by WHITNEY HIGGINSON
I never thought I would be able to call a biker a role model.
I’ve seen Underbelly, Bikie Wars and have watched numerous news reports on turf wars and residential shootings. Needless to say, one look at a biker tends to makes me want to run in the opposite direction in fear for my safety.
Their tattoos are intimidating, they look fearsome, they have weapons and they are always in a gang – some would call that a checklist for disaster. Ask any little kid and they will tell you that nobody messes with bikers.
But now a group of bikers in the US are using their ‘tough guy’ image for good: to help out victims of child abuse.
At any time, anywhere, for as long as it takes a child who has been a victim of abuse to feel safe again, members of the BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) group will stand by them in their vests and on their motorcycles.
The bikers act as emotional armour for a child: giving them a clear visual representation of safety and security – to help combat the feelings of helplessness and vulnerability they make have developed as a result of abuse.
A child who has been abused knows what it’s like to be vulnerable and insecure. BACA shifts that mentality by providing a network of bigger and stronger people to make a child feel protected.
A child is inducted into BACA by receiving a biker road name and matching vest, helmet and bandana. Two bikers are then assigned as “primaries” and are available 24 hours a day through a mobile phone.
Top Comments
Love this article, a lot of people assume all bikers are in gangs or go around killing people, these guys are total legends.
What an great demonstration of bravery and kindness from bikers! As you say, bikers can appear intimidating with their tattoos, leather and bikes, especially with the help of popular shows like Bikie Wars, Underbelly and Sons of Anarchy, but for the most of it bikers are just misunderstood. Bikers acting as an emotional armour for children who are victims of child abuse is fantastic to see, and I hope that more acts like these will help to shift society's negative view of them to a positive one.
LH - Bikie Wars