Tributes

If you would like us to consider posting a tribute to a survivor or a memorial to an abuse victim who has passed away, or if you wish to share how your experiences as an abuse survivor or supporter of one make this campaign important to you, please send your story to us at support@protectourkidsfirst.org 

 

I dedicate my support for this campaign to my son, Jeffery Matthew Smith, 1970 – 2001.  Like my son, many children who are molested don’t tell their parents as soon as possible.  Instead, they suffer in silence for years while struggling to overcome the intimidation and undeserved shame abusers impose on them.  My son was abused as a child for at least two years by a trusted sport teacher.  That man threatened my son into silence, telling him he would kill me if he told anyone about the abuse.  As a result, by the time I finally found out – and when two other victims of the same abuser came forward — the statute of limitations had run out and there was nothing the police or prosecutor could do. 

 

My son lived a tortured life after his abuse.  In despair, he ended his life at age 31.  Jeff put a bullet where it hurt most, in his heart.  I believe that if he had had a chance to bring his abuser to justice he might still be here with us.  This is why I am so passionate about changing the law.  To me, child abuse is murder, and there should be no statute of limitations for this crime against our children.   The man who abused my son is still walking around free in Palm Beach County and my son is dead as a result of this horrific abuse.  You can imagine my frustration.  The changing of this law will hopefully save someone’s life and if that can be done I have honored my son by fighting to make this change.  Sincerely, Ms. Patricia Robinson, mother of Jeffrey Matthew Smith, 1970-2001.  RIP

 

 

I applaude my friend Scott for finding the courage to report to the police the man who abused him as a child and for beginning his journey of healing.  Scott, know that you are not alone.  – Michael -

 

 

 

Hello. My name is Hope and I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I have never said those words aloud or written them down.

This is my first time telling my story to the public. I hold my story to my soul and this is the most private thing in my life that I am now about to share. I am starting now to make steps toward mental peace. I am now 37 years old and I am just now strong enough mentally to talk about it publically. It started when I was an eight year old child. I lived with my mother and stepfather. It was him who had molested me repeadedly, force-fed me, tied me to my bed and intimidated me into never telling anyone what he was doing. At times though, my mother was in the house when some of these instances happened. Not one parent protected me. I remember going to speech classes in school because I started stuttering. As I found out in later years, that is one of the symptoms of child abuse. I remember being so scared all the time, everyday, wondering what was going to happen to me and if he was going to make me have sex with him.

I tell my story to also help heal and reach out to others to let you know you are not alone. So many years I felt I was alone. This abuse when I was a child continued on for a few years. At eleven years old, I thought I was going to lose my mind, as he was at my grandparents door banging on it to come in. I was terrified and still I could not bring myself to tell anyone what happened. I know now that I should not be the one to feel ashamed. I was a child who should have been protected. I was the one who was wronged. My molester and my mother are the ones to feel deeply ashamed for what they did to me.

We moved and throughout my teenage years, I tended to stay at my friends’ houses. The memories were sort of dulled at that point until I got divorced. I was 25. At first the depression started and as the years went by I started having flashbacks. A detailed rememberance of what happened to me as a child. I started having anxiety attacks, feeling suicidal and once checking myself into a hospital on a suicide watch. I was so ashamed. Me, that is so sad.

Throughout the years as I was getting old, I received treatment from psychiatrists, psychotherapists and therapy sessions. I began anti-anxiety meds and depression medication. I also couldn’t sleep anymore. It was then I realized I was not at peace inside, because I truly had not taken the most healthiest approach to my past and really forgive my stepfather and my mother. That is like a huge mountain for me to climb. I am now taking steps to become mentally healthy and to reach out to others.

One day, my mother had told me, about a few years ago that she had talked to him on the phone and laughed at me saying, “the statute of limitations is up and she can’t do anything to me”. Think about those words. When I saw the Palm Beach Post article and this campaign, one that every state should follow!!!!!, I knew it was a sign. Part of me not healing was that I never received acknowledgement or justice for what happened. I too, always felt guilty for not being strong enough to come forward earlier in my life because he must have abused other children as well. We need to talk about this problem in society and take a stand. Justice for the children and the children who are now adults still having inner struggles.

I am now doing better and determined to reach out to others and give them comfort. I have expressed my most personal thought and parts of my life to you.

We can do this. Let’s all join together and make change, make child molesters and predators come to justice and have the survivors of childhood sexual abuse at peace.

I applaud the other two comments I have seen on the tribute board. This is where we can start together and speak out!

Thank you for reading this and I hope it helps someone reading this, that you can just not get through life, but live life and be at peace. God bless you all in this cause.

 

 

 

 

I am so proud of you Michael for the progress you have made with your recovery and the dedication you have shown and continue to show for the kids that are or were abused. You have worked on your own for 5 years (or more) fighting for abused kids to have a voice and some long over due protection from the predators in our society. It is a privilege to know you and support you in this effort. It is my hope that this constitutional amendment will finally accomplish that goal for all of those who so desperately need it. Thank you for having the courage and strength to go forward with this. RD

 

 

My name is Toni,

 

I am the mom of a son, Brandon, who was sexually abused by our parish priest. The abuse that he suffered, derailed his young life at the tender ages of 13-15 years. It injured our whole family enormously. It has been a dark, painful, difficult, journey.   I can attest first hand, to the critical importance of the abolishment of S.O.L. s, for child sex crimes both civilly and criminally.

 

By the the age of 18, in 2005, Brandon’s best efforts had failed to bring criminal justice. Therefore the only recourse left for accountability, justice and for the protection of other children, was to bring a civil action against the perpetrator and the institutions that not only protected the predator, but with knowledge of his crimes, they continued to move him to different work assignments, where other children were sexually abused. Fortunately in Brandon’s case, the S.O.L. had not run out.

 

The day the civil suit was filed, the priest was at last removed from youth ministry (the priest had been quietly sent to a parish another state).

 

Also, of monumental importance, because of the civil action, the documents of the work assignment history of this priest, were court ordered (coming from from several different states as well as Peru) to be turned over for review. Contained in these documents, was evidence of a 20 year history of sexual misconduct and abuse of minors by the priest. The civil case documents were turned over to law enforcement and the priest was finally arrested in 2008, and subsequently convicted of a felony sexual offense in July of 2009. 

 

In conclusion, there should be NO time limits/statute of limitations imposed on sexual abuse crimes against children. Factual, current, statistics prove that the majority of children don’t report their abuse until well into their adult years. Both civil & criminal accountability, publically names the perpetrators and puts them on record, thus bringing accountability and can therefore keep our children safe from the “free-pass” the predators have been getting to perpetuate their horrific crimes on generations of our children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTICE

 This entire web site is a Pd Pol. Adv.,

Paid for and approved by Protect Our Kids First, PO Box 32577, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33420