If you haven’t noticed, my girl Maddie is beautiful. In her case, it’s definitely a blessing and a curse. Just like beautiful people not on the spectrum, her beauty is a gift that leaves others being more patient and understanding with her. Think about how different you act when you’re at a restaurant and your server is really attractive. Most people would accept slower service and more mistakes from someone they see as attractive. I worked as a waiter for 5 years and I know that the better-looking people made better tips. It’s human nature.

Maddie came out of the womb pretty. I would take her everywhere with me when she was a baby because she was so easy to take care of, but just as much because it was fun to hear all the comments about how gorgeous she was. I knew this was kind of pathetic, but damn if it didn’t feel great hearing the compliments. In some ways it still hasn’t stopped, as I know that her beauty helps draw more readership to this site. I feel okay about it, though, as it’s just another case of a beautiful person being a spokes model for an important cause.

So what is the negative? According to a study done in 2007, 1 of 10 boys and 1 of 3 girls with special needs will be sexually abused by the time they are 18. It seems beyond comprehension that anyone would take advantage of someone like this. This is precisely why it happens so much. What better group to abuse for a predator than kids who have communication difficulties and are less likely to discuss the crime? It’s the worst fear that we face about our children and these frightening numbers sit there punching us in the heart. If having a child with developmental difficulties wasn’t isolating enough, this potential nightmare keeps us even more locked down on not letting our children out of our site.

As much as I believe having Maddie front and center on this site is important to introduce others to one example of the autism spectrum, I do question if I’m not possibly putting her in some potential harm. As parents, we (Susan and I) have spoken to her about how no one is to touch her private parts and if someone does she is to say to them that is inappropriate, STOP! Then find us or a teacher, as it’s never okay for someone to touch her private area. There isn’t a lot more you can do besides this except keep a diligent lookout for everyone. All fathers face this in today’s world, but for Dad’s like me it’s only escalated.

I know this isn’t uplifting or pleasant to contemplate, but it’s the truth of our existence. I’ve decided to go ahead and keep Maddie in the spotlight, despite these fears, but let me stress that anyone who hurts my girl will face the wrath of not just me, but the many fans and loved one’s she has. Protecting the most innocent in our society has to be our number 1 priority when it comes to law and order. It’s sickening enough that any kids are sexually abused, but when a special needs child is more than twice as likely to be a victim as a typically-able child, it screams for more action.