Her Stepdad Abused Her — And Then These Unlikely Heroes Showed Up
These guys get to do something great about a terrible situation.
bacaworld.org Though we wish it weren’t true, one out of three girls and one out of five boys will face sexual abuse in America.
Over 70 percent of the children that die from neglect or abuse will be under the age of three.
Today, victims of abuse are being given a greater voice than they've ever had in the past.
People are speaking out about these heinous crimes, fighting to stop them, giving greater awareness of the occurrences, and making certain to persecute the people responsible.
But one group takes that responsibility a step — or a ride — further. Meet B.A.C.A.: Bikers Against Child Abuse.
Photo: BACA
“When I met Fa,” says Tombstone, president of the Los Angeles chapter, “She was just a scared little girl.”
These men and women have joined together to help child abuse victims gain their self-esteem and respect back by giving them something that was taken from them:safety.
They let their outer appearance scare the bad guys away, while showing the children nothing but love, and giving them the confidence to deal with their abusers, whether it’s court or every day life.
“We’re a rough lot ... and we’re scarier than their perpetrator. We are scarier than their demons.”
Abuse of any kind can devastate a child mentally, physically, or emotionally.
But thanks to B.A.C.A., at least these children can sleep at night, feeling safe from their own personal bogeyman.
“We set up on all four corners of the property, and let her know that no one was going to come into that house and harm her, because they were going to have to go through us,” Tombstone says.
B.A.C.A. does whatever it takes to make certain that abused children know they’re safe and secure, even if that means escorting them to therapy or court appointments, or even spending all night camped out in front of their houses.
“I’m not sure which night it was, but maybe 2:00 in the morning, she said she just couldn’t sleep. I got a sleeping bag off my bike and put it in the trunk of her mother’s car in the garage. She climbed up in the trunk of the car, curled up in a ball and slept all night.”
One day, we can hope that abuse is a thing of the past.
But until that day, it’s good to know that groups like B.A.C.A. will continue to fight for children in abusive situations.
Learn how to donate to B.A.C.A. and help them protect other child abuse victims by clicking here.
Being a child doesn’t have to hurt.
Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States. According to the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, 28.3 percent of adults report being physically abused as a child, and 10.6 percent of adults report being emotionally abused as a child. Physical abuse of a child is when a parent or caregiver causes any non-accidental physical injury to a child, including striking, kicking, burning, biting, hair pulling, choking, throwing, shoving, whipping, or any other action that injures a child. Even if the caregiver didn’t mean to cause injury, when the child is injured it is abuse. When a parent or caregiver harms a child’s mental and social development, or causes severe emotional harm, it is considered emotional abuse. While a single incident may be abuse, most often emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that causes damage over time. There are many physical and behavioral signs of child abuse in both the child and the parent or caretaker. To learn more about these signs, visit the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline’s website (https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse/). If you suspect a child you know is being abused physically or emotionally, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline for more resources at 1-800-4-A-CHILD.
Merethe Najjar is a professional writer, editor, and fiction author who adores healthy, simple skincare products. Visit her website or follow her on Twitter.