Abuse Of The System
Two weeks ago I received an anonymous e-mail from someone who said they knew me and desperately needed my help. This person was being physically and sexually abused they said, and they begged me to intervene on their behalf. Over the course of a week, I did my best to encourage this person to identify themself. Their response? More anonymous e-mails and a graphic photograph of their latest bruise at the hands of their abusers.
Fearing for this person's safety, I took my computer with me on vacation so I could continue to support this person until they were confident enough to come forward. I found Starbucks, truck stops or rest stops that had an internet connection so I could check my e-mails throughout the day and respond as soon as I could.
As the proliferation of information from the anonymous person increased, I knew I needed an outside source and from thousands of miles away, contacted my local police department. I did not want anything to happen to this person who said they needed my help and so did what I could to create a safety net in case this person revealed themself to me.
New Year's Eve I received a suicide note. Having come home early from vacation just for this situation, I spent eight hours at the police station as experts tried to unravel the thread of annonymous e-mails. I did NOT want anyone (whether I knew them or not!) to kill themselves!
In the end, it was determined that the messages were coming out of Canada. The Canadian Mounted Police were called in. The urgency to identify this mystery person, increased.
When all was said and done, this situation involved nearly 100 people and innumerous man hours from two different countries. And you know what?
IT WAS A HOAX!!!
Amazingly, once the police were involved, the messages stopped. The person who claimed to know me, found me in the internet. The pictures of abuse? Staged.
But I am not bitter. If this was a test, I passed with flying colors. I said and did all of the right things. Am I frustrated because I was manipulated? Yes. Things like this make light of a very serious situation. Millions of people in this country are being abused and are looking for someone to help them. To pretend to be one of these people and "ask" for help is insulting.
The persons (there was more than one young lady involved) who did this need professional help. They need to realize that because of their lies, people missed time with their families, were paid overtime for working on a holiday, and made this situation a priority when there certainly were others warranting law enforcement attention, only because they too believed they were trying to save a life.
I am so impressed by the cooperation of US and Canadian officials. Had this been a real situation, I have no doubt that the person in danger would have been found and helped.
If the persons responsible read this entry, then they should be ashamed of themselves. I believe their is balance in the universe. One day they might need help again and because of their lies, none will be available to them.
I stand on my promise. If you are in need of help, I will do whatever I can to help you, even if that means cutting my vacation short, researching victims right programs for you or helping you find a professional in your area. NO ONE deserves to be hurt at the hands of others and NO ONE has a right to lie about abuse that doesn't exist.
I find myself a little wiser in 2008. I started off the New Year fighting for a cause I believed to be worth it and was shown how naive I was for doing so. But if I had it to do over again, I would.
Fearing for this person's safety, I took my computer with me on vacation so I could continue to support this person until they were confident enough to come forward. I found Starbucks, truck stops or rest stops that had an internet connection so I could check my e-mails throughout the day and respond as soon as I could.
As the proliferation of information from the anonymous person increased, I knew I needed an outside source and from thousands of miles away, contacted my local police department. I did not want anything to happen to this person who said they needed my help and so did what I could to create a safety net in case this person revealed themself to me.
New Year's Eve I received a suicide note. Having come home early from vacation just for this situation, I spent eight hours at the police station as experts tried to unravel the thread of annonymous e-mails. I did NOT want anyone (whether I knew them or not!) to kill themselves!
In the end, it was determined that the messages were coming out of Canada. The Canadian Mounted Police were called in. The urgency to identify this mystery person, increased.
When all was said and done, this situation involved nearly 100 people and innumerous man hours from two different countries. And you know what?
IT WAS A HOAX!!!
Amazingly, once the police were involved, the messages stopped. The person who claimed to know me, found me in the internet. The pictures of abuse? Staged.
But I am not bitter. If this was a test, I passed with flying colors. I said and did all of the right things. Am I frustrated because I was manipulated? Yes. Things like this make light of a very serious situation. Millions of people in this country are being abused and are looking for someone to help them. To pretend to be one of these people and "ask" for help is insulting.
The persons (there was more than one young lady involved) who did this need professional help. They need to realize that because of their lies, people missed time with their families, were paid overtime for working on a holiday, and made this situation a priority when there certainly were others warranting law enforcement attention, only because they too believed they were trying to save a life.
I am so impressed by the cooperation of US and Canadian officials. Had this been a real situation, I have no doubt that the person in danger would have been found and helped.
If the persons responsible read this entry, then they should be ashamed of themselves. I believe their is balance in the universe. One day they might need help again and because of their lies, none will be available to them.
I stand on my promise. If you are in need of help, I will do whatever I can to help you, even if that means cutting my vacation short, researching victims right programs for you or helping you find a professional in your area. NO ONE deserves to be hurt at the hands of others and NO ONE has a right to lie about abuse that doesn't exist.
I find myself a little wiser in 2008. I started off the New Year fighting for a cause I believed to be worth it and was shown how naive I was for doing so. But if I had it to do over again, I would.