As we've come to realize, smiles and laughter doesn't always mean happy. After all, the children in Concentration Camps and Residential "Schools" were smiling in pictures. Children are full of forgiveness and innocence. They learn and express themselves through play. Children don't have a voice unless we take the time to teach and listen to them.

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Children are our future. They're also among the most vulnerable members of society. As Frederick Douglass said, "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men". So why aren't they recognized as full members of our society? A bold statement, indeed; however, very factual. Let's break it down.

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First of all, we need to stop sugar coating terms in the media and start focusing on the perpetrators. For instance, referring to a 16 year old as a prostitute; they are, in fact, a sexually exploited child. Yet children have been arrested for prostitution. They need counseling, not punishment.

 

As it stands, child victims can't request an advocate or demand their own representation. Nor can they obtain their own council to act specifically in their best interest. A judge can choose to hear their voice or ignore them completely. It's no wonder why some survivors don't report assaults until years after they've occurred, if they report the abuse at all. They say to "walk a mile in their shoes". I'm asking you to do just that for a moment.​

 

We would like to see a Guardian Ad Litem appointed to every child going through the courts; whether it be legal, custodial or child welfare. They are our future and deserve to be heard.