April Showers Bring Awareness

As you may or may not know, the month of April is Child Abuse Awareness Month.  Why do we need the awareness?  Here is a short list of articles, and these are just cases here in Racine, and many of these situations got extremely light sentencing.

Please refer to these articles, just in Racine, WI that deals with these light sentencing:

This one only got a year.
http://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/mount-pleasant-man-gets-year-in-jail-for-child-sexual/article_e6d2aa50-f093-11e3-b5ad-001a4bcf887a.html

This one only got 4 months.
http://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/johnson-to-serve-four-months-jail-pay-k/article_8c504e8a-eda9-11e3-88aa-0019bb2963f4.html

This one is ruled incompetent (which doesn't excuse the assault).
http://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-ruled-incompetent-for-now-to-stand-trial-in-molestation/article_2c34cea2-da91-11e3-961e-0019bb2963f4.html

This one goes to alcohol treatment for his crime.
http://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/waterford-man-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-girl-to-go-to/article_b5adb168-c16d-11e3-9bee-0019bb2963f4.html

This one gets 8 months.
http://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/another-months-in-prison-for-man-convicted-again-in-sexual/article_99d48672-bfda-11e3-afa4-0019bb2963f4.html

Now this one, had his charges dropped, because "the victim is uncooperative".
http://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/sexual-assault-charge-against-waterford-man-dismissed/article_6778bbe6-a9da-11e3-8da6-001a4bcf887a.html

Probation for this one.
http://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/teen-given-probation-in-child-molestation-case/article_440ae916-5694-11e3-8f81-0019bb2963f4.html


Do you see the trend here?  Many of these cases, the victim was either a relative or a neighbor of some sort.  Studies show time and time again, that the closer the relationship to the child, the more severe the consequences to the mental, emotional, and psychological state of the child.  So you think children are resilient.  Yes, they are, to a point.  We don't condone our children to go fight our wars, do we?  Well, put it this way...  sexually abusing our children is the same type of trauma that our soldiers see on the front lines of a war.  And, our soldiers are trained in combat and what not.  Our children are supposed to be resilient to that kind of violence?  Yes, sex abuse and domestic violence is that traumatic, especially for our children.  It becomes a combat zone, where they have no control.  Their rights are stripped away, and to do nothing is to silently side with the perpetrators.

It is obvious that due to what ever family ties, that even our justice system is tentative about splitting families.  Yet to not do so, is giving the silent message that it is okay to abuse our children.  It is not.  And during holiday seasons, violence tends to rise, with the business of time, the money crunch, etc. and it doesn't get any easier to deal with.  Maybe we need to educate our legal system on the damage that this causes our children, and to put in stiffer sentencing within the current walls of the law, rather than to keep doing the minimum.

With the trauma that the victims face after sex abuse, is it a wonder why a victim will be at least somewhat uncooperative?  It seems as if we give all other crime victims the benefit of the doubt, but sex abuse victims get put on trial.  We are talking about children.  They are not pawns.  They are not sex toys.  They are not property.  They are young people, who need guidance, safety, and a whole lot of TLC.  Anything less is unacceptable.  Quit talking about how children are liars, or blaming them in any other way.  It's bad enough that sex crimes already take away part of the soul of anyone who is victim to this atrocity.  To not support them is adding another new injury to a broken soul who needs to learn to move forward.

The Youth Voice Initiative is a registered 501c4 to help create the social change and put in stiffer sentencing, close loop holes, and hold perpetrators of child abuse accountable for their actions.  We are always looking for people who are willing to help be the voice to the voiceless, and your interest and willingness to help is the only requirement. 

Please either visit the Volunteer Center of Racine - http://volunteerracine.galaxydigital.com/volunteer/agency/display/youth-voice-initiative/?agency_id=30660 
Or, Volunteer Match for the descriptions of where we need our volunteers - http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/org313396.jsp

You may go through their site, or, email me directly at lika.yvi@gmail.com to express your interest in the category you'd like to volunteer.  To donate, please go to US Bank, to donate to Youth Voice Initiative c/o Rika Saliscente directly, or ask about our mailing address by emailing me.