Seven Year Old Girl Sexually Assaulted on a School Van by bluepastry Blog entry

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by bluepastry

Seven Year Old Girl Sexually Assaulted on a School Van

Ernest Spencer hosts a cable tv show in Kalamazoo , Michigan and interviewed the mother of a seven year North old Canton, Ohio girl who was repeatedly sexually abused on a school bus.

Date: 4/9/2008 11:15:12 AM ( 16 y ) ... viewed 4612 times

Body of South Salt Lake City, Utah Girl, Hser Nay Moo, Found, Suspect Admits Guilt. The girl's body was found about 7 p.m. Tuesday in the basement of No. 472, which is located in the same complex and about 100 feet from where the victim lived. Met also is being held on suspicion of child kidnapping and tampering with evidence, according to a probable cause affidavit released this morning.

The affidavit reads: "After an extensive search for a missing seven year old female, she was located deceased in the basement of the arrestee's residence. Arrestee was interviewed and, post-Miranda admitted to attempting to confine the victim to the residence by Hser Nay Moo force, resulting in her death. Accused also admitted attempting to conceal the body and other forensic evidence."

This type of crime has been on the rise in the USA and the story of this young seven year old Canton Girl is one that should outrage any decent human being.

Ernest Spencer hosts a cable tv show in Kalamazoo , Michigan and interviewed the mother of a seven year old Canton, Ohio girl who was repeatedly sexually abused on a school bus.

A news story can be seen on you tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR0FRHd62GU

It is another story of how male violence and sexua| assault continues to be a problem of epidemic proportion in the United States Of America.

the following press release was issued by the seven year old victims mother:

Seven Year Old Girl Sexually Assaulted on a School Van in Ohio Leads Family and Activists to Join Together to Change Law North Canton, Ohio – March 11, 2008 – On Friday, April 11th, activists, parents, child advocacy groups, disability rights organizations, media personalities, clergy, community leaders, lawyers and others will convene in Ohio to host the "March to Protect Our Children", a civil protest against a state law that fails to protect children on school buses and vans.

Bernadine Wade's seven year old, special needs daughter was sexually assaulted repeatedly as she rode the school van from her home in North Canton to school in Jackson Township. Although, the teenaged perpetrator who assaulted Ms. Wade's daughter admitted to the crime, was found guilty, and served time in a juvenile facility, neither the Jackson School officials nor Jackson Schools Transportation Department officials will acknowledge that the incident even occurred. Why? Because, legally, they don't have to. According to Ohio law, school bus/van drivers are only responsible for transporting children to and from school. They are not responsible for what happens to the children while they are on the bus or van. Under this law, children are not protected against sexua| abuse, assault, or any other violation while riding a school bus or van.

Ms. Wade's daughter is not the only child that has been affected by this grossly negligent legislation. There are at least 11 other cases of children being violated on school buses whose cases have been thrown out of court on the basis of this law. It is the goal of the Wade family and organizers to get the law changed.
The "March to Protect Children" has four main goals:

To raise awareness about Ms. Wade's family and the numerous families impacted by this law.

To hold the Jackson Schools and Jackson Schools Transportation Department accountable for what happens on their school buses and vans and to send a clear message that systems that fail to keep children safe will be challenged.

To serve as a catalytic event that will mobilize people to work on changing the legislation following the march.

To secure legal representation for Ms. Wade and to connect Ms. Wade with plaintiffs in similar cases to possibly form a class action suit.

The Wade family and march organizers are encouraging anyone who wants to participate in the "March to Protect Children" to gather at Jackson Township Park located at 5735 Wales Avenue NW , Massillon , OH at 12:30pm. The march will begin at 1:00pm and will end at Jackson Middle School , located at 7355 Mudbrook Road, NW, Massillon , OH 44646.

If you would like more information about the march or need directions, contact Natasha Thomas at 810-394-2211 or Delma Jackson at 419-508-8968.
If you live in Michigan and want to attend the March but need transportation, contact Natasha. You can also view news coverage of this case by going to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR0FRHd62GU

There's no better time to raise awareness about how adults can keep kids safe from sexua| abuse.

Reflecting our trademark positive and hopeful approach, our Prevention Guidebooks and free Prevention Tools replace fear and dire warnings with sound information and practical tools for action.

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Prevention Guidebooks

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Do Children Sexually Abuse Other Children? Preventing sexua| Abuse Among Children and Youth (Updated and expanded!). Offers a clear, positive discussion about actions adults can take to prevent harmful sexua| interactions between children. (18 pages) Free download

Algo estaba pasando en mi propio hogar, y yo no me habia dado cuenta antes (Something was going on in my own home and I didn't realize it). This Spanish-language brochure, written in mini novella format with lists of warning sign behaviors, informs readers that help is available for people who sexually abuse children.

The most effective prevention happens before a child is harmed. That's where the real opportunity lies. Kids are immediately safer when adults take the time to get accurate information about sexua| abuse and the behaviors that suggest a problem; when every adult makes a commitment to share this information and speak up as soon as they have a concern—rather than waiting for certain evidence of harm. Here are some things that you and your family can do to protect kids from sexua| abuse, beginning today. Adults need to:

Take Responsibility
Watch for any inappropriate behaviors in other adults or older youth because children, especially young ones, are not as able to recognize these behaviors or to protect themselves.
Stay attuned to your children's use of technology – Internet, email, instant messaging, webcam use, peer-to-peer and social networking sites, and cell use, including photo exchanges. Model safe choices and behavior. The illusion of anonymity on these electronic mediums often leads to a breakdown of social rules and expectations that would be assumed if the interactions were face-to-face. Whenever possible, keep the interactions visible and public. Kids and even adults can easily stumble into inappropriate or even dangerous situations and exchanges. Educate yourself. Establish clear, firm guidelines and stick to them.
Show in your own life how to say "no." Teach your children that their "no" will be respected, whether it's in playing or tickling or hugging and kissing. For instance, if your child does not want to give Grandma a kiss, let the child shake hands instead. And, make sure Grandma understands why this is important for the safety of the child.
Set and respect family boundaries. All members of the family have rights to privacy in dressing, bathing, sleeping, and other personal activities. If anyone does not respect these rights, an adult should clearly tell them the family rules.

Speak up when you see any inappropriate behaviors. Interrupt and talk with whomever is making you uncomfortable in a situation or with someone in a position to intervene. They may need help to stop these behaviors.
Report anything you know or suspect might be sexua| abuse. If nobody speaks up, the abuse will not stop.
Learn, Teach, and Practice
Practice talking with other adults about difficult topics. Say the words out loud so that you become more comfortable using the words, asking questions, and confronting behaviors.
Practice talking with both the adults and children in your life about their difficult issues to get them in the habit of talking with you. Show them that you will listen to anything they have to say, even if they talk about something embarrassing or something they've done wrong.
Use the proper names of body parts. Just as you teach your children that a nose is a nose, they need to know what to call their genitals. This knowledge gives children correct language for understanding their bodies, for asking questions that need to be asked, and for telling about any behavior that could lead to sexua| abuse.
Be clear with adults and children about the difference between okay touch and touch that is not okay. For younger children, teach more concrete rules such as "talk with me if anyone — family, friend, or anyone else —touches your private parts." Also teach kids that it is not okay to use manipulation or control to touch someone else's body.
Explain the difference between a secret and a surprise to the adults and children you knowand show them how secrets may make kids unsafe. Surprises are joyful and generate excitement in anticipation of being revealed after a short period of time. Secrets exclude others, often because the information will create upset or anger. When keeping secrets with just one person becomes routine, children are more vulnerable to abuse.
Make it clear that children will be supported when they request privacy or say "no" to an activity or a kind of touch that makes them uncomfortable.
Give kids permission to tell anyone they trust if they feel scared, uncomfortable or confused about someone's behavior toward them.
Make a Plan

Create a family safety plan that is clear to everyone and easy to follow. Make sure that as adults, you know how to challenge each other when you see any inappropriate behaviors. List who to talk with when you see something you are unsure about and who to call if you believe there is a need to report sexua| abuse. Teach the children about what to do and who to talk with if they are sexually threatened or touched by someone.
Make a list of people and organizations you can call for advice, information, and help (see the Stop It Now Online Resource Guide). Even if you do not have children of your own, you can be a resource about how to report and how to get help for everyone involved. If you know that a child has been sexually abused, be sure to get help for the child quickly, so the harm can be healed.

Real prevention builds your confidence that you have the power and knowledge to keep your kids safe. Remember, the most effective prevention involves actions you take before any abuse occurs. Prevention can start in your home today.

Concerned About Sex Offenders in Your Neighborhood?
What You Can Do to Protect Your Family

You thought your neighborhood was pretty safe. Suddenly, your sense of security is shaken. Media stereotypes about people who sexually abuse children can make it all seem overwhelming. You needn't be overwhelmed. Start by learning the facts. Accurate information about the situation can help you turn fear into confidence that you really can keep your family safe. Here are some other things you can do to help make you feel secure again.

What You Can Do If You Find Out Someone With A sexua| Abuse Conviction Is Living In Your Community
Don't Panic. Respond calmly. Act with thought. Many people with a history of sexually offending are motivated to succeed when they re-enter society. Contrary to conventional wisdom, counseling can be very effective. Re-arrest rates for sexua| offenses are actually very low. When given steady support, counseling and supervision they often pose little threat to anyone in the neighborhood.
Create a family safety plan. Your children and your family need to know what to do if anyone — family, friend, acquaintance, neighbor, or stranger — is approaching a child sexually. Remember, abuse is most likely to happen with someone you already know. Download Create A Family Safety Plan for details.

Look for more information. If there was a public notice, ask the contact person or organization on the notice for more information. There may be a public meeting, local resources, or other materials that would help you and your family. Information may be available on the state's sex offender registry.

Attend the public Community Notification Meeting if there is one so that you can to learn more about this person, their risk level, and how they will be supervised in the community. Learn about the restrictions that have been placed on this person so that if you see them doing something inappropriate you know how to report it.
Find out if a person convicted of a sexua| offense is being supervised. Ask the person or organization who has notified you whether the person who sexually abused in the past is being supervised by a probation or parole officer. You should be able to get the name and telephone number of the probation or parole officer. This officer may be able to answer more complex questions about the risk this person may pose to your family.
If circumstances seem right, consider joining another neighbor in approaching the person with an offer of support, perhaps through the probation or parole office, Remember, you may already know this person or know their family and friends. Even if they are new in your community, they are a part of it now. If the person who sexually abused is open and honest about the past, they may really be trying to change and live a different life. Show your support for their willingness to live a different life that keeps children safe. Your support and watchfulness can help in their recovery. It is also a chance to alert them that you know about their past and are aware of their actions today. For a successful example of this, read this story of hope from a community member.
Notify the police if you see this person in a suspicious situation. Avoid a hostile confrontation. Making threats or taking revenge may put you at legal risk. It's also important to avoid any action that may just push the person who has sexually abused into hiding, where normal life is almost impossible and it's easier to go back to old abusive ways. No matter how you feel about this person, if you see him or her in a suspicious or dangerous situation, call the police or probation/ parole officer. Many people who have sexually abused go on to live productive, abuse-free lives. But not all will make the needed changes in their lives. Your supportive watchfulness may help the person who has abused keep himself or herself under control.

Don't Wait To Take Action for Prevention
What we do know is that there are people who have abused in our communities, some already identified, some not. Don't just wait to be notified about someone who has been convicted of a sexua| offense. Talk to your family and friends now. Make the sexua| safety of children a priority all the time with everyone in your community.

Remember: 88% of sexua| abuse is never reported. Authorities can't notify you about most people who sexually abuse because they've never been identified.

Your safety action plans for your family and community are the same whether or not you've been notified about someone with an offense in your community. Think about those who may abuse in the same way that you stay aware of possible speeding cars, children in the streets, or drug dealers near your child's school.

If you know what to look for and how to take action, people who sexually abuse children will not have access to them. Their abusive behavior can be stopped when we are all aware. They can get help to prevent any further abuse.