty low. I totally get why you feel exploited. I'd feel the same.

I'm glad you followed this through. Unbelievable what some people will do.

Most people wrongly assume anything they see on the Internet is free for the taking, even if it has a copyright notice. But falsely representing someone else's writing as one's own is worse than being mistaken or ignorant. Good on ya for speaking up.

John

Definitely that sucks but if you want to protect yourself and have a few dollars and can manage a website, put 1 together, copyright the whole thing that way you can send a cease and desist letter to their hosting company and get it removed; forget asking the webmaster. If you’re concerned about anonymity you can register the domain anonymously too.

Cee

Eddie,

A few things to ease your mind. (The following information refers to US Copyrights.)

First, you took the correct action in contacting the webmaster of the web site. If the work were passed along without crediting you, it could fall into the public domain, which means anyone could use it in any way and without crediting you. Challenging an infringement is the correct move. Basically, the webmaster has now been alerted that he is in possession of stolen goods. Keep a record of your communication with him.

Second, you may be aware already that, by US copyright law, as soon as you create a work you have the legal copyright. A copyright registration for a nominal fee registers a work with the US Copyright Office, but it's not necessary for protection; it's just an additional measure, a record of your copyright of a work. You may go online and secure a copyright for each work, but it is best to put several of your works together and register their copyright as a "collection." It saves time and money.

Third, contrary to what most new creators believe, the best thing to do with new works is to expose them to as many non-relative witnesses as possible. By publishing your work here on MS, you have an international group of witnesses, with verifiable evidence of the first publishing calendar dates of your works. Yes, putting your work out there on a blog or web site falls under the copyright office's definition of "publishing."

Fourth, YOU DO NOT NEED TO HIRE ASSISTANCE in registering your copyrights. Anyone intelligent enough to create a work is intelligent enough to fill out the registration paperwork.

Last, there is a popular and false rumor that one can mail himself a copy of his work and it will serve as evidence in a copyright dispute. This is false. Mailing one's self his own work has no merit in a court of copyright law.

Rest easy. In following your instincts you have made EXCELLENT moves. This may be a good time to begin registering your copyrights, as your work has proved to be worth plagiarizing.

Simply visit: United States Copyright Office

I'll look forward to buying a copy of your collection at Barnes & Noble! -Keith

*

Thank you all for your support and input on this, it's very much appreciated. I haven't heard anything from the website where my work was plagiarized to yet, but will give them a while longer before following up. To give you an idea of the brazenness of it, my poem contained 275 words in it, and the plagiarist changed a total of 8 of them and then incorporated it into a chapter of his work as his own. Basically, his changes were to remove my wording of "little" from the phrase "little boy", and also whereas I used the term "bad boy" he changed that in a couple of places to "filthy" and "dirty" instead. Which changed the meaning significantly. Ugh.

Anyway, it does indeed feel like identity theft, as though someone has stolen my experiences and what has made me, me.

Eddie,

Infuriating, yes, indeed. I know it well. VERY well!

You have EXCELLENT instincts. May I borrow some? (Mine were flipped upside down as a symptom of my father's assaults on me.)

Yes, by all means, give the webmaster a little time, although not too long, maybe a week. Next time, forward a URL link to the MS web page where your work was "published" here first. This will serve as proof, which the webmaster does need in order to take action.

Again, start thinking of registering your work. It's good enough to be plagiarized.
And in some odd way, that's an unsettling compliment!

Eddie,
I'm sorry that in the business of my life I have not frequented the Poetry forum. The infringement of your copyright piqued my interest and I searched out your work here on MS.

Your work is powerful. It is not surprising it has been plagiarized.

Friend, perhaps the plagiarism is a sign it is time for you to step it up and consider getting published or self-publishing.

Without question, you have a gift and a well-honed craft.

Keith

*

Thanks, Keith, I appreciate your kind words!

And yes, Gary, that's it exactly.

For those interested, here's the link to my poem here on MS that was lifted:

http://www.malesurvivor.org/board/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=160336&page=8

When I was in therapy for all the crap of the past, I was having a difficult time putting into words my thoughts on things. So the T suggested that I try to verbalize it to him in the first person. That didn't work. So then he suggested that I write it out. But that just felt clinical. Next, he suggested that I write it out in poetry form. That was a breakthrough moment for me because the words just flowed and flowed and flowed. I had found my voice. So to see that voice ripped off like this is very hurtful and makes it all seem cheapened.

Eddie,

Yes, by all means, it is upsetting. I've had it happen, except it was a song. The song was recorded and published under someone else's name, who also registered the copyright and ultimately collected the royalties. I learned a lesson.

Register your copyrights, "publish" your work with as many non-relative witnesses as possible, and publicize your ownership.

Your voice on this poem has not actually been stolen since you have taken action. Follow it through. It's a healing experience for survivors to defend their boundaries.

Register that poem and all the others today. It will be your own New Year's gift.

*

Eddie

I'm sorry about the plagiarism.

I know how it feels because I've had some of my photography stolen. I suppose I should have stirred up a fuss but I didn't.

Puffer