Bikers Against Child Abuse

ΞLOCALHEROSΞ

Billy "Atlas Ayers" and his band of biker brothers are called to court quite a bit. And they don’t mind at all. In fact, they love it.

“We’re there to empower victims of child abuse,” says Ayers, president of the one-and-a-half-year-old local chapter of the international nonprofit Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA). “When they testify against their abusers, their parents are told to leave the courtroom, and the child is sitting there with the perpetrator staring them down. We’re there in force. They see us there and know that they are safe.”

Their courtroom appearances are one of several powerful manifestations of the BACA mission, which is to provide aid, comfort, safety and support for children who have been abused— sexually, physically or emotionally. Another comes once families are referred to BACA by one of several partner protective agencies and a BACA liaison has visited with the family. It’s then that a squad of “patch members” rumbles out to meet the child.

“As many as 50 or 60 bikes will go,” Ayers says. “It’s pretty powerful— the pipes on our bikes let the whole neighborhood know that is a BACA child.”

Don’t assume that this fraternity of leather and steel then obtains the name of the perpetrator and proceeds to ceremonially crush him with their bare hands and polished helmets. Instead, Ayers says, the focus is on the child. “We surround them with love,” he says, “and let them know they are safe.

 “We adopt that child into our family— and there’s something to be said for our family,” he continues. “It’s a really strong brotherhood, and unless you’re in it, it’s hard to understand. We tell them, ‘We’re going to do everything in our power to protect you.’ ”

The effect is visible, according to the Royal Oaks resident. “It’s incredible to see the smile on their faces,” Ayers says. “Some of these kids haven’t slept in weeks. If mom says it’s OK, they go for a ride around the block. One kid said, ‘Mom, this is the best day of my life.’ ”

Each BACA child receives a biker name, a BACA riding jacket, and, most importantly, the cards of the two nearest BACA members, with instructions to call at any time.

The organization was founded in Utah in 1995 by John Paul “Chief” Lilly with precisely this kind of vigilance in mind. As a licensed clinical social worker with 20 years of experience working with abused children, Lilly was keenly aware that there were gaps in the treatment system that needed to be filled, specifically in providing for the safety of the children outside the clinic, and in generating funding for their therapy.

Ayers says that a large number of the organization’s members worldwide— who must pass FBI background checks and ride with a chapter for a year before being accepted into BACA— were victims of abuse themselves, and that all of them are “the most committed: They are steadfast, they love children.”

His fellow BACA members say the same thing about Ayers, a father of two and a computer-networking chief for De Anza College in Cupertino.

“He’s got such a big heart for kids,” says Felton’s Mark “Joker” Kastner, the local chapter’s VP. “He’s just put so much into the program, as much if not more than anyone. He personally sacrifices. He’s been a great first president.”

For Ayers, the commitment comes easily. “To look a child in the eye and for them to smile and say thank you is over the top,” he says. “It is rewarding, yet it’s heartbreaking.

“A child gets abused every 10 seconds, and we’re doing something about it. We’re a bunch of bikers who ride Harleys, but we ride for a reason.”