As a former Area Representative with the Center for Cultural
Interchange, I witnessed just how common it has become for exchange students become victims of abuse.
To my left, I see a stack of handwritten letters from exchange students eager to
come to the United States of America for their very first time anxious to experience American culture.
Sadly, to my right, I see handwritten letters from previous exchange students who
have already returned home. All have experienced some form of abuse and neglect during their stay in the USA.
I have a letter from a retired prole officer, who, while supervising sex offenders,
learned of five instances where sex offenders gained access to new child victims by becoming hosts of foreign students.
One was convicted of molesting a 16-year-old Japanese girl.
I found myself wondering how the letters to my left by students full of innocence,
anticipation and hope, ended up being letters of hertache nearly impossible for me to read.
My worry is that the stack of letters to my right will continue to grow unless there
is change.
I encourage parents and teachers to not become involved with student exchange organizations
that do not produce child protection guidelines.
I want to hear from former exchange students who want to share their stories of abuse
or neglect. It is my strongest desire that future exchange students have child protection guidelines which will provide
them with direction. With your permission, if I could share your story with the United States Department of State, perhaps
we could see to it that future exchange students receive a more positive experience.
