After much evaluation, communication, fear, questioning, and concern, I decided to contact Jack. We didn't really know which way to do go. We really didn't know how to reach him. We didn't have an address, only a website. After contacting ASIJ and asking them if they would give us his address and they refused, it became more disconcerting. We finally got ASIJ to agree to deliver a letter sent to him via them. So I proceeded to write the following letter. (Again there may be repetition, so please bear with me.)
On November 12, 2003 I sent the following letter to Jack via ASIJ,
Dear Jack,
It is with deep sorrow and pain that I write this letter that I should have written many, many years ago. It has been approximately 33 years when we first met. I was a young eleven year old seventh grader and you were a teacher whom I looked up to. Not only did I look up to you but you made me feel special and important, especially in my vulnerable stage of moving, again, to a new school and trying to fit in during the awkwardness of adolescence.
After many years of reflection I have come to the understanding that you saw my vulnerable state and my need to be accepted by my peers as an advantage to you. It was this weakness that you used to your benefit to begin sexually abusing me for several years, beginning in 1970. I've often wondered if you even would remember me and the many others who were under your spell. We do remember.
I have put this abuse out of my mind off and on for many years. In 1990, I informally contacted ASIJ and in the year 2000 I formally contacted them. I suppose my letter is the one that caused your total divorce from ASIJ. I was hoping at that point that you had moved on and retired. However, much to my disappointment, I find that this is not true.
It has come to my attention, during the past several months, that you are once again working in Japan and more importantly working with children. It saddens me deeply that you have chosen to continue to work with unsuspecting kids. It also saddens me deeply, that because of the neglect of those in the past to protect me and others, that I have to do whatever is in my power to protect any child who is currently in harms way. This should have been taken care of long ago.
I want you to know that in my heart of hearts, I have forgiven you for the abuse you subjected me to. My faith in God and his provision of his Son on the cross has enabled me to see that you are in deep need of a Savior. My hope is that during this time, God will grab you and you will be able to see this need and fall flat on your face in front of Christ, the only one who can save you.
It is my hope that you will decided to come forward and take responsibility of your past actions. It is vital that you immediately cease working with children. It is also critical that you admit to your pedophilia and seek help. Part of that admission would require contacting all of your former victims to see forgiveness from them. I have recently been in contact with several women who were abused by you. If you would like I will help you contact them.
However, if you choose not to come to terms with this problem, I will proceed as necessary. I have once again been in contact with ASIJ and its administration. I have informed them of my intentions. I have sought legal advice and am proceeding as recommended. I will contact the local authorities along with all those involved with your work. It will be necessary to contact your wife and young children along with your adult son. If necessary, we will begin to contact the American Embassy along with the FBI.
For your own welfare, you need to come forward to seek help. I'm sure there are many organizations that can help you stop sexually abusing children. As I said before, I will help you find help. This letter is dated November 12, 2003. If I have not heard back from by December 13, 2003 I will proceed as stated.
You may contact me through email at janet@calcote.com . Or you may call me at 225-555-5555. I hope and pray that you will do the right thing. I will keep you in my prayers.
With deepest regrets,
Janet Calcote Simmons
As I wrote this letter, between the two of us (Michele and me), we really didn't know what we were asking or expecting from Jack. As I re-read this letter I realize now that maybe asking him to contact all of those he abused wasn't fair to those who he did abuse. Possibly, there were those out there who didn't want to face it or be contacted by him. As in the case of Theo Fluery, it took several years - if not a decade after his abuser was convicted for him to come out and share his experience. But, in our defense, since this topic was rarely discussed, we didn't know what we were doing. In fact, I went to the library trying to find a book that would help me navigate this part of the process and found nothing. The only book I found helpful was a book written by a psychiatrist who studied the behavior of pedophiles. I have reference to that book in my file but I'm not where I can access the file so I'll reference it later.
I also don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that I would get in touch with his children. I assume that during that time, I was grasping at straws, not knowing what I should do or how I could protect them. So when you read this, please keep my frame of mind at the time in your thoughts as well.
As you can imagine, it was really scary waiting to see if we would hear from him. The letter more than likely took about a week to get to ASIJ. Then, once it arrived there, they had to forward it to him, which I imagine that took another week. So we waited from November 12, 2003 until...................
This was a powerful step
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