Child's Plea for Help Leads to Arrest of Pedophile and Brings Jessica's Law into Effect
Authorities followed up on this request to Santa and found a long-term abuse situation within the home. The perpetrator family member was arrested and charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child. Because of Jessica's Law, this man will serve as much as 99 years in jail if he is convicted.
We all know that perpetrators of such crimes against children, seldom abuse only one or two children. According to statistics, "the typical child sex offender molests an average of 117 children, most of who do not report the offense". Statistics also tell us that "95% of victims know their perpetrators".
This is, indeed a sad statement against our society. I am so happy to know that the little girl confided in Santa Claus, but I wonder how many other letters to Santa contained similar cries for help and went undetected. How many cries for help are ignored because adults are too busy to hear or they just don't recognize the subtle cry of a young child. Most young children do not yet have the vocabulary to say to an adult, "Please help me, I am being sexually abused and molested." They use much softer and simpler terminology. Sometimes they don't use words at all, but will act out the same things that are being done to them. Maybe instead of a mother smacking her child and telling the child, "stop that!" the mother should ask what the child is doing and where the child learned to do it. Paying attention to children is really all it takes to uncover a live-in a perpetrator.
Jessica's Law is a step in the right direction once these perpetrators are discovered, prosecuted and convicted, but it takes a lot of work before anything that is covered under this law can actually happen.
Jessica's Law was named after Jessica Lunsford, who was raped and murdered in Florida in 2005. The crime committed against Jessica was perpetrated by a previously convicted sex offender. Had stronger laws been in effect, Jessica Lunsford would be alive today. However, because of little Jessica, many other young children will be spared a similar fate. Jessica's Law demands at least a 25 year prison sentence with life-long electronic monitoring afterwards. The penalty for the crimes can carry up to 99 years in prison. Jessica's Law covers the lewd and lascivious acts against children less than twelve years of age. In the state of Florida, where Jessica Lunsford lived, "sexual battery and rape of a child under age 12 is punishable only by life imprisonment with no chance of parole".
It is my hope and prayer that more and more young children will find a way to bring attention to the crimes of incest, sexual abuse, molestation, rape, lewd and lascivious acts that are perpetrated against them. It is also my hope and prayer that the adults in their lives will recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse and bring the abuse to light in order for Jessica's Law to be effective.
I am providing links for parents, teachers or others who might need help in the discovery of sexual abuse.
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry - Child Sexual Abuse
Anyone who would like to help strengthen laws in order to better protect our children, please visit this website:
http://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/stats.htm#Offenders
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica's_Law
Published by Vicki Messer
In 1997 I began a personal journey of healing from years of childhood sexual abuse. For the better part of 10 years, I worked my way through the painful repressed memories of incest at the hands of several... View profile
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7 Comments
Post a CommentThat was a smart kid, and I'm glad people took the letter seriously.
It's so sad that children suffer like this. Way to go, Santa!
What an amazing story!
Sad to hear someone was being abused but glad something is being done about it.
Whatever has to be done to stop the abuse of children....bring it on! If that means enlisting the aide of Santa, so be it! Fantastic article, Joy! Mery Christmas and thank you for all the outreach work you do for victims of abuse!
Another interesting perspective, Joy. Excellent job! I'm just glad that Santa was listening at least this once and then maybe more letters will be written, more voices will be heard. Sometimes it takes just one.
SAnta still is doing good. Great story. Roberta Baxter