"First I want to thank the DA’s office for providing support to my son and our family throughout this process. For the last three years our family has been on an emotional roller coaster preparing our child to testify against the man who sexually abused him."

(Google AI overview)

I met the mother of the victims in the Kevin Dikes case one day while covering the case. We were waiting until the case concluded so I could offer the opportunity to be heard on the ordeal her family has been through.

After the plea deal, I reached out to her this morning. She provided me this statement.

"First I want to thank the DA’s office for providing support to my son and our family throughout this process. For the last three years our family has been on an emotional roller coaster preparing our child to testify against the man who sexually abused him. He has had to meet weekly with a therapist to help him forget the horrible things that Mr. Dikes did to him, and then he had to prepare to remember every detail so that he could testify in a jury trial. With request after request from Mr. Dikes to delay the case, we have had to rearrange our life plans on numerous occasions, which has been a huge burden on our child and our extended family. I am glad that Mr. Dikes has taken this deal, sparing my son from having to ever see him again. And I am appalled that the defense team tried to isolate my son from his family and force him into the same room to testify in front of Mr. Dikes without either parent by his side." 

"I hope Mr. Dikes has learned his lesson, and I wish he would never be allowed around children again. He had multiple victims and has been doing this over a long period of time, and I don't think he would hesitate to do it again if he remained free. I am appreciative that he took this deal, but the time he serves will not undo the harm he has done to children, which will affect them, their families, and future relationships for the rest of their lives."

"My son is strong and brave and I have told him over and over again that he is a hero for coming forward and spearheading the effort to get this child predator off of the streets and into prison where he belongs, preventing him from having access to other children for the duration of his incarceration."

"To other parents, I would like to say it is important to have age appropriate conversations with your children early and often about right and wrong using correct terminology, especially when these topics naturally come up in your everyday life. Let them know that they can always feel safe coming to you and sharing their experience and or feelings about others, regardless of age, gender, social or familial status. Predators often know the family, which allows them to gain trust and access to children. Talk about red flag people, following your instincts, and reward your children for being honest, even in uncomfortable situations. Make sure they know that they should not keep secrets from you unless it is like a surprise party that has an expiration date. Reinforcing the message that they are not to blame for any inappropriate behavior can empower them and help keep them safe."

"Statistics about child sexual predators can vary by source, but some key points include:

Prevalence: According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), one in five girls and one in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse before the age of 18.

Perpetrators: Most child sexual abuse is committed by someone the child knows—approximately 90% of victims know their abuser, which can include family members, family friends, or acquaintances.

Reporting: The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that around 60% of child sexual abuse cases go unreported. This means that actual numbers may be significantly higher than reported statistics.

Online Risks: With the rise of the internet, online predators have become a significant concern. A 2018 report by NCMEC indicated that more than 45 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation were made to the organization.

Age: Children aged 12 to 17 are at the highest risk of being victims of sexual assault.

These statistics highlight the importance of education, prevention, and open communication about the dangers of abuse, as well as the need for community awareness and protective measures.

Thank you for offering me the opportunity to make a statement."

Previous post:

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2024/10/convicted-child-molestor-kevin-dikes.html?m=1

**This previous post has details of the plea and links to all coverage of this case**