Girls Beware (3rd, 1979)

[Music] Growing up, becoming a woman means lots of things. [Music] It means new feelings, going to new places, and meeting new people. But growing up also brings some new responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is being aware of the real dangers of sexual abuse by adults. Judy often worked as a babysitter. She was looking for more work, so she posted an ad at a market near her [Music] home. Judy always thought of herself as a careful person. She never hitchhiked or let strangers into the house. Judy also knew how to handle herself in some difficult situations. Drop it. I said drop it. [Music] All right. All right. I give up. Hold it, Al. That's enough. [Music] [Music] One afternoon, a man called and asked Judy to stay with his children that night. At first, she said no since she never took a job without her mother's permission, and her mother was working late that night. But the man's friendly voice in his offer of more money than she'd ever made before persuaded Judy to forget her usual safety precautions. She took the job. [Music] [Music] He told Judy that his children were at another house just down the street, not at the dress he had given her. He seemed nice enough, and after a few minutes, Judy didn't think of him as a stranger at all. She never doubted his [Music] story. He didn't have any children, only a friend. [Music] Sorry, you've reached a disconnected number. [Music] The next morning, Judy's body was found. [Music] Maria trusted the wrong person, too. But in her case, it wasn't a stranger. It was someone she thought was her friend. It happened a couple months ago, so I've had some time to figure out why it happened. I guess I was pretty lonely. Most afternoons, I just walked around with nothing to do. My dad split a long time ago and my mom was always picking on me about something, so I never wanted to go [Music] home. The guy, Larry, just sat down next to me and started talking. He didn't talk to me like I was a kid, and he didn't try to tell me what to do or what I should act like. We just sat there and talked for a long [Music] time. I know I shouldn't have let him drive me home, but after we talked, it seemed like we'd been friends for a long time. He met me at the same place the next day and the day after that. And pretty soon, I was seeing him every afternoon. And then he started picking me up from school. [Music] My friends were pretty jealous. And to be honest, I kind of like that. They thought he was my boyfriend. And in a way, I guess I did, too. And he bought me some clothes and took me to some good restaurants. Yeah, I fell for it. Of course, I couldn't tell my mom about Larry, but that was one of the best things about it, keeping it my own secret. Anyway, it took me a couple weeks to figure out what he really wanted. He had this really neat stereo that he let me turn up loud. Mom doesn't even let me have a record player. It happened fast. He asked me how far I'd gone with boys. I didn't want to talk about it, but I said something. I think I lied. And then he showed me one of those dirty magazines. He told me I was as pretty as the girls in the pictures. It was creepy. And then he pointed to some of the pictures and said that he took them right in the room. And that's what he wanted me for. I said I had to go. I was getting real scared. He tried to stop me. He'd pay me money, that it would be fun. I said no again. Then he got really mad. I thought for sure he'd beat me [Music] up. Men Larry's age don't normally show so much romantic interest in girls as young as Maria. When they do, it's often because they are emotionally ill and can't have a relationship with a woman their own age. Or like Larry, it's because they plan to use or exploit the [Music] girl. Unfortunately, young women also have to face another difficult fact. They can be sexually molested by someone they already know and love. It was my stepfather, Ken. One day, I saw him looking at me funny. I'd always liked Ken, and he was good to my mom, so I didn't want to think anything was wrong. But it got worse. Like one time we were out hiking and he started talking about how I was a woman out and how well my body was [Music] developing and then he started touching and kissing me. I tried to make him stop but he just thought I was teasing him. So well the heartache and the pain He just kept after me. He He wasn't like the same person [Music] [Music] anymore. It's still hard for me to talk about. I knew my mom wouldn't believe me and I couldn't tell my friends. And what's really weird is I felt guilty like I had done something wrong. I knew it would just go on if I didn't tell someone. So, I decided to talk to one of my teachers, Mrs. Tanaka. After I told her what happened, she called the police woman who came out and talked to us. It took a long time for Ken to admit it, but now that everything's out in the open, I think it'll all work out. Most everyone knows how dangerous it can be to hitchhike or let strangers into the house or walk alone through dark places at night. It's pretty easy to avoid these risks, but young women must also beware of other dangers, too. Like the danger of putting too much trust into someone they don't know well, or of believing the stories and accepting the gifts of older men who may ask for payment in return. And if you're caught in a situation that you can't escape, talk to someone. If you can't talk to your parents, try a teacher or counselor, a police juvenile officer, a family doctor, clergyman, or call a crisis hotline listed in the phone book. Help is available. Most of the people you'll meet are good people, ones you can trust and depend on. But growing up means developing good judgment about people and being aware of dangerous situations you should [Music] avoid. Help yourself and your friends. Stay out of danger. [Music]