THIS GRAN’S ALL REVVED TO GO!
Annie’s on the road to helping end child abuse
Annie Murphy uses her gold pass to bus to her part-time job on Auckand’s North Shore.
The 66-year-old’s smart silver crop and perfectly manicured nails are a nod to her role as a property manager, where she “tells people to pay their rent for a living”.
But come the weekend, it’s a different story as the Orewa-based grandmother-ofsix dons her civvies – a heavy, patch-covered black leather jacket, sturdy biker jeans and a full-face helmet – to take her beloved blue Harley Davidson 1200 Custom Sport, named Petal, out for a spin.
“I’ve had a few bikes over the years, but nothing as perfect as Petal,” beams Annie. “That sound when you start her up – ‘Potato, potato, potato’ – that’s what I love the most.”
It was love at first bike when Annie and her first husband began riding and racing motocross in the ’70s. After having two daughters – now in their 40s – the couple continued to race until their marriage ended in the ’80s.
But it wasn’t until two years ago, when Annie joined the Auckland chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) with her third hubby, Irishman Danny, 66, that she started riding again.
“Up until then, I had ridden on the back of Danny’s bike,” explains Annie, “but the group encouraged me to start doing it again myself. The first time I tried, I came off when I was going around the bend – at about 5km an hour! But Danny encouraged me and I soon came right.”
BACA, a group of kindred spirits, came together via a post on Facebook, achieving full chapter status in 2015, with Annie stepping in as secretary.
“We have a strong presence online and are always looking for new members,” she says.
Annie’s special leather jacket is emblazoned with a BACA patch on the back, above the organisation’s slogan “No child deserves to live in fear.” The front features her role and chapter, along with her road name, Flower.
Thegoodfight
“We always call ourselves by these road names as they give us some anonymity,” tells Annie, who prides herself on never having had any broken bones or accidents in all her years of riding, bar that small inaugural tumble.
Before prospective new members can join, they are police-checked and go through 18 months of training in how to behave around children.
BACA also declares in its mission statement that members will act as a safety barrier if a child is under physical attack.
“If a bloke wants to take me out, come on!” Annie says. “My daughters are concerned for my wellbeing, but I remind them that we’re not a gang, we’ve had extensive training and I feel really safe.”
Annie is clear that BACA is a non-violent organisation. “We work with a range of organisations from the police, to Victim Support and Oranga Tamariki, to support children who come from abusive backgrounds,” she says.
“Quite often, abused children become victims of the system too. They fall through the cracks, but we can empower those kids to be unafraid of the world they live in. We are there for them if they need help – whether it’s just to hang out or support them in court.”
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of child abuse in the Western world.
“The statistics are horrific,” insists Annie. “I never realised the magnitude until I got involved with BACA.”
The children come to the bikers, via the organisations, with a range of issues, from sexual abuse and domestic violence to homelessness.
“We deal with kids who have been subjected to very nasty situations. One girl was sexually abused by a relative at the age of nine. She was 12 when she finally made someone aware of it. Over time, she had to appear in court and I was her support person. Her abuser got 12 years, 10 years non-parole. The power coming from her was amazing – she’s become a strong mini-adult.”
BACA supports itself with various fundraisers. These included a global bike ride last month, with every chapter in the world – including the New Zealand ones in Auckland and Christchurch – riding 100 miles (160 kilometres) and each member raising $100 towards helping abused children.
“The BACA patch gives me an identity that I stand for a cause that I believe in,” says Annie as she starts up Petal’s distinctive engine. “We’re failing our kids. I ride my bike because I like the freedom, but also because of this reason. I’m very proud to stand with my BACA brothers and sisters in the fight against child abuse – because we’re needed.”