Children of Divorce

Stolen Childhood (from Family Research Council)

Last year, I reported to you on Justin Berry, the 19-year-old man who was profiled in a lengthy New York Times article on child pornography on the Net. When he was just 13, Justin got a webcam and started frequenting online chat rooms. His seduction began when a predator paid him $50 to take off his shirt. Soon, Justin was performing sexual acts for the camera and cash. Justin's story of his sordid life as a lonely child of divorce who was cruelly exploited-for years-by sexual predators was written by Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald. It's one of the few occasions I've had to hail The New York Times. Justin appeared yesterday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "At 13, I believed these people were my friends," Justin testified. He continued: "They were kind. They complimented me. They wanted to know about my day." What a challenge for churches, for youth groups like the Boy Scouts, for caring and protective adults to fill the void in the lives of so many children. One year ago Justin turned over to the Justice Department the names and credit card numbers of the 1,500 pedophiles he interacted with, to date only one has been arrested. FRC's Tom McClusky met with Justice Department umbers officials this morning to appeal for quicker, tougher enforcement of child porn laws. Late last night, Secret Service agents and local law enforcement netted Brian J. Doyle--Deputy Press Secretary for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Doyle, 55, has been charged with using a government computer to seduce a 14-year old girl!