SAN ANTONIO – Organizers behind the San Antonio Guardians of the Children say their slogan is, “When a child calls, we ride.”
The group said that any time a child sees a motorcycle rider wearing a black leather-cut vest with the words “Guardians” on the back, they are here to help.
“So I always encourage them, Hey, we’re your cheerleader. You know, you’re not alone in this. And the reason why we do this is so the kids can see that they’re not alone,” said the Child Liaison for the Guardians of the Children, who goes by her biker name, Bananas.
Devin “Shark Bait” Abscher, President of the San Antonio chapter, says the group routinely protects and accompanies children as they navigate their court cases. He said the process of testifying and resolving a case can be lengthy.
In 2020, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services ranked Bexar County as the third worst county in Texas for child abuse.
The Guardians “adopt” children in their care, giving them a leather-cut vest, letting them choose a biker name, and supporting kids whenever they get a phone call. The group says that besides this work, they focus on educating the community on child abuse.
There are eight steps of things you can take if you suspect child abuse is taking place:
- Call 911
- Say Something
- Stop the abuse
- Take photos, videos, and notes
- Report the abuse in detail
- Call the Texas Abuse hotline at 800-252-5400
- Visit www.txabusehotline.org
- Call Childsafe at 210-675-9000
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