Vivid Crystal Tattoo Studio and Shoppe in Stoughton welcomed 25 individuals riding for Bikers Against Child Abuse.
The non-profit organization, which has chapters around the world, rode from Regina to Stoughton on Saturday, Aug. 15, before returning to Regina via Weyburn.
The mission statement of the organization reads as: “Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. We work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children. We desire to send a clear message to all involved with the abused child that this child is part of our organization, and that we are prepared to lend our physical and emotional support to them by affiliation, and our physical presence.” (www.bacaworld.org/mission)
The 25 individuals out for the day were therefore riding to bring awareness to child abuse and encourage others to support youth in need. This particular ride corresponded to the month of August having been declared Child Abuse Awareness month by the Government of Saskatchewan on behalf of Bikers Against Child Abuse.
Though the non-profit in Regina only has 15 members, they were happy to welcome 10 others to their cause.
Greeted with hospitality in Stoughton, their motorcycles lined the freshly paved Main Street in front of Vivid Crystal. Riders took a break here, having lunch by Papa G's and enjoying Stoughton's downtown.
Two riders participating in the ride included Freedom, President of the Regina chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse, and Hoss, Vice President of the non-profit organization.
The organization first developed in 1995 as a worldwide non-profit and has focused on bringing awareness to, what Hoss referred to as “an epidemic.”
“We're riding to bring awareness to child abuse, which is becoming an epidemic,” Hoss said. “We help raise money and help to empower kids so they will no longer feel afraid. The money we raise goes towards things like therapy for kids, who sometimes need it for the rest of their lives or for a long time, and we help to pay for that for them.”
“The last numbers I saw were from 2010 and there were 7,300 reported cases of violence against kids, and that's just what was reported in this province, that's a lot. So, if we can help somebody be convicted, well it's said that one abuser can reach 260 victims in their lifetime, if we can help stop that by bringing awareness and raising funds for the victims then we will.”
Freedom added, “It's something that needs to be brought to people's attention, it's something everyone should be doing but they don't. We've made a choice to bring awareness though and help how we can.”
August 15 was a rather warm day, but it was a good day for riding, even the moths that splattered on their windshields held meaning as a metaphor for the ride.
“There were a lot of moths out, but we can say that each moth on my windshield represents a child that was punched in the head this morning, that was belittled so badly that they felt like nothing, or led to a barn or secluded room,” Freedom said. “We don't think about [stuff] like that, but we need to be.”
“When I stop to get gas, I'll clean my windshield, and that's like an abuser being erased from the cycle, being put behind bars. We'll eventually clean up the world, but it'll take some work.”
Freedom and Hoss added that child abuse is a cycle of violence, which sees victims of an abuser become abusers themselves in some form.
“It's incredible the reach of one abuser,” Hoss said.
“It's unbelievable really,” Freedom added. “You know if you think about it, my grandchildren could be playing with kids who are being abused and we don't know that. We don't always know what's going on in someone's home. So, each one [abuser] we can help get off the streets actually makes a difference to thousands of kids.”
The Bikers Against Child Abuse also host another ride in Regina during the National Child Abuse Prevention Month of April, which includes games and activities in Regina.
