エ wonder how long had it been before she wrote the letter 2 santa about this happening it really hurts my heart.

hi Rick
It is very sad that anyone is treated like this. if they did it they should spend life in jail.

But more and more men are victoms of fauls acusations of child abuse, I am one of them. even after 18 years my ex points the finger at me when she knows it was this other guy, she points the finger at me because I left her. her little girl to this day thinks I did this to her.

It is so wrong for either to happen, but they both do. I wish no child would have this done to them and I also wish no person would be faulsly accused of it.

Its really unfortunate that so many little girls go through this tyoe of abuse yet some never say a word.. ( for fear that they would be looked upon as a liar or something more) i wish there was a service out here that little girls can run to when things like this happen to them ... it certainly breaks my heart ..

This is such a horrible trauma for a child. I , as a victim, and, now, as a Survivor, and Advocate for Victims of DV and Child Ause, am appalled daily by the stories of what so-called "Loved Ones" will do to children. What's worse, these cases may be forgotten by most, tomorrow. This is just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of DV. The numbers, more than likely, are high, but what of the ones yet to "Break the Silence" (by accident, or not)?? The babies, children, AND adults that can't be "counted".... Those are the ones I truly fear for....

I just wish there was a special place to put all these pervs! Throw them on an island surrounded by electric bobwire and leave them to die. Also, a good polling question is how many of the molesters molest again......

Also, do you think that the school system could educate children and let them know they can tell someone there?

i am a victim of a rapest. I know my attacker. all the people i know that have been attacked they know there attacker.

EVERYONE is responsible for keeping children safe, but especially parents. Don't think it is none of your business–act if you suspect. Report any kind of child abuse!

THANK YOU Rick for doing this story!!!

I can only wonder how long this abuse had been going on, and what her MOTHER did about it if she knew. Did Mom choose the StepDad over her child?

As a parent, it is MY job to know what is going on with my kids. And if someone thinks I'm overprotective? Great! I'm doing my job – I'm PARENTING my child. I figure, I'm entitled to do so, considering I carried him, protected him, gave birth to him, and all...

But maybe, I'm off my rocker here. Maybe I'VE got that wrong...

Did you actually say your wife is a distant second in relative importance to your 4 kids?

it is sad, very sad. i feel bad for any child or children to go through of being any way abused. it makes me think of that little arizona boy?

I am so glad CNN is doing stories like this one. We need to be informed.

Hey Rick, you just made the case for your earlier story...
You seem uspet that 80% of child sex abusers are known by the children, family or friends... you conveyed how this makes you think of your own children and the risk they are at...
Does it NOW make sense how gay groups can be disgusted that Warren compares gays to child sex abusers??? Gay groups do not like being lumped in with vicious and cruel child abusers.

Rick,

I heard you make a comment about how it's our responsibility as parents to let our children know they can talk to us even if it's not easy for us or them.

Thank you very much for being so open and real on TV. I'm sure some parents just needed a little boost and will now talk to their children tonight!!!

Great Job,

The Watson Family

adults can be horrible to children. I feel this child's pain and am releaved to know that the person harming her has been caught. Throw him underneath the jail! PIG!

I'm not sure if it is right or wrong to warn a child about potential sexual abuse. If we warn a child about every bad thing that might happen to them, we may harm them emotionally. But we surely live in a sick and sad society if it is even necessary to debate the subject.

Rick,
Yes it is the parents' job to talk to their children. My children are grown now, over 30, and as a person who was abused by a family member, you would think that I would have talked to my children. It has taken many years, and therapists, to finally realize that it was not my fault. I still don't feel comfortable talking about it. However, I was supersensitive to my chilldren's moods and watched them closely around family members.

as of right now, I and another person have a law suit against a school, which involves a teacher who is known to make sexual comments to children and adults at the school. We are getting no where, the school virtually ignores this teacher because he has been with this school and is well liked and the other adults think it;s cute. I know that in many cases people do not want to make waves because of their jobs. I have lost my job and that too I have tried to fight and they come up with other reasons that I can't legally battle. The law is so vague when it comes to the firing of people for virtually no reason. It happened to me. You try to do what you know is right and get punished for it.

I think what you just said about it being a parents responsibility to talk to their children about sexual abuse is absolutely true, Rick. All parents need to be open with their children and repeatedly state on a regular basis that they are available and listening any time another person, of any age, tries to touch their private areas or tries to entice them to touch anothers' private areas, or take their clothes off.

In response to what AJ said, I have a cousin who was falsely accused as you were, by the mother of his daughter during their divorce. Children need to be taught to tell the truth no matter what, even if one parent cajoles or threatens them.

Totally agree with what you said about about teaching children about sexual abuse...the problem I see is not so much with the children "learning" but the family member(s) "teaching"; Even now with society being open about sexual subjects, parents are still unwilling to discuss the issue of sexual abuse...maybe talk to family members of those who have been abused and ask them.."did you ever discuss sexual abuse with your child, if not, "WHY"?

We have a family member who was molested by a family friend, a teenage boy. The child was not alone with him but he did this while riding in a car with the child! We knew the teenager and his family for over 10 years! Law enforcement was contacted over 6 months ago and still no results, no answers, no arrests, NOTHING!

The child has had to go to counseling and this has been so hurtful to the WHOLE family!

It's amazing how quickly law enforcement will act when it comes to animal abuse, but with a child we keep being told "these things take time"...

What can be done? Why does it take so long for something to be done? The child has no previous abuse, is a good student and told their parents about what happened. Law enforcement was contacted the same day that the child told the parents.

What other avenues can be taken? Is there REALLY justice for our children in America when it takes so long to get sexual predators off of the streets?

Hi Rick,
I think it's amazing that the child's abuser was discovered this way, Santa does exist. What I didn't hear is that they had confirmation that the child's account was verified before the perpetrator was exposed to the media?

~Michael

Hi Rick,
As a child, I was abused by a family member. I know what thats like. In later years a guy that worked for me was accused of molesting his daughter. I knew this man well. I could not believe he did this. He went to trial, was found guilty, his life ruined. Four years later his daughter said she lied. She said she was mad because he wouldn't let her go to the mall. OOOPS!

So, my thought is this... and having been abused, I'm allowed to think whatever I want about this subject... I think it is MUCH too easy for someone to be arrested for this crime. What besides a letter do the authorities have?? If the guy is guilty... lock the Bas(*&^ up forever... but in cases of this particular crime I think we jusp to "Guilty" Way too fast. Think about it. What if one of your children got mad and wrote Santa??? They do have minds of their own. Just food for thought.
Merry Christmas & God Bless. Stan.

I am a 43 year-old adult just having had a double cervical discectomy with a fusion due to far advanced cervical spondylosis. Along with finding that I have bilateral retinal scarring. Each time I was asked by the doctors had I been in a car accident. Each time the answer was no. EVERY person that was supposed to care for me as a child inflicted Physical, Emotional, and sexual abuse upon me, even the foster father when me and my brother were placed in Foster Care. I am so relieved that there is more focus and awareness of child abuse. Ours (my brother's and my) case was one of the first child abuse cases actually prosecuted back in 1972. So yes, I do believe the 80% number.

Rick your comments regarding how to speak to your children are almost spot on. I say almost because the emphasis should be on the "who and where". It is important that our children know where they should NOT be touched and we must make that as normal a conversation as possible for the children. Please do continue your reporting on this story because, much like a drug conversation, this is not an easy one to have with kids.

Your facts on people who commit sex offenses shows that the sex registry and sex laws are completely misdirected. It is easier to promote fear then to education.

So many children are molested every second, Rick. It is so sad that the people you trust e.g. uncles, cousins etc are the very ones who commit this atrocities. Fortunately the victims know their abusers but the sad part is that they are afraid to say who they are. Like you suggested, it's high time parents get closer to thier children to find out things that border them, like this one. The parents inturn have to rport the case to the police regardless of whose reputation is at stake or family ties they may have with the abuser. This is the only way we can reduce the these UNGODLY acts towards children. God bless you for throwing light on this issue. It borders me a lot.

We have a family member who was molested by a family friend, a teenage boy. The child was not alone with him but he did this while riding in a car with the child! We knew the teenager and his family for over 10 years! Law enforcement was contacted over 6 months ago and still no results, no answers, no arrests, NOTHING!

The child has had to go to counseling and this has been so hurtful to the WHOLE family!

It's amazing how quickly law enforcement will act when it comes to animal abuse, but with a child we keep being told "these things take time"...

What can be done? Why does it take so long for something to be done? The child has no previous abuse, is a good student and told their parents about what happened. Law enforcement was contacted the same day that the child told the parents.

What other avenues can be taken? Is there REALLY justice for our children in America when it takes so long to get sexual predators off of the streets?

This story is so upseting and sickning. What if no one read her letter? Not making this sound wrong, but if she was getting molested she should have told someone other than Santa. Nonetheless I'm glad he was arrested, so these horrible things can stop.

horrible. These children should never have to endure the pain of abuse. Abusers don't realize or care about what this child is going to deal with forever.

I have been working for years for a firm that tests and monitors sex offenders. Thank you for your coverage, but you should be aware of the shift from typically male sex offenders to both men and women who are molesting. The Internet affords vivid and easily available depictions of child pornography. Our county tried to ban viewing pornography in the library and the library refused because they said it violated the constitutional rights of the viewers and yet they freak out if someone utters a curse word on television. What a world we have created.

Rick, Please tell parents that their child will not tell them about abuse if the child is afraid that it will cause the parent to get into trouble. In other words, if you mouth off in front of your child about "what you would do if something like that ever happened to one of your children", that will stop your child from confiding in you. If the child is afraid you will go out and "kill" someone and possibly get hurt or go to jail, the child will keep silent to protent the parent. The child must be able to trust that the parent is capable of protecting them, and not make matters worse.
Thank you.
Susan in Artesia, NM

Dear Rick,
when you wanr your children about abuse, since it is, as you put it so eloquently, YOUR responsibility and YOUR duty and not the teachers or authorities, please don't forget to warn them also that they are very likely to be molested by YOURSELF, 80% according to your previous sentence and instruct them to go to the police should YOU ever make an inappropriate advancement.

Seriously, is this really the world we want to live in? A world of made up scares, panic and boogymen? I wonder if you have seen the Southpark Episode that deals exactly with this type of witchhunt panic? The parents there sent the children away from their town since TV convinced them that they were a greater threat to their own children than any stranger.

We should really sit back and take a deep breath and examine those "statistics" you are quoting, based upon their source, their reliability and how scientific they really were. As a devout sceptics, I respectfully doubt your statement that 80% of all children are "at risk" of being molested. Guess what? If you take the number of all humans who ever lived and all humans who are alive right now, it is statistically more probable that we all are dead already.

I thought CNN is a serious station but recently, especially with shows like your's, it looks to me like you are more and more drifting down to the level of Fox "News" or all the local news stations. Please review your articles before you air them and check with other sources, not just the scare- and ratings departments. You're supposed to be a journalist and not Bill O'Reilly.

Kind regards

Fritz

Just another note...because of my emotional state as a 8 year old they sent me back to my abusive mother when the foster parents deemed me a uncontrollable child. We have come a long way and I really hope we keep our eyes and hearts open to the children that are sufferering.

Rick, this topic of sexual abuse with children isn't guessing how many jelly beans are in the jar, and I am surprised to hear you making a light guessing game of an abuse that will most likely ruin a childs innocence and affect the rest of their life.
Please don't become Ann Curry with constant pity, , but this topic is too serious, to be playing a guessing game with it.

Denise

I am glad this topic is on here- i will be even more happy when the coverage about the injustice against April Griffin is exposed on a nationally balanced forum; She tried to get a restraining order against him- she was locked up for nine months without a bail, charge, or trial because the judge became enraged with anger that she refused to give her address to her abuser-then he told her as punishment he was giving her baby to the abuser-who tried to kill her and the baby- and he put an arrest warrant out for the nine month old baby boy-and the story only gets worse-

My sister is 46 years old and told me last month that she was sexually abused by a neighbor when she was 6. It only happened one time and she never told anyone all of these years. She used to go over and play with the children that lived there. She never went back.

Rick, Thank you for loving your kids, and stating that they are YOUR responsibility. More parents need to realize that THEY are responsible for their children's safety.

Rick-The best thing for America to do now: The fact is we owe China for all the loans we buy everything from China our roads are owned by UAE, Dubia and other countries. All Americans that have lost their jobs, homes and automobiles, there is really no why we can recover. The banks will not be able to give credit and people. With people that have bad credit they will never get a job, house and automobile. Are Government needs to face it We are in The Big “D” and this time we cannot get out of it, so we put the US up for sale to the highest bidder and let China and/or the Middle East buy us.

My heart goes out to the little girl. I know what she is going through. My step father molested me and it took a good part of my life to get over. What has helped me to overcome and heal was my faith, family and writing a book about my abuse.People need to realize that children who are abused knows the abuser. Let this be a warning out there to all parents especially those who are single parents and are bringing someone new into their child's life. Really get to know the person or people you allow around your children.

Hi, Rick –

What we don't seem to be talking about when one of these stories comes up is that what is happening today is a legacy of generations born into a world which looked the other way when they saw kids being abused because speaking up "just wasn't done."

It's also a legacy of having ignored what war does to those in the military, their kids (spouses, friends, coworkers, etc) and those living in the lands so affected, military and non-military alike.

The real shame of all is that people have far more power to help heal the hurt than they think. These are crimes of humans against humans. Against them, psychology and medicine are treatments, but never a complete cure. But if one human's been terrible to you, having other humans reach out and take you back into the race offers hope and vital nurturing which goes far beyond treatment.

It may take a village, a nation a church or temple full of people linking arms and bearing witness but in the end, to listen, to be there, to share and invite someone into your life is not just the cure but the measure of who we are as people – and why such things happen when we don't open our hearts. Those who look away, who won't hear someone else cry out in pain are the same people who leave these problems up to someone else to fix and thus a part of why the problem exists.

And yes, I've been there.

Thanks for speaking out on this subject, and for putting it out into the public forum. You do a great deed not only for your own children but for millions of others – adult or young though they may be.

Happy holidays, Rick.
Boots

Rick, I am a surviver of almost 12 year of abuse, in my family 7 childern where molsted by the same people. I think that we can count 1 other but that person won't speak out. When I tried to stop the abuse of the younger ones once I was older the Police handled it very badly and so the childern all 6 suffered until they became adults. As a parent I watched my children closely even with people I trusted. Just to make sure that nothing like this could happen to them. Because I have spoken to them about this issue without burdening them with the actual details they will watch their own children even with close family members that they trust. Thank you for saying that it is the parents job to teach and protect their children. Please do not use my name on the show if you decide to read this, Even at this age adults) I still thank that I have a duty to shield my children from the gory
details.
sincerely
M

Child abuse is the " war on terror" we should have taken on. Abuse of a child, sexual, physican and otherwise is an act perfromed by the worst kind of terrorists!

Lets not forget that boys are victims of abuse, too. And abuse can be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual as well

Rick, It's important as parents that we empower our children. Everytime we say "go give grampa a hug" or tell our children to not talk back to the priest or the teacher, or not to be rude to people we take away their power to know what's right and wrong when it comes to people in power that are involved in our childrens lives. Children need to understand that they have the authority and ability to say no to situations which make them uncomfortable. A child should never be forced to go give creapy old grampa a hug if they don't want to, or to talk to the teacher or preacher or whomever they might not want to talk to. There's a big difference between teaching our children not to be rude, and placing them in the position where they feel they don't have a choice. Parents to make sure their child have a voice and grampa is just going to have to understand.

Rick, your comments on parenting "your children" were very well said. We, the parents and grandparents, are the ones responsible for teaching and protecting our kids. The big question is how do we screen teachers, coaches, daycare workers and others that are in contact with our kids. When it is a family member involved, we can only pray that someone within that family will stand up for the children. Faith and prayer.
Thank You

Rick the father of my wifes kids have been touched by him.he is a regestered sex offinder in alabama .the state said thier was not enough to convict him. But he was convicted of sex asault in the second .On a 13 year old female . He spent 2 days in jail that is all. Now he has moved to a new state changed his name and now works as a Volinteer Fireman. But he has moved several times without regestering for the Megans Law which he is suppose to for the rest of his life. Now he has 3 little girls one of them passed away back in 2006 she was 6 weeks old, and the oldest is 4 or 5 and the baby is just a couple months old.Just wanted you to know that the system is not working. But thanks for keeping this on the news

Thank god this child was helped. It is horrible to hear that it even happened at all. I suffered from sexual and physical abuse by a family member all through elementary and middle school. I have worked so hard to regain my life. Hopefully, she will be able to do the same now that he is out of her life. Not only is the abuse difficult, but the fact that any punishment the abuser receives, if any, will never be enough to cover up what they have done to you.

I'm 24 years old and I once thought about being a father someday. Now all I think about is how irresponsible most people are and how little they know how much of a HUGE responsibility is to take care of, protect and guide the very innocence that comes into the ever changing turbulent world. I agree with Rick. It's THE PARENTS/Caretaker, the sole provider or protector of a child to find ways to reduce/eliminate ways for predators to hurt OUR future "hope". My suggestion is that our government should create more regulating agencies in our public places. If a particular area of a community becomes more susceptible to child abuse, more enforcement needs to be present and carefully watched for extended periods of time until problem is resolved. Period.

Dear Rick,

Just watching you on CNN, speaking of how you shared with your wife the importance of teaching the kids what is appropriate touching and what is not etc. And...how it is the parents responsibility to teach children not the pastor, the school etc.

Rick, I had incredible parents, they gave me everything, education, support and love. And, they always taught me that if anyone ever touched me inappropriately then I must tell them because it is wrong.

Despite the teachings and the love I received, I was molested by my father's youngest brother ( my uncle ) and to this day I never told my parents. I became anorexic at 5, and ended up in the hospital because I could not eat. I know now, all of it was due to my being molested. Yet, when I had doctors and my parents asking me if anything happened to me to make me stop eating, I looked at them and lied saying " NO".

Why did I lie? Why did I choose not to tell and protect the vile man who was molesting me? It was shame and fear, combined with being told " if anyone ever touches you daddy will kill them".

My uncle is dead now, so is my mom and all I have left of family is my father, and to this day, I cannot tell him because I know it would destroy him.

I belive when you do teach your children the parent must also add that if it ever happened it is not the childs fault and it is nothing to be ashamed of and that daddy won't murder them, he will call the police and they will make sure the person is punished.

he parent that isnt abusing ALWAYS suspects. They just prefer not to know the truth. I will never believe that mother if she says she doesn't know. Does she not do laundry? Does she not bath the girls? That is HER JOB in life To PROTECT. She FAILED.
As did my mother. I was so zealous about my children being safe, that when my son was 4 and fell hurting his privates, I had to tell him that a doctor was ok to touch his area. It is a parents DUTY, one we should never shy from

President-Elect Biden authored the Violence Against Women Act- which I Know i Wisconsin-Milwaukee is intentionally ignored-it is a fact that an abuser to the woman is likely too abuse the child-its sad-and the system is broke- there is very little protection and guess what the judge in the paternity hearing told my sister he will not hear anything about abuse his exact words were, "You women always come in here with that, he beat me, he beat me." I was shocked and horrified." I am just waiting to know when will they matter-or will they matter when he (Matthew Sebuliba) kills one of them? After the damage is done-then people want to listen and talk about solutions . Prevention is better than the cure!

I was raped at age 11 by a family member. When he was caught in the act...I was blamed. When I ended up in an abusive relationship years later, and tried to file a report because of all the TV ads saying how abuse victims are helped. No one would take my report, even with the busted lip, cuts and bruises. I even called the hotline and was asked "are you still in the house now?" I said I had just moved into a hotel that day and the response was "Ok.. You are out. We can't help you".

Sometimes you wonder. Why bother to speak out? No one is listening. It just how you feel. And I feel worse for men who are raped by women...and it does happen. There are vibrators out there and not all women are delicate little flowers.

Rape, child and domestic abuse should be taken seriously, no matter what race, gender, sexual orientation and/or relationship status.

Sanchez, you have got to be kidding me, you are about my age and you seem so surprise! Where have you been? I am 45years old and at least 90% of my girl friends are survivors, such as myself not from anyone involved with my mother but a close family friend.
The problem again is absent fathers, and lonely struggling mothers. Women must realize that men today are not just looking for a meal and a place to live they are looking for children to mess around with.
The more children the more the man says he finds you attractive, but he is really talking about your children. Single mothers need to stay single, the kids will be gone before you know and then only should you start your new life. Single mothers who chose husband when they have children are looking for trouble and more time than not the children find themselves in trouble.
Any mother who allows a man, to come in their home and do such things to her children should be arrest along with the sicko. I am at the end of raising five successful children with out a husband (husband just means man around the house,) yeah he is sneaking around the house.

My wife was molested by her step-father as a child at ten years old until she was seventeen. That's been 36 years ago and she has never had therapy.I have talked to her for 23 years to seek help as well as to have him arressted and she won't because her mother has begged her not to do it.Her mother knew what was going on and didn't act on it because it was said that she wasn't going to lose her house and access to the luxury cars that he owned.The mother and step-father are now divorced and she is still begging my wife not to tell the authorities. Her a_ _ needs to be locked up right beside him as an accessory because she knew what was going on.How dare these mothers allow this to happen to any of their children and know it ,but look in the other direction. My wife's Biological brother who calls himself a preacher did the same thing a few years ago to one of the children in the Church and his behind went to jail. That's where all these pedafiles belong.

To:ShawtyCat: Please do not give up- you can't give up- these stories need to be told- you know I am Black, and I say to myself if a white man abused my sister and raped her the 'Black Groups' such as NAACP and so forth would be all over this-but because it was a Black man-its like they are like oh well-its normal-and its not- April story will at some point prayerfully sooner than later will get the attention that it truly deserve- but it seems that if its not sensationalized many people will overlook it-but we are not going to give up- and please you should not either-we need to somehow organize a national awareness strategy or something...

Take the case in NY with the 44 yr old PTA woman and the 13 yr old boy. If the woman was pretty or beautiful, you would hear people automatically dismissing any idea of rape because they would consider the boy lucky. That he had male prowess for sleeping with the older woman. They would put him in the role of power and take away his victim status. In a sense, the boy asked for it.

The boy is 13, the age of consent in NY is 17 for both girls and boys. There shouldn't be any exceptions to the law making it more favorable towards women predators. If the boy was gay, I know someone somewhere would also dismiss his abuse as being "good for him" to make him heterosexual in the current political climate.

As a mother, I don't care if it was a man or woman, relative or not, no one touches my children. Even if they are over the age of consent, no should mean no for both genders.

I am in my mid 40s.Being a victum my self.My heart goes out to the girls.My abuser is still out there. My mother did not prosacute him to protect us.But I know that there is more victums from this guy.I was only 5 when it started.laws need to be stiffer for sex abusers.This gentleman sexauly physicaly and mentaly abused us for years.But when she found out she through him out. We have not seen him since then but his sisters still live in washington county md. his initails are vpk.I wish he was routing in jail.

My sister was fat- until she did those nine months she went in 230 came out 130-now she's back in facing 12 years $25,000.00 bail -no prior criminal record-charge is interference with custody-because she tried to protect her baby and her when she was beaten and paralyzed by the police-she's also charged with resisting arrest-the Judge in the paternity case in May 2007, told her he was going to treat her like an Iraqi prisoner-did not care if her breast milk ran dry and he was going to see to it that she was going to do 12 years-he is worse than Adolf Hitler-and like I said the story only gets worse-believe me! I have to log off about an hour-but I will be black -this site is a true blessing- you know I just saw Rick's show for the first time-channel surfing- I don't know how I could not have known about him-but see we learn something new every day! To me he is phenomenal-he is a risk taker-dare to be be different!

As a victim myself, I too was molested from age 8 to 12 yrs. old. Also the pervert worked at a school and had worked at other schools where he would get caught doing various sexual miscondcut things and the schools would tell him he either resign oir be fired. He would resign and quietly move to another school where he was a janitor.When I would contact these schools they said that becuz of privacy laws,they could not tell anyone of his record. Thast a bunch of bull to protect these perverts when they should be protecting our students.This was in Iowa ,last year and I do not know each state's law. Gettig to my comment- You should definitely SHOW THE PERVERTS FACE- do the public a favor. The girl has nothing to be ashamed of or feel bad that everyone will know its her becuz of his picture- GOOD, EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW and DESERVES TO KNOW who these creeps are. I walked around for years not telling anyone til I was 35 years old and when I did tell someone- my pastor- he said "you better have your story straight and how much money are you going to sure for"? After that- I was sorry that i told anyone.It was such a relief to finally tell someone who I thought was a safe bet and it was awful.Thats why victims dont tell people- with responses such as that. PLEASE put his picture and every other CHILD MOLESTER on bilboards,websites,etc..... they cant get away with it and by you not showing their faces youa re protecting them- that is not right! Being a child molester is a sickness, which you will never recover from and being molested-you will never forget it . I actually emailed the guy that molestyed me the story and I told him that as he knew I have forgiven him,but never could forget it, but I have to forgive myself for letting him walk around doing this ,by me not telling anyone for so long. I have to live with it. BOTTOM LINE is this girl from Texas or any other girl should be proud of her self, Let the molester feel the shame.She has nothing to feel ashamed of-as a victim you feel in some way you brought it on ,you deserve it. PLEASE Plaster his picture and others everywhere. Kathy Kaeser/Iowa

You said a mouthful; but I wonder if you realize the true percentage of neglect and abuse of our most innocent and vunerable citizens . Being an individual with many years of professional experience both as a counselor and social worker in Runaway and Abuse Shelters; I can assure you that the percentage you referred to is only based upon a questimate from the reported cases and therefore cannot reflect how insidious this situation is world-wide. You are wise to discuss with your wife and then undertake the delicate responsibility of protecting your children by arming them with accurate information and encouraging and supporting them and any concerns they may ever have . It is the first and most important defense that they have and it is essential that it is done frequently throughout their childhood. They must also be reminded to talk to you about anything suspicious or uncomfortable immediately. Keep the faith. There are many child advocates in the field that have written very informative and instructive books on how to best approach this issue with your children and at any age. We are living in a violent and dangerous time; I fear that this predatory behavior has been with humans for as long as we've been on this planet. This issue is as real on the other end of the human life span when we are once again vunerable do to advanced aging. Child and Elder Abuse have much in common; the strong prey upon the weak. If you went to the furthest extreme then clearly Casey's alleged murder of her young daughter, Caylee is besides the obvious, child abuse. If we were a more civilized society we would literally teach self-defense, common-sense and "run and tell" tactics in every elementary school as a mandatory course. Perhaps, if we taught in school, and in the home to be sure that all children learned all that they needed to know to stay safe. then we would not be missing so many children or watching with horror situations such as poor little Caylee's on the news. It is one of the absolutely saddest realities of our times and it happens child after child every minute of the day and night all over the world.

I do not think anyone is really getting to the root of our economic problems. We have taken it for granted that the top 5% of our population has been skimming 30% of the cream for so long that we have come( and them too) as the status quo and this is the way it is going to be. Not only have we been getting robbed blind for so long, but they are so greedily wanting more. I see the same Senators that have locked up any health care for the average citizen get the very best medical care and the same Senators who have dithered about the autoworkers pay have got a 5000$ pay raise coming! If there is a "reassessment" coming I merely urge that we reassess the whole deal from top to bottom ! They are riding a dead horse into the ground and there is lots of suffering yet to come, why should we working people be the only ones to suffer? About the "unemployment rate" the actual amount is at least double the reported rate. Talk about lies. I do not expect you to do anything with this because you are part of the problem, not part of its solution if at this point there is one but a slow decline into disaster for all of us. Sincerely, Steve Inskeep

If this child abuse victim could talk:

Do you See The Tears Running Through My Eyes
Do You Even Know Why I Cry
With A Heart Filled With Sadness
With A Heart Made Of Strength
Understand Me When I Say This
I Cry And Cry Day And Night
Hearing Momma Say, "It Will Be Alright"
I Need Comfort
I Need Care
I Need Momma To Be There
When The Skies Are Cloudy
And My Heart Is Blue
Momma, Momma, Please.........................I Need You!

(in love and care of Baby Jesse Moses Peter Emanuel Griffin-to his mother, political prisoner April Hope Precious Griffin)

Do you have to be at least "Middle Class' to matter? Alot of rape and domestic violence victims are often poor, and income is classified as 'below poverty'; is this why the victims' faces are picked and chosen to be plastered in the media? I have not ever heard a politician state a classification of people who are not 'middle class'...

Hello everyone i was watching the show the other day and the topic of being molested came up i continued to watch because as a child i was molested by my father and i wanted to know if possible how do i begin to put something like this behind me? although it happened years ago it still bothers me i want to confront my parents about it because i told my mother but she didn't believe me someone anyone please help me

(edited)
Latosha- your story is heartbreaking-you know you should give to your mother the movie "Woman, Thou Are Loose", it features Bishop T D Jakes-the movie is a story based on some of the things you spoke about -you need healing and closure- I can't understand why society fails victims such as you, such as ShawtyCat, such as my sister April- I wish I knew the right words or had the answer you all search for-but what you can do, is be a voice for those whose lips cannot move-lets try to organize like a cyber sit in-or something-something has got to be done-if we are truly the land of the free and the home of the brave then why is it okay to be oppressed and enslaved?

Even the Pope has recently denounced child abuse-what's wrong with the legal system here?

Dear Rick;

The presumption of innocense is central to our judiciary and to american citizenship. Every american citizen has its protection, including Governors and all other, public officials. Gov. B has this right, too. You forget this, constantly, when you are on camera. Even you have this right, Rick.

This presumption is not something one hides behind.. You need a course in constitutional law, Rick. The look on your face when you cover the Gov. B story demonstrates a lack of understanding how our system of due process of law, the right to confront and cross examine your accusers, works.

Why can't you honor this man's right to justice and due process of law? You seem to reflect the idea that Gov. B must be guilty of something or he would not have been charged. Or, that this indictment document is so BIG and THICK (WOW!), he must be guilty of something!!

If a legally elected governor like Gov. B, acts like a governor and makes a proper and rational legislative appointment to the Illinois senate, why do you show a smirk on your face, as if that, too, is a criminal act? If a man really is innocent, why would he not act like an innocent man and do his job, Rick?

Learn some law and show some humility, Rick.

Ronald B. Keys, JD, PhD, Attorney, Michigan and New York

Has anyone payed any attention to this so called crime recently? I think you should get this back up & on the air now that the mom has admitted this was all a hoax so she wouldn't be deported. Rick you were correct in the first 5 min of reporting this crime not to show the stepdad's face for now it SEEMS he is the truely the victim & that the mom had her kids write a fake letter to Santa. Please revist this & check out the latest on this crime.

It (pot) releives the pain of my osteoarthritus and is not a buzz like feytanyl and oxycotin I go to my docters in fla to get the drugs to sell to the junkies so I can by my pot to releive the pain.

Wow I have much luv for michael and his family. Peter King well that old fart i think is just jelous of how much more popular Michael is than him. Some representative we have....