CAP Successes

Three children walking to school were approached by a stranger who offered them video games if one of them would come with him to help him take his dog to the vet. The children saw a small dog in the car but told him "No." They had learned in the CAP workshop to observe all they could about strangers who speak to them and so they memorized his license plate number and reported it to their principal. A trace through the local law enforcement agency revealed he lived forty miles away and had criminal record for child molestation.

In October 1997, Centennial Elementary School in Broomfield, CO received the CAP Program. Several months later in March 1998, a stranger came on the school playground during morning recess and attempted to abduct a 2nd grader from the playground. She was able to do everything she learned during her CAP Workshop. She broke away from him by using the self-escape skills, she scared the offender away by using her “CAP Yell” and ran inside to get help and tell a trusted adult.

March 2000- Andrew Rigg was a stay at home father, married with two children and one on the way. He was the guy next door, the rec center coach, who loved to play with children. He often offered to baby-sit when neighborhood parents were in a bind. A charming, good-looking trusted neighbor. Andrew Rigg was also molesting many of the young girls in his neighborhood. We know this because his victims were sitting in CAP Workshops. They listened to the descriptions of safe and unsafe touches and realized what was happening to them while playing at their neighbor’s house was unsafe. These two brave 1st graders were able to break their silence and tell a trusted adult what was happening. As we continued to serve this community several more victims came forward and they were able to break their silence as well. At the end of our service to this school, a total of 11 victims came forward, all revealing that Andrew Rigg had been molesting them. In a Boulder County Courtroom, in March 2001, he was sentenced to 32 years to life in prison for his violations to these young girls.

These stories come from the many CAP projects across America and around the world. In addition to these, there are thousands of other stories which are never shared publicly or which never go beyond a parent, a friend or a trusted teacher. Although our impact on a community can often be measured statistically, these stories are always the most touching, most memorable and most convincing reasons given by legislators, community leaders, educators and parents as they request CAP in their communities. For these children and thousands like them, CAP has made a significant difference in their lives.

If you have a story you would like to share, please feel free to send it to us.