 |
The Death of JonBenet Ramsey
How Many More Victims Will There Be?
EDITOR'S NOTE: Here at los Angeles Community Policing we encourage the activist community to present opinion articles and explain their programs. Here's one such community member's offering.
-- OPINION --
by Tony Nassif
Cedars Cultural and Educational Foundation
TNassifJr2@aol.com
Recent developments in the JonBenet Ramsey case brings to light a very dark evil whose roots go deep and broad in America and the world.
Child predators have existed for centuries. Before the Internet they focused where children gather, e.g. playgrounds, schools, libraries, etc.
Unfortunately many people think that child abduction, sexual exploitation and trafficking is isolated to a few perverted individuals here and/or in foreign countries.
Not so.
This is a co-culture in America and the world. In one case a predator was lurking in a library. He spotted a little two year old girl playing. He took her into the restroom. When people heard her cries they broke down the door.
In another incident a young boy from Iowa, Johnny Gosch, was kidnapped while doing his paper route. His mother, Noreen, became her own investigator to discover the world of child trafficking before there was a name for it. She later found out that her son was stalked, targeted and a vast amount of money was paid for his kidnapping. She said she discovered that children were used by pedophiles and for pornography.
However, with the advent and exponential use of the Internet and the growing acceptability of abnormal sexual behaviors the paradigms of normalcy are crumbling.
Consequently, the Internet has opened a Pandora's Box.
The Internet abuse made the problem worse because it provides anonymity for the on-line predators. Victims are more accessible. Children find it easy to access the Internet without supervision and screening. The seduction of "Internet sex" and pornography further exacerbates the problem and perversion.
A young woman was kidnapped in America and "sold for sex". Virtually auctioned on the Internet.
We can look at these horrific problems, wring our hands and say, "Oh, how terrible." We can deal with the effect by adding more law enforcement to catch the predators. We can create new and expand present victim services, etc. ... and that is necessary. However if we want to deal with the problem we must deal with the fuel that perpetuates the demand.
The breakdown of moral paradigms, the sexual permissiveness of the entertainment industry which has turned sex into a recreation, mainstream acceptance of pornography, and moral decay of the popular culture feed the fuel into the lives and lusts of the animalistic predators searching for a child to devour and enticing the curiosity and pleasure of sex to a child.
What is the root solution? Obviously the answer is quite involved. However I will mention just a few observations:
Strong families: The ideal home is both parents (mother and father) are living together in peace and love. However, where there is a single parent home the two parents need to make every effort to have both of them in the lives of their children. A young girl will get her father's love one way or another. Either from her dad or maybe from a predator.
Keep talking: Honest and frank discussions about the issues and problem facing them is necessary. Strong family ties and overall communication which builds trust between child and parent is essential in helping to protect children from predators from all sources.
Watch your children's behavior: Monitoring child access to the Internet is a necessity although children can get to a computer if they really want to. That is why communication, honesty and trust are crucial.
Entertainment industry: This group has a potentially strong and positive roll to play. There were days when sexuality was not used to make a film. In actuality G rated films make the most money. Those who are blessed with the influential decision-making authority as well as the actors, producers, directors, and the working staff do well to understand that what they broadcast has tremendous influence on the culture, nation and world for generations to come.
Pornography: It used to be that looking at pornography was done in secret because it was a moral taboo. The government, society, and people need to enforce the laws available. The popular culture needs to reassert old fashion shame that leads to health, safety and moral decency. There is an old saying, "where the coal is denied the fire goes out."
Popular Culture: The national culture needs to reassert moral standards of decency, integrity, and moral soundness to the nation and community. Churchs/religious and community organizations need to assert themselves. |
Many human trafficking victims run to the church when they escape. Why? Because the Church has always been known as a place of refuge.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony Nassif is the President and founder of the Preventing Abuse Conferences produced by the Cedars Cultural and Educational Foundation. The conferences focused on human trafficking/exploitation and child abduction.
Mr. Nassif and the conferences hosted speakers and supporters from the U.S. State Department, Ambassador John Miller, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State on Human Trafficking, Homeland Security, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, trafficking and kidnap victims, Los Angeles City Council Tony Cardenas and many more. Another conference is planned for Fall of 2006. Date to be announced soon.
Mr. Nassif served on the Los Angeles Task Force on Human Trafficking and Child Prostitution, the Los Angeles Rescue and Restore Coalition and attended the presidential signing of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act held at the White House earlier this year.
He has been interviewed on numerous radio and television programs throughout the nation and the world regarding human trafficking and child abduction. Nassif recently stated on Voice of America Radio broadcast internationally that everyone has an obligation to be involved in dealing with this problem, saying "We are all victims."
|
|
