Hundreds of motorcyclists to rally for Child Abuse Awareness Month

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Photo credit Getty Images

Motorcyclists across Texas are planning rallies Saturday to promote awareness and prevention of child abuse. The group, "Bikers Against Child Abuse," has 26 chapters across Texas.

"It's literally that whole idea of making them a biker like us and helping them know nobody messes with bikers, and nobody's going to mess with you," says the Fort Worth chapter's Attica.

Attica goes by his road name, saying kids also get road names to show they are a part of the group.

"When they go in the courtroom to testify and get afraid, they look at us and realize there's somebody in there with them," he says. "They can testify, tell the story and do that with courage they may not have had before."

Bikers Against Child Abuse will start at American Eagle Harley Davidson along 35E in Corinth Saturday at 7:30 a.m. Bikers will ride around Dallas and Fort Worth and then return to the shop.

A festival with music and games is also scheduled at the shop. Attica says the event will have games, music and food trucks. He says people will also be able to learn more about resources for familise and children.

"This is meant to be an entire family thing," he says. "It's important for the community to understand that because the vendors we will have there in the morning, their sole purpose is to help kids."

Attica says Bikers Against Child Abuse works with law enforcement agencies and non-profits to help kids who have been abused. Many may be scared to talk or may not even know a guardian's behavior was abuse.

"When these organizations have kids who are afraid and can't seem to get past that fear, they will reach out to us and see if we can help give them that empowerment to help them stand on their own two feet," he says.

Long-term, he says that help getting past the initial trauma can help kids succeed long-term.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Last year, the United Way says 50,000 victims of child abuse were reported, including 11,000 in North Texas.

More information about Saturday's event at American Eagle Harley Davidson in Corinth is available at https://bacaworld.org/texas/fort-worth-chapter/ .

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty Images