Who the hell will protect our children?

Question

I live on a nice quiet cul-de-sac where our child all play nicely... so I thought, we have now found out that the 8 year old boy across the road has been sexually abusing a couple of younger boys. We have phoned the police and social services but they say there is nothing they can do until he is 10, he is still roaming the street and we are all having to keep our children in now... does anyone know if there is anything (legal) we can do?

We have tried to speak to the parents but they just turned nasty and threatened violance. We are all now keeping our children indoors. Social Services are already involve with the family because the parents are druggies and drunks

Answer 1

I am shocked the police aren`t helping , how ridiculous . I am totally shocked no-ones helping here . If the parents are drunks and druggies you can only hope their child will be taken into care soon or them evicted from the house . I really feel for you what a horrendous situation to be in , i would keep the kiddies in and even let their friends come play in your house and vice versa but they must be kept back from that evil child ..

Answer 2

I thought I lived in a quiet cul-de-sac and my two boys befriended some neighbours (aged between 7-9) and they also played outside (under my supervision as I feel that is important while they are so young). The only trouble is these older boys have talked about s*x in an appropriate way so basically I've stopped my boys playing outside with them. I take them to the park more often and they have the nicer kids around to play in the garden. Yes it gets a bit noisy but at least I know they are safe! I do believe though you should phone social services again. It is quite possible that he himself has been or is being abused and sees this as normal behaviour and it needs to be dealt with accordingly. Although what he has done is very very wrong, he too could be a victim. Good luck.

Answer 3

In general, eight-year-olds learn to abuse by being abused. If social services won't step in, it could be that the child has already been removed from the dangerous situation, or the parents have already stopped it, and you're just dealing with the after-effects. If the parents seem friendly, you might approach them and let them know what their kid is doing, and suggest that they find a way to help him before he ends up getting himself into legal trouble. You might find out they're just as interested as you are in protecting kids and raising them right, but have no idea that he's doing this.

You might also notify your kids' school, and see if the school psychologist can step in, in any way, and help. Kids who abuse need help, more than they need criminal charges, so it's stupid that social services would just him continue that habit until he's "old enough" to do something about it. It wouldn't surprise me in the least that they do, but it's stupid.

Do not underestimate the severity of pain it causes to be abused by another child. My older son was abused many times by an older child in the neighborhood, and it caused him significant pain and trauma. Get the victims some help as soon as possible, and encourage the parents of any other victims to do the same. A therapist can help a child deal with the reality of what's happened, and additionally they may be able to help get social services to do something, where your pleas have failed.

Last resort, you might read your local paper and see if there's a columnist with a penchant for ranting at your family and children's services department. That columnist might enjoy bringing this situation to light in the media, so that rules can be changed to get abusive kids some help before they become abusive adults.

In the meantime, absolutely, keep your kids away from that child, teach them to run screaming, and let other parents in the area know to protect their kids.

And document everything, every interaction with police and social services. Contact an attorney. If your children are abused, and the government is allowing it by not responding, you may be able to hold the state responsible for the financial and emotional cost of their letting the abuse of your children continue (assuming your kid is the victim).

Answer 4

Phone your local social services. At 8 the child shouldn't know about this type of stuff so they've been learning it somewhere and are acting out what they've seen before. This can be a symptom of the child being abused or witnessing abuse themself so social services should investigate. You may be doing the kid a big favour. I would keep my kids away from this one in the meantime.

Answer 5

You need to call Social Services again. There is no age limit to a child being taken from a parent if the parents aren't able to control them. The parents are ultimately the ones responsible for his actions, and if he is running around unsupervised...then take that to Social Services. Something is wrong...and they will deal with it if you apply the right amount of force. Go directly to a supervisor...and if he is unable to help...then go over his head.

If your local police aren't able to get any intervention for you, then contact an attorney to get them to start documenting and/or take action. You and your children have civil rights....and 8 year old children CAN BE arrested for crimes.

Answer 6

obviously this kids parents have a serious problem socially. get the neighbours together and make it plain this family that they are not welcome in the street and should move out. then have nothing more to do with them. i know it sounds harsh they need help but if social services and the authorities are not willing to do anything. there are legal ways to harrass them out of your street. put a sign up refuse to have the child at your childrens school. put a sign outside saying that the 8 year old abuser is not welcome. i know this just moves the problem elsewhere but at least your kids will be safer

Answer 7

I would try social services again ,it cant be right that this child is left to continue with this behaviour. What is driving him to behave like this? If no one acts now to correct what ever this boys problem is by the time he is ten he could have gone a lot further with his actions. Surely lessons have been learnt from the passed actions of boys aged 10, why wait, this lad needs help now.

Answer 8

i wonder if you could get any of the kids that he has been sexually abusing to come forth and tell a police officer,or social services.You need proof,solid proof,or no one will listen.It's called until the police have solid evidence,they can't do anything.I'm sorrry that evidence, in this case,, is more abuse but no crime,no time,please if you can,get some proof.We have a boy in our town who just got out of youth jail and is 16,now.He abused my nephew and it was a very long court case,my nephew,who was only 9 at the time had to say everything on the police video that happened to him.He said,he felt like he was the one who did wrong because of the interogation.But in the end,the abuser got 3 years until he turned 16.Now,he is out and we have to wait,again,until he commits a crime and is caught and we have evidence that can put him away for a long time.Sometimes life seems unfair.Please don't give up as the children in your neighborhood need protection for this boy.Take care,and God Bless.

Answer 9

Nothing legal but why dont you go and talk to his parents. Really if he is 8 he really does not know what he is doing. The other thing may be that he was abused and thinks it is okay. In that matter why dont you try to talk to the little boy and find out for yourself. If you find out he was or is, call child services and they will be able to help.

Answer 10

You say abusing? Are you sure that this is not just a case of children exploring and experimenting which is a perfectly natural thing for them to do?

If you do mean abusing, as in he is forcing them to do these things against their will then phone social services again as he has probably been abused himself.

But bear in mind that children do experiment sexually with each other and its very easy to blow things out of proportion in this day and age.