When young victims of abuse are required to face their abusers in court, the experience can leave them feeling frightened and unwilling to confront the people who have hurt them.
That’s where these big, burly bikers come in.
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Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) is an international nonprofit group that recruits members to help offer these kids support, comfort, and a sense of security, while also empowering them to face their fears and their abusers.
It all began back in 1995 when John Paul Lilly, a clinical social worker and professor, realized one of his patients was dealing with crippling fear.
As Tanks Good News reported, the little boy appeared fine while with Lilly, but once he was on his own again he was too terrified to even leave his house.
Having grown up around bikers, Lilly recruited some of his friends to go and visit the abused boy, who was found to have felt significantly braver in the presence of the gang members.
As he explained, bikers tend to have a “soft spot for kids,” particularly those who have been abused.
“I couldn’t quote you a figure, but I know that a lot of bikers had been abused as kids,” he told TGN . “When they see a chance to step in and release some of their own demons, they have no problem standing up for a child.”
“It was just such a natural fit.”
Twenty-five years later, BACA has become an international organization with chapters all over the world, in places like New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the United States.
As the group’s website explains, their mission is as follows:
“Bikers Against Child Abuse, Inc. (B.A.C.A.) exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization.”
Volunteers recruited to be a part of BACA undergo an extensive background check and are trained to handle particularly emotional situations.
Members usually give the child they’re protecting their own “biker” name, and adopt child-friendly names themselves, like “Scooter” and “Winnie the Pooh.”
Each young person also receives their own vest to don in an effort to help them feel even braver, particularly when entering a courtroom.
Basically, these bikers are available for the child whenever they need them, day or night.
They’ll stand watch outside the child’s home if they’re scared their abuser might stop by, and they’ll happily answer their calls in the early hours of the morning if the child has had a bad dream.
And, when it comes to court appearances, the bikers will escort the children into the court room, surrounding them in a protective huddle, and will also walk with them up to the stand to testify against their abuser.
Kids understand that no one messes with a biker, and so having an entire *gang* of bikers on their side makes them feel incredibly safe.
“The biker image is what makes this work,” BACA volunteer Rembrandt, told TGN. “Golfers against child abuse does not have the same feel. The pink alligator shirt and golf shoes standing in the driveway doesn’t do the same thing.”
Another volunteer named Pipes added, “When we tell a child they don’t have to be afraid, they believe us. When we tell them we will be there for them, they believe us.”
