In Neal Stephenson’s science fiction, The Diamond Age or, a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer, there were a few lines that jumped out at me:
“… Sometimes he would have Nell come into the bathroom with him to scrub his back because he couldn’t quite reach one spot in the middle. Sometimes he would look at Nell’s hair and tell her that she needed a bath, and then she would take off her clothes and climb into the shower with him and he would help wash her…”
Here’s a 4-year old innocent, unsuspecting little girl slowly being lured into the conniving hands of her mother’s untrustworthy boyfriend. What may seem innocent (or begins innocently) can turn out to be the most traumatic experience a child ever has.It’s always the one you least expect; the molester can be anyone — friend, family member, neighbor, teacher, babysitter, priest, pastor, male, female, heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual — who can you trust? Our children are surrounded by sexual predators 24/7 — they’re running amuck throughout our nation and our little ones haven’t a clue! How can we protect them? How will we bring an end to this madness? How do you “fix” your child when the damage is done? Why are predators and pedophiles being released from jail and allowed to move in next door? Is warning a community that a pedophile just moved into their neighborhood the best solution our government can come up with?
