By Michelle Wilson, Development Director with The Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”~ Dumbledore (from the Harry Potter books)
Last fall at this time we launched our first online campaign to raise funds for our services for kids and teens healing from abuse.
We named it “You Matter!” because we truly know that everyone can offer something important to this cause.
Every day we witness people who give their time, ideas, energy, financial resources, and compassionate care to the big work of healing child abuse in our community.
This is no small task.
It can feel enormous and overwhelming, to those of us who can barely stand the thought of children being abused, to those of us who work every day with children who have the scars – visible and invisible – of abuse. The task can feel so enormous that we might want to step back, not look at what we see or listen to what we are hearing or reading about. We might want to walk away, even if we feel a little guilty about doing that.
I believe the reason for feeling the urge to turn away from the abuse and neglect that we know is happening to children in our community is that we feel powerless.
How can we stop this?
How can we do anything that will make a difference?
How can anything we do really matter against such a seemingly endless stream of children suffering?
At times like this, the former English teacher in me turns to literature and the wisdom in the pages of great stories.
Right now my son is smack in the middle of reading the Harry Potter series, often unable to take his eyes off of the pages when he is at a particularly gripping moment in the story.
I am grateful for this on many levels, and one of them is that he is learning about the big battles of good and evil and the choices that people (or wizards) can make in the face of them. And I hope that he is listening to Dumbledore, the wise headmaster of Hogwarts School of Magic, and the mentor and teacher to Harry himself.
Today I turned to Dumbledore’s wisdom myself:
It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
I believe this completely. To sum it up, our choices are what matter.
We can choose in every moment whether we are contributing something positive to the world around us or not. We can choose in each moment whether or not we will be part of the daily work of creating a compassionate, caring, nurturing world for the children in our lives and our communities – or not.
Our choices in each moment matter. And as Dumbledore seems to say, each one of us matters, no matter what abilities we are given at birth or through circumstances.
Dumbledore is a wise teacher in the way that all great teachers are: he asks Harry to turn inside, to himself, and make the best choices for whatever he faces. He reminds Harry – and those of us following along – that each one of us is responsible for making the choices in our lives that move us toward answering the problems, large and small, we all face.
This is a guest post by David Hoppe, Deputy District Attorney
I was asked to write a blog about hope.
Hope in dealing with child abuse. A pretty tough topic.
A couple of decades ago a doctor was conducting an obesity program with a high dropout rate. Surprisingly many of the people who dropped out of the program were successfully losing weight during the program. Even more surprisingly, interviews revealed that a good portion of the dropouts had been victims of childhood sexual abuse. So for these people, obesity had not been their problem, it had been their protective solution. Indeed many of them worried about the change in social and sexual expectations that would occur with major weight loss. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control saw the importance of these findings and decided to create a large study that would provide proof of the findings.
The ACE Study had 18,000 volunteers through the Kaiser Health Plan down in San Diego. These volunteers provided data to the physicians about their adverse childhood experiences in conjunction with health records and their reporting of self-destructive behaviors. The average age of the participants was 57 years old. The two most important findings were that these adverse childhood experiences are more common than previously recognized and have a direct relation to victim health even 50 years later.
Indeed, they found that 22% of the participants had been sexually abused as children.
And the higher the score of these adverse experiences, the more likely to engage smoking, overeating, drug using, attempted suicide and so on and so on and so on. So in making a diagnosis of a woman who had been sexually abused as a child you could diagnose her problems like this – childhood sexual abuse resulting in chronic depression resulting in morbid obesity leading to diabetes and hypertension ending with coronary artery disease.
So what to do with these past victims, these “Prisoners of Childhood,” who may be undiagnosed and untreated for their true affliction? And why should we have hope?
We have hope because now we have instituted a policy wherein polygraph disclosures during sex offender treatment of pedophiles are being used to contact additional victims and their families directly to let them know that they may have been abused in the past and specifically that we can help. These disclosures are brought to the Multi-Disciplinary Team and trained counselors are then utilized to contact the victims and offer counseling services which can be covered for payment under the Crime Victims Compensation program.
If we can get even a handful of these victims each year to stop eating themselves to death, to stop using drugs, to leave the prison of their childhood experiences and move forward as empowered victims, it will all be worth it.
There is hope for past victims.
As for present victims, the “Prisoners of Fear”, we currently have two prosecutors who specialize in child abuse prosecution along with many well-trained investigators in law enforcement, a vigilant child protective services and the Children’s Advocacy Center with three licensed child abuse therapists on staff. Resource-wise things are looking good and getting better. There is a Jackson County Relief Nursery (the Family Nurturing Center) that promotes the healthy development of children by coordinating a full range of therapeutic and support services to struggling families.
Specifically, the relief nursery offers therapeutic early childhood classrooms, mental health counseling for parents and children, alcohol and drug recovery support, home visiting, parent education, crisis response and outreach, respite childcare, and employment counseling and support. In 2003 they found that 94% of the families enrolled in the relief nurseries in Oregon did not require additional reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. Furthermore, 94% of the enrolled children remained in the care of their families. Present victims throughout Oregon are using the services of these relief nurseries and hopefully we will take our prisoners of fear and turn them into normal, playful children again.
In talking about all of the remedial measures we have taken thus far with past and present victims, it begs the question of how do we create a future without child abuse victims?
It would not matter right now if there were ten more child abuse prosecutors and fifty more child abuse investigators with five additional relief nurseries — that would not make the fundamental change that would be required to get to the root of the problem, preventing future victims.
We have a will that needs to be harnessed with a way. I think I know the way.
The best attorney I have ever seen, and a hero of my adulthood, is a skinny, lanky guy with spectacles who looks like a young version of Doogie Howser. Victor Vieth is one of the top child abuse prosecutors in the country. He was formerly the director of the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse, and a man with a plan. A plan to largely eliminate future victims of child abuse. His plan is called “Unto the Third Generation.” It is a call to end child abuse in this country within 120 years.
This is his Battle Plan.
First, abused children must be reported into the system and those reports must be of a high quality. Every university must teach students entering professions, where they will be mandated reporters, the skills necessary to perform this task. Mandated reporters in the field must then receive annual training on the detection of abuse and their obligations to report.
Second, the system must conduct a competent investigation of every child abuse case that comes to its attention and when abuse is substantiated, appropriate civil and criminal actions must be competently pursued. Children reported into the system must be interviewed by a social worker, police officer, or other professional trained in the art of speaking to children. Child protection workers called on to investigate and repair families damaged by abuse must be competent to perform this task. And prosecutors must be adequately trained to prosecute egregious child abusers.
Third, we must teach police officers, social workers, prosecutors and other protection professionals to be community leaders in the prevention of child abuse. This training must begin in college and continue once these professionals are in the field. In their role as community leaders, child protection professionals must enlist the support of the faith based community. Prevention efforts must be locally run and tailored to local needs. And everyone engaged in the campaign against child abuse must understand their role in history and act accordingly.
There is currently a program in place called Half a Nation that is striving towards meeting some of these training goals by 2020 across the country. It is hoped that by 2040 every child reported into the system would then be interviewed by someone skilled in the art of speaking to children.
As for the 80 years after that, it is then hoped that there will be a tipping point where we could dramatically reduce if not eliminate child abuse in this country. Tipping points have already occurred twice in my lifetime, in 1989 and 2005, where people stood up together and said “Enough is enough!”
In conclusion, I would like to quote one of the great men of history by saying “Be not afraid.” It will not happen during my lifetime, and probably not during the lifetimes of my children, but God willing, in 120 years we will have largely eliminated child abuse in this country.
By Tammi Pitzen, Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County
This morning started as most any other morning. I got to the office early before anyone was here. I went up to my office. Checked email. Checked voice mail.
Everything was going well until I checked Facebook.
Circulating was a story on Stephen Collins. It was about how he confessed in therapy to his wife about exposing himself to young girls and making one of them touch his penis. There was a recording attached. I usually don’t watch the videos or listen to the recordings attached to news stories, but for some reason, I was needing verification that this was indeed what was happening in the session.
It is a male confessing to sexually abusing a child and exposing himself to young girls. Both are abusive. I just want to accurately describe what it is he is confessing. I am disturbed deeply by this revelation. This was taped in 2012 by his wife in a therapy session. It sounds like Stephen Collins.
I am shocked. I am disturbed. I am saddened. I hope that I have it all wrong. I hope that there will be more reported on this story. I am all these things not because I cannot believe that a Hollywood star who played a minister could ever do such things. I am all these things because it appears, at least at this point, that there was a recording of these confessions that was made in 2012 and it appears that nothing has been done about it.
It appears that no one made a report.
There are assertions that the police have an open case now. But it would appear that it is a relatively new report, as one new site states that the detectives from the special victims unit were flying from New York to Los Angeles to interview him. I am so hopeful that I have this wrong. I am hopeful that this is a re-interview of the “suspect”. That this case was reported in 2012 and some how got stalled out. I am so hopeful that someone stood up on behalf of these children and made a report. Let these children know that they matter, and that what happened to them matters — more than Stephen Collins’ fame.
I have continued today to research out this story. His wife of 27 years is divorcing him. This tape came about as a result of therapy, in what I assume was an attempt to save that marriage. I just read this is not the first time Collins has been accused. His ex wife apparently made a report in 2012 on behalf of one of the victims, but nothing ever materialized as a result of that report. He was accused several years ago, but no charges came about as the statue of limitations had run.
What do we know about sex offenders?
Well, we know they hide right out in the public view. We know they “groom” children and also “groom” their community.
We know that they become who we want to believe they are. Stephen Collins is probably best known from his role in 7th Heaven, where he played a minister.
We know that they insert themselves in situations where they will have unquestioned access to vulnerable children. I wonder if any of the children who ever worked around him will be coming forward next.
I have no problem believing that Stephen Collins did this. It fits the classic stereo type that I see played over and over again in everyday life.
I am having trouble believing that no one reported.
I am having a problem believing that no one cared enough in 2012 to make a report. I am having trouble believing that the only reason this tape was leaked was as a result of a nasty long divorce battle.
I am hoping I am wrong. I am hoping that tomorrow when I go through my morning routine, I will find that there was one person who made a report. I am hoping that the therapist made a report. I am hoping to pick up a newspaper or catch a news story on E.T., or some other entertainment news site, that will tell me the rest of the story—the part where there was someone who was willing to stand up not only on behalf of these children, but really any and all children who may have crossed the path of Mr. Stephen Collins.
It is TIME that we stop giving sex offenders ALL the power.
It is TIME to stop expecting that children will protect themselves.
It is TIME we all recognize that the safety of our children is our responsibility.
It is TIME to recognize that one of the greatest talents of a sex offender is to minimize what he has done and the damage that it has caused. In this case it went from exposing to touching and I would suspect further than that.
The only ones that can do anything to put a stop to the abuse of our children is really us!
“You are only given one little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it” Robin Williams
By Michelle Wilson
Madness. That is one powerful word.
It brings to my mind images of people with bright twinkles in their eyes and infectious smiles that make you want to know what is happening in their thoughts.
Madness can also bring to mind images of people who have suffered a great deal of trauma and emotional upheaval.
It can bring to mind unsettling thoughts of those who can’t seem to move out of sadness, depression, anxiety, or constant fear and the feeling that the world is an unsafe and unpredictable place.
Poets and scientists have both made links between these two things – creative genius and emotional suffering.
Robin Williams was certainly a creative genius whose light and spark of energy lit up the world through his work and his life. His recent death brought me great sadness, as I know it did for many other people around the world. I continue to be grateful for what he offered all of us while he was here – for much too short of a time. I wish we had been able to watch his genius continue to grow and deepen for many more years.
“You are only given one little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it”
I saw this quote by Robin Williams soon after his death and it struck me. I think about the work we do at the Children’s Advocacy Center with children and teens whose lives have been altered by abuse and neglect, and I think about how the abuse affects them.
I have seen how the work of our team helps them move out of the feelings of sadness, depression, and anxiety, and I hope that it helps everyone who comes here feel that the world is just a bit safer, a bit more predictable, and certainly a bit more kind.
Creative madness – the kind that creates new inventions and dares to take risks and makes leaps between things that seem unrelated but that, when brought together, invite new ideas and actions – that is something this world continues to need.
We need to experience the genius that can come from suffering, as well as the genius that comes from just plain, old creative impulses.
I firmly believe that the way out of suffering and chaos can be found in the type of creative “madness” often spurred by the original acts that caused the suffering.
When we let ourselves feel deep pain and confusion – and when we support others in doing the same – creativity can open places that have been blocked and a healthy type of “madness” can give us the energy and impetus to move forward, make changes, and create new paths in our lives.
Great creative geniuses can help to create new paths that leave a wide road behind them for others to follow.
They can teach us, in ways large and small, about the inevitable new opportunities that come after defeat in the endless cycles of our lives.
Thank you, Robin Williams, for sharing your creative spirit with us.
I will remember this invitation when I feel troubled by sadness or grief. I will try to let the wild and forceful energy that comes from difficult experiences create in me a creative type of madness, the type that breaks down barriers and opens the way for something new, something better than I might have imagined before.
May we all remember this, and may we always help those amongst us who need our support in times of tragedy, abuse, and suffering.
Help us remember the creative genius that is there, within us all, just ready to be tapped.
This is a post by Stacy Hubbard, MS, LMFT, Child and Family Therapist and Adventure Guide with the Children’s Advocacy Center.
Stacy Hubbard
I have been lucky enough to rock climb and instruct in some of the most beautiful places on the West Coast, with Smith Rock and Joshua Tree being personal favorites.
Now I am getting the opportunity to take my therapy clients to the rock wall at the YMCA for adventure therapy experiences.
The YMCA is right down the street from the center, so I feel lucky to have this chance. The center received a grant from the Touvelle Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation to pay for a year-long YMCA membership, and this has allowed us the chance to take clients there for individual and family sessions. Soon we will also be able to offer group sessions.
I was also able to pass a safety check at the YMCA to show my climbing safety skills and now I am a volunteer there, which allows me access to the rock wall with my clients at times when the wall is closed to the public.
This allows the kiddos I work with to feel safe in talking and processing feelings and their trauma without having to worry about anyone else hearing or knowing what is happening in the session.
I have been able to do family and individual sessions and it has been a great way for the parents to learn communication skills with their children, as well as helping my clients build trust with me since I am on the other end of the rope ‘belaying’ them and making sure the rope is tight so that they never fall.
I am sharing a photo of a belay device here. I don’t want to get too technical, so e-mail me if you want to know how the belaying process works.
I am going to start a boys’ group in October. This will be for boys, ages 8 – 10, who have been sexually abused.
I cannot wait to help them start to gain control and feel a sense of mastery and power in this area of climbing. Plus, they get to move their bodies, learn new skills, and be around other boys in a safe, therapeutic and FUN setting!
I am thrilled to use my adventure guide background to help kids here in the valley do some healing in a new way.
By Tammi Pitzen, Executive Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County
This week the big news was that Adrian Peterson, a member of the Minnesota Vikings, was charged with child abuse for spanking his child with a “switch” and leaving bruising.
The topic of debate has been: Is this abuse or is this discipline? And secondary: Is this a part of Southern parenting culture?
You knew that I would have to weigh in on this — being both a true Southerner, who now has a child, and being an avid football fan, who is married to an avid Vikings fan.
I was born and raised in the South and my parents used spanking as a discipline method. I also began my career in child protection investigating child abuse reports in a small town in Louisiana. I will tell you that it is true that in the South parents will “spank” their children with whatever is handy. I have talked with parents who use electrical extension cords, doubled belts, wooden spoons, switches, boards, ping pong paddles, rulers, wire coat hangers, dog leashes, hair brushes and, not as frequently but sometimes, their hands, in the disciplining of their children.
Based on years of investigative experience, I will tell you that it is very hard to use an object to hit a child and not leave marks.
It is hard to judge how hard you are actually hitting. It is hard to gauge how angry you are. It is hard to control the adrenaline that will begin to pump through your body as you exert yourself in the disciplining of a child, using these methods.
Most parents are disciplining their children because they love them. They are not intending to hurt their child.
Imagine how hard it is for a child to understand that — when they are being hit with an object.
Southern parents have been known to say, “This is hurting me more than it is hurting you”, while spanking their child. I can say that is sometimes hard to believe and really hard to understand if you are five.
Oregon law defines physical abuse as an injury to a child that is not accidental.
Many will read this and think that I am advocating against spanking. I am advocating against spanking that becomes abusive.
Discipline is a parenting decision and should be made by parent. However, it is abusive to leave marks on your child either unintentionally or intentionally. It is a fact that it is hard to spank with an object and not leave marks.
I have spoken to literally thousands of children who have been hit with objects. They do not learn to be disciplined. They learn to fear their parents. They learn to be angry. Violence breeds violence.
In recent weeks we have heard news stories involving National Football League players abusing their girlfriends, abusing their children and, in the past, we have heard about them abusing animals.
I believe that the NFL has a unique opportunity to change our world in an unimaginable, pie in the sky kind of way.
They can follow Chris Carter’s(retired Vikings football player) lead and send a message about abuse. If you have not seen his passionate emotional response to this story: Watch It Now.
They can say we will have zero tolerance regarding abuse of another person or animal by an NFL player.
They can send a message to every little boy who watches these players in awe every week — dreaming that they can become “just like them”.
The NFL can send a message to every child that they matter and they have the right to not be abused.
The NFL can send a message to every boy that it is not heroic to hit women.
I am watching anxiously to see what will come of this.
I am watching anxiously to see if this will be the game changer that our children need.
By Tammi Pitzen, Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center
There are people that you meet along this journey called life and you know immediately that they are someone that will have an impact. On your life. On the lives of others. You may not know why they are important. You may not know how long you will have their influence. But you just know they are important. You recognize it in their eyes. You know you will never view the world in exactly the same way. And every time after that initial meeting this impact is confirmed.
For me Toni Richmond is one of these people.
Without ever hearing her speak, you know that she is someone that you can trust. A calming force. I cannot know what it must feel like to walk into Toni’s office looking for healing and empowerment. Looking for safety after abuse. I can imagine what it is like. I can see the young children and teens that parade in and out of that office. I can see their smiling faces. I can hear their laughter and sometimes their tears. I can see that they are stronger because of their time with Toni and Jack. I see the results of her dedication, compassion and empathy every time I am in the therapy reception area. I see it in the sweet little faces of the clients coming out of her office.
My very first week at the CAC I had an experience with Toni that set the tone for my entire leadership with this team. I started November 12, 2013 as the Executive Director. It was uneventful. However, my second day was November 13, 2013.
This would be the day that someone chose to bomb the DA’s office.
At around 7:30 in the morning, I received a phone call from Toni asking me if I had the news on. I did not. I was trying to get myself and my son together to leave and start our day. I remember thinking, “Why is she calling me?” And then the next thing she said was she couldn’t get to work because there was crime scene tape on the street near our center and there had been a bombing.
She paused and heard complete silence on my end. I heard, “Tammi, are you there?” I responded, “Yes.” What she said was, “Well, you need to make a decision about what we are going to do today.” What I heard was, “You are ready for this. 1. 2. 3. Here we go!!!!” I look back at this and she was so calm and so matter of fact about making plans to move forward. I appreciated that. It gave me time to take a breath. It reminded me that this is what we do every day. Just with explosives — that we cannot see the effects of immediately.
This calming, graceful, stylish way in which Toni responded is something I have since learned is just her usual way of dealing with whatever task is sitting in front of her.
As much as I would like to say that it is not happening, Toni is retiring. She will be around from time to time, but it will never be in quite the same way. I am going to miss her. I am going to miss going by her office to visit with her and with Jack. I am going to miss the very calm, very reassuring way she deals with everything that is put in front of her. I am going to miss sharing our fur-baby stories.
If you have not already, please make sure that you let Toni know what her time here at the CAC has meant to you.
By Tammi Pitzen, Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County
I recently read about a judge in Montana being censored for some statements he made while handing out a sentence to a sex offender. This case has been so disturbing to me. Judge Baugh sent Rambold to prison for 31 days last year after he pleaded guilty to sexual intercourse without consent.
Rambold was a 47 year-old business teacher at Billings Senior High School at the time of the 2007 rape. The victim was one of his students. She committed suicide while the case was pending trial.
Baugh said during Rambold’s sentencing in August that the teenager was “probably as much in control of the situation as the defendant” and that she “appeared older than her chronological age.”
I have actually been thinking about this case a lot lately. But not in connection to the heinous crime that was committed by Rambold, the teacher. More in connection with the heinous acts by Judge Baugh.
Remember the old adage that went something like — “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me”?
Judge Baugh’s words hurt.
They hurt many victims who will remain silent because of hearing how this victim was blamed by someone in authority. His words hurt the parents of this child who are already grieving. His words hurt the many people who work to protect children in our world. His words hurt in a way that he can not imagine, because if he could imagine, he would have never uttered any of them.
According to the article he will be allowed to retire. This might muddy his name for a short time, but really in essence, will have no impact on his life at all.
When we chose to take the career path that goes along the “high road”, we chose to have our words mean something.
Judge Baugh chose this higher road. His words meant something. They meant something to a lot of people when he said the victim “appeared older than her chronological age”. They meant something to a lot of people when the Judge decided that a victim is in as much control of a situation as a sex offender. They meant the most to victims of child sexual abuse. They meant a lot to offenders of child sexual abuse.
This young victim killed herself. She committed suicide. Her sexual abuse equated to a death sentence for her.
Thirty one days for sex offender Rambold. His sentence was all suspended except for 31 days.
Thankfully, there is a part two to this story.
Other people used their words to make things right. The State appealed the sentencing. The Supreme Court in Montana was looking at what they can do to make a statement. They were considering censoring the Judge.
The Judge plans on retiring. I doubt whatever “punishment” is handed down to this judge will have an impact on his life. After the public outrage, he apologized to the family.
Funny thing about words. It turns out they can hurt. They can’t be taken back. Sometimes the pain caused by words can outlast the pain from a broken bone.
I am making a choice today.
I will choose my words carefully. I will make my words mean something.
I will think every day about how my words might have helped a 14 year old sexually abused by their teacher or sexually abused by anyone.
This is a post by Karen Bassett, an RN for over 30 years — the past 20 years at Southern Oregon Pediatrics of Medford, Oregon.
The proverb – “It takes a village to raise a child” – means that the work of raising a child cannot be done alone; rather, an entire community must participate.
As far back as I can remember, I have had a love for working with children. During my pediatric rotation in nursing school, I discovered this passion could be merged with my career. Not only could I spend hours working with children, but I could also help teach them and their parents. My patients have ranged in age from birth through the early college years.
Teaching and empowering children and families is the most rewarding career.
Living in the Rogue Valley, we are fortunate to have access to many resources that are available to children, teens, and their families. These include respite nurseries, parenting classes, after school programs, charter schools, hands on museums, centers for counseling, speech and physical therapies, and so much more.
As I spend many hours each week coordinating care for my patients and their families, I am reminded of the many dedicated people working to create healthy caring children and families. These professionals and volunteers reassure kids and families when things are a part of growing up, and also help when extra help is needed.
I feel privileged to be part of the “village” working with families and children in the Rogue Valley……. helping each child reach their full potential!
By Tammi Pitzen, Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County
Recently I spent time learning about child sex trafficking in the United States. Sex trafficking is the most common form of modern-day slavery.
Estimates place the number of domestic and international sex trafficking victims in the millions.
Most of the victims of sex trafficking are females and children. It is the fastest growing business of organized crime, and the third-largest criminal enterprise in the world.
It is a complicated issue. It is an issue that we are not, as a country, prepared to recognize as a problem. We rest easier at night thinking that it happens in other countries or third world countries.
In early June I sat in a plenary session at a national leadership conference in Washington DC and was surprised to learn that Portland Oregon has one of the highest populations of child sex trafficking victims in the country. Right here in my own backyard! I also learned that a very high number of these child sex trafficking victims are coming out of the foster care system as run aways, aging out of the foster care system, or connected to the foster care system in some other way. When I heard that, I have to say, my heart filled with sorrow.
I learned that many of these young victims are forced to have sex with multiple partners in a day — making upwards of $1500 dollars a day — but go to sleep hungry because they are not allowed to keep any of the money.
I have spent many hours sitting and listening to how big a problem child sex trafficking is. I have heard these victims referred to as invisible victims. And I have learned that they are invisible only because we refuse to see them.
These children, many times, are on the streets for years. Missed by no one. Never searched for. For all intents and purposes — thrown away.
We may refer to them as child prostitutes, but there is no such thing as a child prostitute.
Children cannot consent legally to any sexual contact. They are not complicit in their own abuse.
Many groups have begun to tackle this problem, but I am afraid we are not equipped to meet these young victims where they are. We need to adjust our traditional interventions to meet their needs in a better way.
I am the first to admit that I don’t know what the answer is, but I am hopeful that the answer is out there waiting to be discovered.
You may be asking what you can do now to help. My answer is simple: Do not close your eyes.
• If you see a child living on the street — make a report to your local authorities.
• If a child in your life runs away, please report it to the authorities.
• Educate yourself on the scope of the problem. Become part of the solution.
• Do not excuse the adult perpetrators of these crimes by blaming the child or by calling this a victimless crime.
• Remember this no matter what: A child is a child and an adult is an adult. The adult is always responsible for anything that is between the adult and a child.
• Let your legislators know that this issue is important and deserves to be part of our work to protect children.
• If you see or hear of children being abused in their home — report it. Most child sex trafficking victims become run aways because they are running from something and sometimes that something is abuse in their home.
Do not “throw away” these children. If you do, someone will “rescue” them, and it may not be someone who has pure intentions doing the rescuing.
