Here is an excerpt from my book (Father Figure – My Mission to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse) regarding role of an ordinary citizen:
If there is one message in this book to ordinary citizens everywhere, it is to fully realize, appreciate, and understand the difference that we can each make in the life of a vulnerable child. This is only possible to achieve, of course, when we listen to our gut instinct and then choose to become involved. Right there are two of the simplest concepts that most people fail to apply on a daily basis. Yet, you can see how they played such key roles here in Father Figure. Oh sure it is nice to jump on the bandwagon when we hear such topics discussed at length on our favorite talk shows, but to follow one’s gut and become involved are things that most people don’t do.
Why is this so often the case? Well, most of us have busy lives and cannot easily find time to go out of our normal routines for a possible worthy cause. Also, when it comes to issues regarding someone’s family, we are raised to believe that families are to be respected and not interfered with. Certainly, people are frowned upon for being nosy and butting into the personal lives of others, let alone daring to question what a parent chooses to do with their own child.
The biggest reason why most ordinary citizens do not wish to become involved, even when they know it’s the right thing to do, is because they often do not understand who to report to, how they will be involved, what will happen if they do, and/or they understandably do not wish to suffer all the distress and repercussions which Joan and I were forced to endure.
What happened in this true story CAN and DOES happen more frequently than people realize, and more frequently than any of us would further wish to acknowledge. In this day and age, with technology such as iPhones, the Internet, and Facebook, it is easier than before to take precautions and advocate safety on behalf of the children who we feel are at risk. I implore and challenge everyone reading this to take a moment today to reexamine whether there is a vulnerable child in your community who could possibly benefit from your help and involvement. If so, please find the courage and creativity to try and assist that child, of course with proper attention to the legal system and the laws of our society.