Jan Broberg receives highest honor from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
By Merrie Campbell-Lee
At a ceremony May 18in Washington, D.C., the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children presented its highest honor, The Hope Award, to Jan Broberg of Santa Clara. A survivor of child sexual assault, Broberg is being recognized for her advocacy and public outreach on behalf of children at risk of assault, particularly by someone they know.
This prestigious award comes from an organization that understands the impact that exploitation has on victims and thus recognizes the courage it takes for any victim to heal from trauma and realize her potential. The NCMEC also understands the extraordinary tenacity it takes for a victim to become a bold, outspoken advocate who protects others from the same trauma they endured. These are among the reasons NCMEC has chosen to honor Broberg during its special 35th anniversary award ceremony.
Lately, Broberg’s advocacy work has been overshadowed by the fact that the documentary detailing the lurid story of her own kidnappings — “Abducted in Plain Sight,” based on the book her mother wrote — went viral after airing on Netflix this past January. Broberg’s life has been nonstop. Not only is she executive director of the Center for the Arts at Kayenta, she’s in high demand for interviews. Just about every major national news organization or talk show including “The View,” “Dr. Oz,” “E! News,” and People Magazine, not to mention international media outlets — have leapt at the chance to hear more details about her kidnappings and get answers to everyone’s big question: How could such a horrible thing have happened right under her parents’ noses?
“Abducted in Plain Sight” tells the story of how Robert Berchtold, a close family “friend,” was able to build trust, groom Jan’s parents, and eventually kidnap her and sexually abuse her over a three-year period of time. The backlash to the documentary has been fierce. Some viewers have expressed disgust at the bizarre details and outrage that her parents, Mary Ann and the late Robert Broberg, could have been so naive. Surprisingly, rather than focusing on the predator himself, much of the anger has been directed at Jan’s parents, who failed to comprehend what was happening with their daughter until it was much too late.
Jan has chosen to step into the tsunami of negativity and speak out, telling her story over and over in countless interviews in hopes of educating people on just how “possible” it was for something like this to happen, especially if you understand the concept of grooming.
“I understand why people blame my parents,” Broberg said. “They were fooled. And they were not innocent. But keep in mind, it’s impossible for most people to imagine that your friend, your brother or grandfather or, say, a favorite schoolteacher who just won teacher of the year is capable of something so heinous. My parents just could not imagine that our trusted friend — whose family sat by us in church — could do something so horrible. And when you don’t conceive of that possibility, you’re blind to all the subtle warning signs staring you in the face. Berchtold groomed my parents, he groomed me … he groomed everyone.”
Educating the public about grooming and recognizing warning signs are key messages Broberg is sharing with the world. The dictionary defines grooming as to get into readiness for a specific objective, to prepare. Grooming, when used to describe what pedophiles do to children is a process of identifying and engaging a child in sexual activity. It involves an imbalance of power and elements of coercion and manipulation. It is a process of desensitization.
Broberg wants to make clear to all who will listen “that 97 percent of the time, abuse happens by someone you know, love, and trust. The whole idea of abuse being committed by a stranger is a myth.” Her assertion is backed up by many long-term statistics. The National Center for Victims of Crime website cites that only 14 percent of children who suffered sexual abuse were violated by an unknown perpetrator.
Broberg’s advice for people wanting to protect children is to learn the covert warning signs and then look for them. After that, “Trust your gut,” she says.
“If you notice a child’s behavior changes around a certain person — even if it’s a family member or someone you love and trust — raise your antenna,” Broberg said. “Pay attention, and if you notice any signs of inappropriate conduct, take action.” She advises reporting concerns to police, the child’s school counselor, anyone who can intervene on the child’s behalf.
“Instead of ignoring it or making an excuse, get outside your comfort zone if you think this child could be helped,” she said. “This can be the difference that child needs to be saved from a predator.”
Jan’s sister Susan Broberg, who lived through the family’s ordeal and is featured in the documentary, says that Jan is her inspiration.
“She finds the good in life and in people,” said Susan Broberg. “Her commitment to helping end the silence [surrounding] abuse and to educate people about grooming and other methods predators use has already touched millions of lives. She is the voice of courage and strength for many who are still in the shadows, lost in guilt or shame, and those who are finding their own way to end the silence. Jan is truly a force to be reckoned with. I am so incredibly proud of her and the work she is doing.”
For more information, visithope.missingkids.org.
