To say I was shocked and appalled to hear founder of Hear the Children's Cry Betty Ann Blaine imply that only children from poor homes go missing is a gross understatement.
Speaking at the launch of National Missing Children's Awareness Week, Blaine further stated that these children run away from home due to bad or poor treatment as well as abuse. Unlike Blaine, I don't wear blinkers that force me to see only one direction.
Advocacy does not entitle people to misrepresent facts and state half-truths in support of those for whom they advocate. Furthermore, an advocate needs to appear credible in order to be taken seriously.
I met a girl who ran away from an affluent St Andrew community because she could sit with friends in the dry river bed in the hills behind Cherry Gardens and smoke weed. While I know that is the exception rather than the rule, the fact remains that most of these "missing children" are girls. The facts, also, are that most of these girls return home unharmed and tight-lipped about where they've been. Others return pregnant, some with sexually transmitted infections, and still other with just signs of being sexually active. Then there are the storied cases of those who admit they were with their boyfriends.
The debate then should be centred on the moral decay within the fabric of society, which sees children glorifying sex and grown men soliciting and accepting sexual favours from minors. Spread the debate to include parents who "pimp out" children or who are complicit with the immoral lifestyle of their children, and persons who know of these occurrences and do nothing about it. Doing something is as simple as calling 119. The information will get to the relevant agency.
That needs to be Blaine's focus; not to vilify the parents of children who are away from home. Trust me, those parents live through hell not knowing the whereabouts of their children. Not to mention the siblings at home pining over the absence of that loved one.
Advocates need to be careful with pronouncements. Don't paint a picture of gloom in the households of runaways. Your advocacy will fail if you alienate the very people you need to work with to make a difference.
Lee E Ashley
lee.ashley73@yahoo.com
Be careful, Betty Ann Blaine
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Speaking at the launch of National Missing Children's Awareness Week, Blaine further stated that these children run away from home due to bad or poor treatment as well as abuse. Unlike Blaine, I don't wear blinkers that force me to see only one direction.
Advocacy does not entitle people to misrepresent facts and state half-truths in support of those for whom they advocate. Furthermore, an advocate needs to appear credible in order to be taken seriously.
I met a girl who ran away from an affluent St Andrew community because she could sit with friends in the dry river bed in the hills behind Cherry Gardens and smoke weed. While I know that is the exception rather than the rule, the fact remains that most of these "missing children" are girls. The facts, also, are that most of these girls return home unharmed and tight-lipped about where they've been. Others return pregnant, some with sexually transmitted infections, and still other with just signs of being sexually active. Then there are the storied cases of those who admit they were with their boyfriends.
The debate then should be centred on the moral decay within the fabric of society, which sees children glorifying sex and grown men soliciting and accepting sexual favours from minors. Spread the debate to include parents who "pimp out" children or who are complicit with the immoral lifestyle of their children, and persons who know of these occurrences and do nothing about it. Doing something is as simple as calling 119. The information will get to the relevant agency.
That needs to be Blaine's focus; not to vilify the parents of children who are away from home. Trust me, those parents live through hell not knowing the whereabouts of their children. Not to mention the siblings at home pining over the absence of that loved one.
Advocates need to be careful with pronouncements. Don't paint a picture of gloom in the households of runaways. Your advocacy will fail if you alienate the very people you need to work with to make a difference.
Lee E Ashley
lee.ashley73@yahoo.com
Be careful, Betty Ann Blaine
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