*** g95 2/8 p. 8 When Parents Kidnap ***
Hilary and her father should stop, calling the evidence of abuse "clear and convincing." The courts, however, ruled the abuse tentative and prescribed unsupervised visits. Dr. Elizabeth Morgan, Hilary’s mother, in violation of the court, hid her daughter. Much public sympathy is aroused for such a parent who kidnaps and flees for protection.
In the case of Elizabeth Morgan, she lost her surgical practice, spent over two years in prison, and ran up medical and legal debts of more than 1.5 million dollars. She explained to U.S.News & World Report: "The experts tell me that my child would now be permanently insane had I not stopped the abuse. . . . I had to do the job that the court refused to do: Save my child."
True indeed is the observation made by researchers Greif and Hegar regarding abductions by parents: "These are exceedingly complex events that, like a deep pool of water, look slightly different depending upon the angle; each time one stares into the water something new is seen."—When Parents Kidnap—The Families Behind the Headlines.
In addition to children who are kidnapped by a parent or by a stranger, there are millions of other missing children all over the world—the throwaways and the runaways. Who are they, and what happens to them?
*** g95 2/8 pp. 8-9 Throwaways and Runaways ***
Throwaways and Runaways
"I CUT my hair, dressed like a man, put chains and padlocks around my neck, and stuck a safety pin through my cheek, and in this way I began my life as a punk."—Tamara.
If you had seen Tamara on the streets, would you have guessed that she was a lonely, abused teenager whose homelife left her void of the attention and affection she was crying out for? Would you have thought she was a rebel heading for trouble with the law and perhaps for a life of crime? Tamara reveals to Awake! the frightening events that led to the kind of life she lived from the age of 14, a life-style she never wished for.
Throwaways
Tamara relates: "I grew up in a small mountain town in Italy, in a family in which affection was unknown. Sadly, I witnessed the intense arguments that exploded between my parents and the unrepeatable insults that flew on those occasions. I often ended up in the quarrel and being beaten mercilessly by my heartless father. I used to bear the welts for weeks.
"When I was 14, my father gave me a few dollars and a one-way train ticket to the nearest city, where there were many perils. I made friends with other youngsters who, like me, did not have anyone interested in them. Many of us became alcoholics. I became arrogant, vulgar, and aggressive. I was often without food. One winter evening my friends and I burned the furniture to keep warm. How I would have liked a family to care for me, to be interested in my sentiments, my anxieties, my fears. But I was alone, terribly alone."
There are hundreds of thousands of "Tamaras" in today’s world. On every continent, there are children who have been abandoned by parents who have neglected their responsibilities.
Runaways
Other youngsters decide to leave home because "it is simply too terrifying a place for them to remain; it is too painful, it is too dangerous, and they run out into the streets."—New York State Journal of Medicine.
At nine years old, Domingos was abandoned to an orphanage when his mother remarried. Because of the beatings he experienced by the priests, he planned to escape. His mother took him back, but he was subjected to constant beatings by his stepfather. Running away was the only way he found relief from the cruelty at home.
Sadly, "millions of children cannot trust the adults in their own households for a minimum standard of safe care," writes Anuradha Vittachi in her book Stolen Childhood—In Search of the Rights of the Child. She also writes: "Three children a day are estimated to die of abuse at the hands of their parents in the United States." In too many cases, a child’s sexuality is violated rather than protected by a family member.
Exploited and Traumatized
Domingos was forced to live with other street children who were involved with robbing and stealing, as well as taking and selling drugs. Tragically, many who run away from bad conditions at home are exploited by pimps, pedophiles, and pornography rings. Hungry and lonely, these young ones are offered a place to stay and promises of belonging to a "caring" adult, only to find that they pay with their bodies in a life of prostitution. Without work skills, many learn to survive on the streets in any way they can, including being seduced and seducing. Some do not survive. Drugs, alcohol, murder, and suicide claim many young victims.
Commenting on the life of street children, one former child prostitute said: "You’re scared out here. You know, what gets me upset is that a lot of [people] think that when they see a kid sleeping on a train, or they see a kid hanging out all the time, they think it’s ’cause they wanna be. Now that I’m older, that’s not how I see it. These kids are each crying in their own special way. They don’t wanna be like that, but their parents don’t want them."
Seeking "Freedom"
There are other hundreds of thousands of youngsters reported missing from home who have been lured into the streets by the freedoms they imagine are out there. Some want freedom from poverty. Others desire freedom from parental authority and rules that they may feel are too restrictive.
One youth who tasted the so-called freedom from parental control and from the principles of a Christian home was named Emma. Having left for a life with her friends, she became enslaved to drugs. But after experiencing the brutality of the streets, Emma expressed the desire to return and to end her drug habit. Sadly, though, she did not cut her ties with bad company, and on a summer evening with her friends, they injected heroin. For Emma it was the last time. She went into a coma and died the next day, alone and abandoned by her "friends."
Can the future of children victimized by their parents or by others be better? Will there ever be a world that will not exploit youths? What hope is there that family life can be improved and appreciated so that youngsters will not want to run away? The answers can be found in the following article.



ABANDONED BABIES


AT SUBWAY stations, in public restrooms, or on bustling streets, mothers are abandoning their newborn babies. At times, garbage collectors have even found in trash cans tiny babies tired of crying for their mothers. According to O Estado de S. Paulo, "cases of babies abandoned on the streets are on the increase." Of course, the young mother may regret her decision later. Yet she goes ahead, even though it may cost her child its life.
You may wonder, ‘How can a mother even think of abandoning her baby to an uncertain future?’ The Bible uses such a sad state of affairs as a metaphor to provide a strong contrast to our Creator’s feeling toward those of his own: "Can a wife forget her suckling so that she should not pity the son of her belly? Even these women can forget, yet I myself shall not forget you."—Isaiah 49:15.
Really, more than any human mother, God has deep love for us and shows sensitivity to our needs. Whether you are a young person or an adult, whatever problem you may face, you are not alone. Your Creator wants to help you and is interested in your welfare. In the words of the psalmist, "in case my own father and my own mother did leave me, even Jehovah himself would take me up."—Psalm 27:10.
Worldwide, the Watchtower and Awake! magazines are published to provide knowledge of "the only true God," Jehovah, and his Son, Jesus Christ, which can mean everlasting life to those who appreciatively take it in.—John 17:3.



When Will the Tragedy End?
WHEN will children cease becoming victims of abduction, abuse, exploitation, and often the bad influence of their peers? Would more law enforcement and stiffer penalties for crimes committed against children protect them? Would more social programs to provide food, housing, and education stop the abuse and the running? Would teaching better communication skills to parents who care about their children help parents to counter the illusions of excitement that lure their children into destructive environments?
Although such measures might be of help, until the root cause of such tragedies is eliminated, children will remain subject to much suffering. According to one youth, any initiative to deal with the problem of runaway children that does not prevent the abuse or the neglect in the home is not likely to be very effective, since the damage is already done.
The Root Cause
What is at the root of all these problems? How will they be eliminated? The Bible explains that the family unit is under attack by unseen wicked spirit creatures, Satan and his demons, who take pleasure in brutality, sexual exploitation, and perversion. (Genesis 6:1-6; Ephesians 6:12) When Jesus was on earth, children were attacked by these demons. One young boy suffered the torment of being thrown into convulsions and being thrown into a fire.—Mark 9:20-22.
Even centuries before Jesus was on earth, demons reveled in the torture and the burning to death of young children offered to hideous pagan gods, such as Baal, Chemosh, and Molech. (1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 3:26, 27; Psalm 106:37, 38; Jeremiah 19:5; 32:35) Therefore, today, in this world that is becoming more and more depraved, it should not be surprising that demons target children for suffering at the hands of willing human agents who inflict humiliation, pain, and death upon youngsters. Perpetrators of such monstrous crimes often feed their minds on pornography, which fuels their perversions.
The pressure that the demons exert upon the human race has increased in our time, for the Bible calls this period of history "the last days" of the present wicked system of things. It foretold that these would be "critical times hard to deal with." Now more than ever, the influence of the demons results in humans reflecting the depravity of these wicked spirit creatures. The Bible foretold that people in our day would be fierce, without self-control, having no natural affection, without love of goodness.—2 Timothy 3:1-5, 13.
That well describes greedy people who produce films, records, magazines, and books that glorify adultery, drugs, suicide, murder, rape, incest, bondage, and torture. Through these and other means, the demons have promoted a culture that, like vile air, has polluted the minds and hearts of young and old alike, eroding family values and godly morality.
The increase of child abduction, molestation, and killing is part of the sign of the last days. In addition, the Bible said that ‘men would be lovers of themselves, not open to any agreement, disloyal, betrayers.’ Hence nowadays the bonds of marriage are often broken soon after they are made. As divorces increase, so do parental kidnappings. And the battering and killing of present or former mates escalates, the vast majority of victims being women. Thus, we see a generation of children whose parents encourage them to run by neglecting and abusing them. Further, our time is marked by children who are "disobedient to parents," who are "headstrong," and who prefer to run with their peers rather than respect godly values.—2 Timothy 3:2-4.


PET ABUSE AND CHILD ABUSE
A recent study showed that abuse of animals in a home may be a sign that child abuse is going on under the same roof, reports the U.S. magazine Parents. Of 57 families troubled with child abuse, some 88 percent also abused their animals. Usually it was a parent who was abusing a pet, but abused children may also turn and vent their anger on animals. The organization that conducted the study urged parents, teachers, and others to take children seriously when they tell of animal abuse in their homes. Suggested the article: “Teach children that any kind of abuse is wrong.”



From Our Readers
Children in Crisis I wish to express my appreciation for the series in the April 8, 1999, issue, "Children in Crisis—Who Will Protect Them?" I think that the dramatic subject of child abuse should be a constant spur to awaken public opinion. It is our duty to protect the world of our children. May you keep on in your good work.



From Our Readers
Children Under Stress Thank you so much for the series of articles "Children Under Stress—How Can They Be Helped?" (July 22, 1993) When I read them, I cried out of both joy and pain. At about the age of four, I experienced sexual violence at the hand of my father. I grew up in constant pain and terror. I have been a Christian now for 20 years, and with Jehovah’s help—and articles like these—I have begun to find relief. The information also enables me to protect my daughter.
S. S., Italy
I am 17 years old and under extreme emotional stress. There is a lot of verbal abuse in my home. Even though my father has not read these articles, there is no way that every abusive parent can ignore them. I hope the articles will open the eyes of such parents.
T. B., United States
My three-year-old daughter was sexually abused. She was deeply troubled by this experience; a child is never too young to hurt. I was so angry and sad that I wanted you to write an article to help parents see how bad things can be for our little ones. Words cannot express my joy at reading these articles. Never have I read something so beautiful. It shows others that we serve a God who understands the tremendous pain some are in.
M. G., United States
Thanks especially for the article "Abusive Parents—The Ultimate Stressors." I came from such an upbringing, with emotional and sexual abuse. The article showed how hard this can make the rest of one’s life. It’s nice to know someone really understands.
B. S., United States
As a survivor of childhood sexual and emotional abuse, I can really identify with the damage that unwarranted childhood stress causes. Unless you have experienced it, you cannot begin to understand the devastation it wreaks on a person’s life. The self-hatred, guilt, dread, and overwhelming feelings of worthlessness are unbearable at times. It is my prayer that parents who read this information will take a good hard look at themselves and treat their children with empathy and fellow feeling.
D. I., United States
As soon as I saw the cover, I gave way to tears. My seven-year-old had been so hard to deal with, and we didn’t know what to do. We finally sent her to a hospital specializing in mental and emotional disorders. The day after she returned home, we received the issue on children under stress. We still have many unanswered questions, but through articles like these, prayer, and the support of friends, we are at least getting most of our questions answered.
D. G., United States
I am 13 years old, and two years ago I got very sick. I also had seasonal depression. I wish I’d had these articles back then. My mother took me to a special hospital for children because the doctors in our town couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. The doctors at the hospital figured out that I have what your articles called "psychosomatic reactions." The elders in my congregation, along with my parents, helped me to overcome my stress. I hope that your articles will help other young people to overcome their stress.
J. B., United States
I’m a youngster under stress too. I’m seven years old, and my mom and dad are split up. That’s what makes it stressful. I have stomach problems just like what you wrote about. Thank you for caring.
J. H., United States





Shattered Trust
The tiny town of Chesterfield Inlet on the Hudson Bay in Canada’s Northwest Territories has been rocked by charges of widespread abuse of schoolchildren. According to Maclean’s magazine, an independent report recently released by the government found incidents of sexual and physical abuse of native Inuit children over a 17-year period in the 1950’s and 1960’s at the Sir Joseph Bernier Federal Day School and at an adjacent residence run by the Catholic Church. The police completed a 21-month investigation into 236 allegations of abuse and decided not to lay charges—in some cases because the statute of limitations had expired; in others because the alleged perpetrators were elderly or even dead; in others because some former students could not identify the offenders with certainty. Noted Maclean’s: "Although the passage of time has clearly made punishing alleged offenders more difficult, it has not erased the pain of the victims."
Family Life Deteriorating
How fares family life these days? According to the United Nations Department of Public Information, fathers worldwide spend on the average less than one hour a day alone with their children—in Hong Kong the average is only six minutes. Single parenthood is increasing. In the United Kingdom, for example, half of all births in 1990 were to unmarried women. Family violence is also increasing. It is estimated that of the children who live in the United States and Western Europe, 4 percent experience serious violence within the home each year. The elderly are having problems too. The UN report states: "Even in the so-called ‘developed’ countries of the European Union (EU), one fifth of the elderly population live in relative poverty, often isolated in urban ghettos without the support of an expanded family structure."