Sexual Abuse and Child Neglect – Where Are You Bill Huizenga?

There is one thing that unites folks from the far left to the far right – the abhorrence of child abuse and sex trafficking. This is why the outrage about lack of transparency in the Epstein – Maxwell sex trafficking and child sexual abuse case endures in the media. And this is why anger and frustration is directed toward those politicians that stand in the way of justice for victims of sexual abuse.

I have unique knowledge about the impact of child abuse and neglect in our own local district – Ottawa County. Now is the time to share it.

In 1987 I began an intensive study of all of the cases of child abuse and neglect reported in Ottawa County over the previous 10 years. Brilliant and committed Hope College students aided me in the research. Our findings still resonate today. The causes of neglect were highly correlated with poverty. Parents, often single mothers, lacked secure affordable housing, steady work income, resources to provide medical care or even food for their children. In the intervening years greater care for the social safety net such as food stamps now called SNAP, housing subsidies, and guarantees of medical care through Medicaid and Obamacare lessen the pressure of poverty and decreased child neglect. Something those on the left and the right should celebrate.

The causes of sexual abuse were quite different. Pedophiles were as often people from elite wealthy families as from poverty. Poverty did not correlate with sexual abuse of children. Some of the abusers were elites in their churches and professionals in the community. Does this sound familiar in the Epstein situation?

We examined the outcomes for the children as a result of court intervention. We found the most successful outcomes occurred in situations of physical abuse, where the scars on the children did not allow for the denial of their stories. The most difficult cases that left long-term scars came from sexual abuse. When we listen to the victims in the Epstein case we see this dynamic. Often the perpetrators had resources, wealth, and social support, whereas the children often lost those adults from whom they should have been able to trust and gain support. The children stories often went unheard or unbelieved allowing the perpetrators to continue their insidious damage. We hear these very denials from Ghislaine Maxwell a convicted sexual abuser, predator, pedophile.

So now to bring this home to Ottawa County,  Congressional District 4. Where are you Bill Huizenga? Those of us on the left and the right want to know. When you supported the Big Billionaire's Bill you stole away the safety net that prevents many children in your district from suffering neglect. Stealing money from Medicaid, SNAP and other programs that support education in order to give a great big tax benefit to the wealthy and the elites. Where were you as the country was calling for full disclosure of the Epstein files? Why were you siding with Trump and the Justice Department that is not bringing any of the wealthy elites to trial or even allowing us to hear the victims stories?

Know this: the research evidence suggests that your actions will lead to more cases of child neglect and sexual abuse of children in your own district. We are watching and we will be looking for someone who stands with children in 2026.

Dr. Jane R Dickie