Badass bikers offer emotional support to child abuse victims: 'No child deserves to live in fear'

The bikers of B.A.C.A. are well-aware of the fear they strike in the hearts of those who cross them. With their big bushy beards, leather jackets, and muscular motorcycles that announce their arrival long before you see them, they're as intimidating as it gets and these badass men and women wouldn't have it any other way. After all, it is this very fear-inducing image that helps them provide emotional support to victims of child abuse and strengthen the traumatized young ones to face their fears. Bikers Against Child Abuse International (B.A.C.A.) will do whatever it takes to protect those who had their childhood and innocence stolen from them because they firmly believe that no child deserves to live in fear.

According to B.A.C.A.'s mission statement, the group "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." This badass organization of bikers works in conjunction with local and state officials who alert them of any child abuse victim in the system who lives in fear of their environment even after their abuser has been apprehended.

"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. We stand at the ready to shield these children from further abuse. We do not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner, however, if circumstances arise such that we are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, we stand ready to be that obstacle," the group states. 

Founded in 1995, the international non-profit organization has now been providing courage and emotional support to victims of child abuse for over 2 decades. Speaking to WGN-TV, Coach—a member of B.A.C.A.'s Fox Valley Chapter—revealed: "We got started in 1995 by a child play therapist. He was working with abused kids. He realized that, you know, they were great when he was there, but then they'd go back into their homes and neighborhoods or whatever, and that fear would still be there. He grew up with bikers. He knew what it was like to be with bikers, so he got a bunch of his friends to go visit the kid, and it worked."

Members of B.A.C.A. spring to action when their central contact person receives a call from a recognized, authorized agency or individual informing them of a child in need of their services. "The agency representative contacts B.A.C.A., or refers the individual to contact B.A.C.A. and the name and address of the child is given to our B.A.C.A./Child Liaison. The Liaison verifies that the case has been reported and the authorities have been contacted, and the case is being processed within the system. The Liaison contacts the family and an initial ride is organized to meet the child at their home or in some other location where the child will feel comfortable," the organization explains in its website.

"Following this initial contact, the child is given the name and number of two B.A.C.A. Members residing geographically closest to them, who then become the child’s primary contacts... Anytime the child feels scared and feels the need for the presence of his new B.A.C.A. family, the child may call upon these bikers to go to the child’s house and provide the necessary reassurance to feel safe and protected," it adds. If the child asks them to, members also ride by the child's house on a regular basis and sometimes even escort the child to court proceedings where they might have to face their abuser again.

"We actually give the kid their own little cut with their road name like we have, and on the back is a patch. Inside, we all sign it so that they know that we have their back at all times. We visit them regularly, we escort them to court and we actually have a couple of events throughout the year that they can attend and meet other kids like them as well. Fear is something that no other organization addresses, but we can do that pretty well based on the nature of who we are. Bikers really have a heart of gold anyway, and the kids really understand that intuitively. What we're doing is we're creating a stable presence that helps address their fear. And I think it's that relationship that we build with them is what helps that fear go away, more than anything else," Coach explained.

"We're not here to intimidate the perpetrator, that's not our job. We could care less about the perpetrator. We're here to make sure that kid isn't scared," Coach added. "They can call us whenever they need us and we'll pick up the phone. It could be at 1:30 in the morning because they woke up from a nightmare, or they heard something outside their window. Sometimes it's just a conversation, but every once in a while they need us to come on out and we'll get on the bike and we'll go out."