Comments for Child Abuse on Military Bases

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Apr 27, 2009
 Despicable...
by: Darlene Barriere - Webmaster

Mr. Smith, first allow me to pass along my deep condolences on the loss of your son. Secondly, I thank YOU for your service to your country. It's brave men (and women) like you who have given the greatest sacrifices of all in order to keep us all safe. I bow to you and your sacrifices.

Regarding your post, I couldn't agree with you more. That man—if one can call him a man—is scum. He doesn't deserve to be free. He sullies all that the military should stand for. It's appalling that the military would rather sweep all the evidence of what he did rather than deal with it openly. But the fact that they did does not surprise me.

Thank you for sharing your point of view on this deeply disturbing topic, Mr. Smith. The more we as a society band together and demand that such atrocities be made public and then make the offender accountable, the closer we will get to ensuring fewer children fall through the cracks.

You'll note I removed the full name of this man. Liability laws prevent me from publishing his name. If you can provide me with the URL of a reputable news agency that identified him as being charged with this crime, I will then be able to re-insert his full name, with the caveat that I mention he was not convicted. I trust you understand the position I am with regard to such matters. Not only is the integrity of this site paramount to me, so is its continued operation.

A Video Reading by Darlene Barriere
Darlene Barriere
Webmaster: www.child-abuse-effects.com
Violence & Abuse Prevention Educator
Author: On My Own Terms, A Memoir
May 12, 2009
 Child abuse happens everywhere
by: Anonymous

I am a Pediatric Intensive Care RN in a very large county. Trust me, I have seen all forms of child abuse. Ranging from that new Dad who snaps for a second, and shakes his child and is later remorseful. To mothers who's boyfriends torture, beat and sexually molest the child, and she doesn't care to see, because her boyfriend is too important to her. The case which stands out in my mind, involved a military family, step father was in the military. This child was tortured for a very long time before he died. Of course we thought it was the stepfather. No, it was the mother, civilian police took care of her. To our surprise, military police took care of him, for failure to protect, among other charges. I was so glad, because they did not fool around. At a later time my son, just happened to be stationed, at that same base for four years out of five that he was an MP. They did not take any kind of child abuse lightly. Please don't label all branches of our military as looking the other way. It happens within our military, as well as in our civilian world, too much. The investigations vary from police force to police force, they are only as good as the investigators. Some know what they are doing more than others. These cases are tricky, and have to be handled just right, or the abuser will get off. Different social services (CPS) vary in different counties or states. Different workers, have different views, or work harder for these children than others. Many times they fail these children. One thing I can agree on, is that child abuse is too frequent, too ugly, and too many people don't want to know about it. What they don't see, isn't happening. The people who have to care for these children, the nurses/doctors who try to heal these children's often fatal injuries, they have to try to put together and fix very very broken bodies. This is gut wrenching, and maddening. The question often arises in my mind, where was this baby's protector. The mother, the adults who failed them.
Dec 08, 2009
 Harrowing True Story
by: Anonymous

I can attest to the military's ability to do very little in the face of child abuse. I stood by for years after watching two small children be abused by both their parents and any gay woman their woman brought home. I tried dealing with the abuser and fought a restraing order successfully in court. The judge threw it out after advising the woman, my ex friend, I was clearly trying to help her and the childen. I called the State of Vermont. They refused to intervene. I called our mutual Lutheran pastor, a lesbian also, who had the woman living with her at one point with the abusive lesbian lover, who did nothing after promising much. I even called the base twice within three years. When the woman finally hooked up with a person on social security disability for several mental illnesses and severe alcoholism, I spoke to the Chaplain who had a talk with her. That was helpful but here is the result of her havng gotten away with it. Mind you, she also works for the U.S. Marshal and State Police part time while she's full time Air Force National Guard:
Both children were institutionalized for psychotic breaks more than once before the age of 16. The daughter became an avid cutter who attempted suicide, perhaps more than the once I found out about when she was barely seventeen. She also had drug and alcohol problems and was on sleeping and other medications before the age of seventeen. The boy lives on the streets and drinks to pass out. He cannot lead a productive life and has both a drug and alcohol problem. He blames himself. He's been arrested three times by age 22. I could go on and on. I was the only adult to intervene and it was useless because no one would help and I should have simply marched onto the base and had it out with her commander. If you're wondering, teh same military mom is now living happily in a new home with her social security disability gay wife, stationed in N.C. and tehy both got away with destroying two young lives. The daughter who is a sophmore in college in Vermont still recently advised me she was arrested for drinking and public behavior and has a drinking problem also. She "drinks until she passes out." I'm so enraged that this particular military mother got away with it and her children are on their way to complete destruction. Meanwhile, she progresses in her career unstopped. I wish I could expose her but since the kids are of legal age, what can be done? I swallow the gaul everyday that she got away with it. I hope somone out there does what I didn't and insist on a full audience of anyone's commanders if they suspect child abuse, let alone if they know.

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Disclaimer: To the best of my knowledge the child abuse
stories on this site are true. While I cannot guarantee
this, I do try to balance the need for the submitter to be
heard and validated with the needs of my visitors.



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