Warrior’s Weekend event to help with child abuse prevention

Kiahnna Patterson
·2 min read
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NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A passionate group of bikers will host two events on Warrior’s Weekend during National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Bikers Against Child Abuse Seven Cities Chapter will welcome families and agencies to a ‘meet and greet’ learn more about the Bikers against Child Abuse or B.A.CA.

At 2 p.m. Friday, 10 On Your Side’s Marielena Balouris will emcee the event at the Kroc Center Hampton Roads on Ballentine Boulevard in Norfolk.

Then on Saturday, the Bikers will hit the road for a 100-mile ride.

“B.A.C.A. wants to be anywhere that we might come in contact with agencies, professionals, people who advocate, work with, or live with children who have been abused,” said Stephanie “Baby Girl”, the Bikers Against Child Abuse Seven Cities Chapter Child Liaison. “When we welcome a B.A.C.A. child into our family, that’s a commitment from us that we’re going to be there for them.”

The Seven Cities Chapter assists kids with reported cases of abuse, if the child and guardian agree. The group will even go to court with the kids as support to testify.

Baby Girl has been with the biker group for the last decade.

“I’ve worked with abused children for years. My husband actually found out about this organization first. Between loving riding and wanting to help abused children in a different way,  this was just a perfect fit,” said Baby Girl. “It’s turned into a lifestyle. It means everything being able to see children who are terrified to walk out their front door. Turn into children who will bravely get up on the stand, if they need to, [tell] the truth. Then move on with their lives. Watching that empowerment, that’s everything. That’s life changing. It’s why we do this.”

Baby Girl adds, “We hear about the changes, not being afraid to get out of bed, not being afraid to go to school. Starting to talk in counseling sessions to really can begin the healing process. Being able to not be scared of walking by a stranger in the same way. We hear all those things from kids and from their families.”

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