This World Children’s Day, we bring you a story about an international organization devoted to protecting children. Freedom from violence and abuse is part of the crucial protections outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, whose adoption anniversary we celebrate today. These women and men use their “tough biker” reputation to protect and empower abused children and to take them in and become their sisters and brothers.
By Karen A. Szklany
Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) is a global organization with a mission to protect abused children and help them feel safe in their world again. They do this by “adopting” the children into their family of bikers and show up for them when they are needed. They give the child a denim vest with their chosen “road name” on it, a teddy bear and other comfort items. An entire chapter of the organization rides their motorcycles to the home of an abused child, surrounding them with strength and protection from their abusers. They are ready to stand in the way of harm, between the perpetrator and the child, and they often accompany children to court on the day they are scheduled to testify against their abusers. Once a child is adopted into the BACA family, they begin to thrive in ways they can only do as a valued member of a loving community.
“When we found out about BACA we knew it was exactly where we were meant to be,” Passion, a biker with the Maricopa County chapter of BACA, said in the 2014 documentary Behind the Patch.
“We want to make sure these kids know that we’re not going away,” her “sister,” Nytro, the public events coordinator for the Maricopa County chapter, said in the same documentary. “We’ll do whatever it takes … we’re their big brothers and sisters.”
The pandemic has not stopped the BACA family from doing the work that keeps kids feeling safe and empowered. Though they have limited in-person visits, they have used Zoom and phone calls to keep in touch with their young members and their families, making sure the children know the bikers are there for them.
To learn more visit BACA’s Facebook page or check out their website, bacaworld.org.
Image: Nytro, Maricopa County BACA Chapter | Screenshot from Behind the Patch
