Published On:Thursday, March 18, 2010

By REUBEN SHEARER

Tribune Features Reporter

rshearer@tribunemedia.net

LIFE after sexual trauma is a difficult hurdle to overcome, says Thaddeus Toote, an activist for young girls that are molested and lured in incestuous relationships with close family members. And according to Mr Tooth, many of these children, trying to look past their situation are "looking for someone to hear their cry."

"They are making pleas everyday," said Mr Toote, director of One For All, All For One support group, a sub-ministry of Mount Ararat Baptist Church on Malcolm Road.

He told Tribune Religion that mothers are turning a blind eye to the cries of these children. And out of frustration, the children will go on to authority figures and have their stories brought to the light.

Counseling sessions soon follow for these female victims, who are referred to the Women's Crisis Centre for therapy sessions. This is the extensive action plan for the One For All, All For One support group.

As a former preschool teacher, Mr Toote has come across molestation cases, stemming from incestuous relations that children who were brave enough to come forward and talk about.

"There was a young lady who came to me because of the logo she saw on the flier," he said. "She looked at the paper and perused through the topics and realised there was some truth in the list."

Such topics that sparked her interest were 'My World of Darkness,' 'My Light Just Went Out,' 'Nobody Believes Me,' 'I Don't Want to Go Back There,' 'Mommy Help Me Please,' 'Mommy Believe Me Please,' 'Cousin Johnny Don't Do This To Me,' and 'Yes He Did That To me.'

Mr Toote then referred the girl to the Women's Crisis Centre, to be apart of a counseling group of 15 women who had been through the same thing.

"This girl is stronger and able to open up to people," he said. "She was able to open up to a young lady who's been through a similar situation."

"We have babies being molested by big grown men, and you would say that they're insane. We're helping young girls keep their sanity during their difficult time after being in an incestuous relationship."

These are some of the things that are happening, and he puts the blame on mothers for being negligent, because they turn a blind eye to the situation, nothing happens, he explained.

The mothers don't want the man to turn away from them or provide for them. Because in many cases, the man is the sole provider.

He said in many cases the stepfather would say, "you're not my child, and I am not your daddy," and out of that situation, the man doesn't have love or appreciation for that child.

Mr Toote said: "Back in the classrooms, the children cannot function because of the same conditions that they're living under and what they've been through and gone through has had an effect on them."

"Being sexually molested and being destroyed at an early age is a serious thing," he told Tribune Religion.

In many cases, he says, the perpetrator is someone close to the victim like a neighbour or family member.

"The child would say 'I went to the bridge, to jump, and I want to go to the tower to jump too."

Mr Toote said he has found that in most cases, the children find strength and courage through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"She may find himself withdrawn sometimes, and that may cause some problems.

Thoughts come back to haunt her."

The very last topic in his list is 'Jesus Turned My Life Around' which shows how God really brought her around. It shows how she had to live with it, and try to put herself into it."

One For All, All For One will be held next Saturday, March 27 at Mount Ararat Evangelistic Temple, Malcolm Road East.

Guests speakers scheduled to be at the event, include Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade, Dr Sandra Dean-Patterson, Education Minister Desmond Bannister, and Minister of Youth and Sports-Charles Maynard, and Kennedy MP Kenyatta Gibson.

The youth band at Mount Ararat Baptist Church will be performing before the march which starts on Malcolm Road, south onto East Street, then east back into Pinewood Gardens, through Mount Tabor Full Gospel Baptist Church, onto Kennedy Drive, and back onto Malcolm Road.