I don't know where else to take what I've got to say, so I thought I'd try the Lounge first.

[secondwind]

I am presently in the Dominican Republic, where I come to escape the cold for a few months each year.

My husband and I drove to Bavaro, on the eastern coast, today, to enjoy a meal at a favorite spot of ours called Captain Cook's.

We were sitting on the sand at a round table, when I noticed an older white man, tall, wearing glasses, with tattoos on both arms, walk in with three young females, all Dominican. The oldest was no older than 22 or 23 years, the middle one was no older than 15, and the youngest looked about 10 years old. I could tell the girls were not related.

It hit me like a thunderbolt. I turned to my husband and said "I think we have a pedophile here"...and he turned to look and agreed with me. I was so upset, that I had to stare down this man, once he was seated, and he would look me straight in the eye, even as I was mouthing to him "POS", and daring him to say something...he didn't care.

What upset me most was the youngest. She was just a skinny kid, with a bikini on and a white cover-up. Anyway, I couldn't just sit there, so I noticed a policeman on the beach and got up enough courage to get up and go speak to him. I told him my concern, and he smiled and told me point-blank "well, we don't know for sure, maybe that woman lives with him ." I told him the oldest looked about 22 years or so, and he repeated that he could not do anything because there was NO PROOF .....I was so upset at this point.

The older girl got up from the table with the youngest, and went to the bathroom....when they were returning, I approached them and got up the gumption to look the older one in the eyes and I told her that what she was doing was very wrong, I looked at the little girl and told her "you are with a bad man, do not let him touch you, etc." The older one confirmed all my suspicions because all she did was smile and shrug, and she didn't dare respond. I asked the little kid how old she was, and she said ELEVEN.

Sorry this is a bit long, but this has upset me terribly and I cannot sleep yet. They bagan to walk away, and the last thing I said to the older one was "money isn't everything"....there were several Dominican men at a table near me who just looked at me, but didn't comment....it seemed to me that nobody cared.

I started to walk to my car (where my poor husband was waiting for me), and suddenly turned around and went back to the area where the pedophile was, with his 14-yr-old girl. There was a large long table with perhaps 12-15 Dominicans enjoying their Sunday lunch, and I approached this table of complete strangers and said to them "I am upset because there is a pedophile sitting near you, and he has three females, the youngest of which is only eleven years old"....one of the men jerked his thumb behind his head, and said "where, behind us? a pedophile?" and I said "yes, and he doesn't care that we know what he is. ISN'T ANYBODY HERE INTERESTED IN STANDING UP WITH ME AND PROTECTING THIS LITTLE GIRL?" Everyone looked at me and said nothing. They just listened while I told them that they had a duty to protect the children of the Dominican Republic from pedophiles who come to prey upon them, and photograph them, etc.

It was no use. I did everything I could, but nobody seemed to care. OH! And I had told my waiter about my concerns also, and he just smiled, and said nothing!

Now, I am wishing I had taken that skinny little girl by the hand and brought her home with me. I wish I had done more, damnit!!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear secondwind...

I hear your frustration, and I understand.

But if even the police won't respond, then what else could you have done?

And remember this: you did a lot more than anyone else there did, small comfort though that is.

Your bravery is commendable.

Perhaps you might consider posting this in GD...I think you might get more suggestions on what could have been done.

I hope you will sleep soon...

:hug:

[secondwind]

2. perhaps I will, thanks CP......am thinking of trying to get involved in some way

down here to help prevent this from happening....it is not uncommon here.

again, thanks.

[Kali]

3. Good for you and courageous to say something,

I have one small quibble - coming from a wealthy American (on vacation, no less) to someone in dire poverty, "money isn't everything" is just hypocrisy.

You might have offered them cash to avoid that john for that day, but like the "war on drugs" this activity is "consumer" driven and bandaids administered to the effects won't do anything to stop the cause.

[hippywife]

4. I'm so sorry.

It must have been difficult to watch but not prevent. Too bad you have no idea who he is. I think he can be prosecuted in his home country for such behaviour abroad. At least that's what I've heard.

You were very brave to confront him. People like that can be dangerous. Please take care to watch your surroundings.

:hug:

[Lyric]

5. Wait a minute--why did you think he was a pedophile?

No offense, but that's a pretty enormous charge to levy without any actual proof. I know you interpreted the reactions of others as "confirmation" of some kind, but honestly, that also sounds like how people would react to a white lady that they think is acting crazy--just nod and stay quiet and hope she goes away soon.

I'm not necessarily saying that you're wrong, but unless you have more evidence than just the fact that there was a guy there with an adult woman and two girls, then I'm not going to automatically believe the worst, either. For all you know, he's dating the older one and the others are her sisters. And no, you cannot just "look" at people and somehow psychically "know" that they aren't related. I don't buy that at all.

[MrCoffee]

6. Total agreement here

I didn't read anything in the OP to make me agree that this guy might be a pedophile.