DEVOTED: Kenny Rigsby, 27, a Tyler native and his wife, Julie, started For The Silent two years ago, quitting their jobs to devote themselves full time to the rescue of sexually abused children. In this January photo, the Rigsbys distribute information at a showing of the film “Call+Response,” the slave abolitionist rockumentary show at Tyler’s Times Square Cinema.(Staff Photo By Herb Nygren Jr.)Tyler Morning Telegraph
By PATRICK BUTLER
Religion Editor
When it comes to sexually exploited children in Cambodia, Kenny Rigsby of Tyler said it was the young boys on the streets who didn't have much of a chance to make it. Rigsby, 27, and his wife Julie started the nonprofit organization For The Silent to help in-the-shadow victims such as those young boys and give them a fighting opportunity for a normal life.
"It's a massive problem, very huge," said Rigsby. "We're talking about tens of thousands of boys, some as young as 5-years-old, being exploited. It's such an underground activity that it doesn't get much attention and there is little being done to help these children so they can live a normal life."
There is a lack of resources to arm social workers with the tools they need, he said.
"There is no training in any existing agencies (in Cambodia) to meet the needs of male survivors of exploitation," Rigsby said. "There is no specific knowledge, skill set or support mechanism that social workers are given that would give them the confidence to reach out to exploited boys. The result is that victims - at any age level - are simply being ignored."
Most of the focused help for children exploited in the Cambodian sex industry is for girls, Rigsby said.
"Unlike girls, boys are not centrally located in brothels and that makes them harder to find," he said. "The boys live out on the street, and instead of being sold to a brothel and imprisoned, their sexual activity is essentially a survival tactic. This is an in-the-shadows activity much harder to address."
There is also a cultural barrier in Cambodia that boys have less to protect than girls, he said.
"There is a misleading and widespread belief is that boys are not "virgins" and therefore have nothing to 'lose,' Rigsby said. "That mindset is changing through local training programs we're helping to fund."
Kenny and Julie Rigsby are seeking to fund training curriculums through For The Silent, which they started two years ago. They've recently raised some significant awareness to their existence and purpose.
Internationally-known musician Paul Balouche of Lindale will perform at a benefit concert April 5 at Rose Heights Church to benefit For The Silent. All of the concert's proceeds will go to Cambodian-run Christian ministries in Cambodia.
"In the long term, a range of innovative, creative and flexible responses are urgently needed," Rigsby said. "Problems include serious physical injury, fear of disclosure, feeling of significant shame, isolation suicide and confusion about sex and sexuality. There is drug abuse associated with masking pain, anger and despair."
Rigsby, a UT Tyler graduate in education, said extensive networking must begin now.
"The responses to the Cambodian problem must be supported by the development of specialist training and skilled clinical supervision, and families needing support," he said. "For The Silent is helping fund The Boy's Project, a year-long, in-depth training program designed to train professional counselors on how to respond to the needs of male survivors of sexual exploitation. Our partner organization in Cambodia, Chab Dai, will train caregivers, counselors and staff from 12 different 'practice organizations' on how to give specific care to boys."
It's the first project of its kind in Cambodia, said Rigsby.
"We hope this work in Cambodia will become a template for other countries to use as they respond to the needs of hidden and sexually-exploited children."
Visit the Web at forthesilent.org for information.
By PATRICK BUTLER
Religion Editor
When it comes to sexually exploited children in Cambodia, Kenny Rigsby of Tyler said it was the young boys on the streets who didn't have much of a chance to make it. Rigsby, 27, and his wife Julie started the nonprofit organization For The Silent to help in-the-shadow victims such as those young boys and give them a fighting opportunity for a normal life.
"It's a massive problem, very huge," said Rigsby. "We're talking about tens of thousands of boys, some as young as 5-years-old, being exploited. It's such an underground activity that it doesn't get much attention and there is little being done to help these children so they can live a normal life."
There is a lack of resources to arm social workers with the tools they need, he said.
"There is no training in any existing agencies (in Cambodia) to meet the needs of male survivors of exploitation," Rigsby said. "There is no specific knowledge, skill set or support mechanism that social workers are given that would give them the confidence to reach out to exploited boys. The result is that victims - at any age level - are simply being ignored."
Most of the focused help for children exploited in the Cambodian sex industry is for girls, Rigsby said.
"Unlike girls, boys are not centrally located in brothels and that makes them harder to find," he said. "The boys live out on the street, and instead of being sold to a brothel and imprisoned, their sexual activity is essentially a survival tactic. This is an in-the-shadows activity much harder to address."
There is also a cultural barrier in Cambodia that boys have less to protect than girls, he said.
"There is a misleading and widespread belief is that boys are not "virgins" and therefore have nothing to 'lose,' Rigsby said. "That mindset is changing through local training programs we're helping to fund."
Kenny and Julie Rigsby are seeking to fund training curriculums through For The Silent, which they started two years ago. They've recently raised some significant awareness to their existence and purpose.
Internationally-known musician Paul Balouche of Lindale will perform at a benefit concert April 5 at Rose Heights Church to benefit For The Silent. All of the concert's proceeds will go to Cambodian-run Christian ministries in Cambodia.
"In the long term, a range of innovative, creative and flexible responses are urgently needed," Rigsby said. "Problems include serious physical injury, fear of disclosure, feeling of significant shame, isolation suicide and confusion about sex and sexuality. There is drug abuse associated with masking pain, anger and despair."
Rigsby, a UT Tyler graduate in education, said extensive networking must begin now.
"The responses to the Cambodian problem must be supported by the development of specialist training and skilled clinical supervision, and families needing support," he said. "For The Silent is helping fund The Boy's Project, a year-long, in-depth training program designed to train professional counselors on how to respond to the needs of male survivors of sexual exploitation. Our partner organization in Cambodia, Chab Dai, will train caregivers, counselors and staff from 12 different 'practice organizations' on how to give specific care to boys."
It's the first project of its kind in Cambodia, said Rigsby.
"We hope this work in Cambodia will become a template for other countries to use as they respond to the needs of hidden and sexually-exploited children."
Visit the Web at forthesilent.org for information.
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