Shaking the Family Tree – 40/52 Ways to Stop Pedophiles
We all want to love and honor our elders, but it’s impossible when they shatter our trust and traditional respect.
Grandpa Hill ripped his family apart when he stuck his hands into his granddaughter’s pajamas while she was sleeping. The first time this happened, this ten year old girl didn’t have a context for what was happening. She thought perhaps she was dreaming. The next night, when grandpa returned to her bed for another thrill, she knew she was awake and that something was terribly wrong.
The next morning she told her mother about the weird visit. Mom told dad, and dad confronted his father. Grandpa admitted the assault. The parents responded perfectly when they believed their daughter and immediately left grandpa’s home.
Over the next few days, the family rode the storm of their discovery. Like all families who face such trauma, they had the choice to keep a family secret. The pressure from other members of the family spoke to the character of each one of them.
Led by the dad, who had “lost” the father he thought he had known, the smaller family unit made a brave decision. They filed a police report. The pedophile patriarch was arrested and convicted.
Then mom, dad and daughter, with the support of Voice Today took a huge step of going public about their experience. You can watch their extraordinary interview with Christi Paul on Raising America with Kyra Phillips. It’s heart-tugging. It’s powerful. It’s hopeful. It’s truthful.
Their bravery will change lives in ways they could never have imagined. When someone steps away from the standard of family-first to do the right thing, it makes it so much easier for others to face poison in their own blood lines.
The Hill family is clearly saddened by broken family ties, but they have built a stronger connection for generations to come.
With much gratitude and admiration, Vagilantes recognize these parents for their leadership and for making the hardest decision. That’s real love.
Thank you for sharing this story. This child is so courageous and so is her family. All too often we hear stories of parents not believing their child’s disclosure of sex abuse or silencing the child to “protect” the rest of the family. This family took the high road.