Our community has once again been thrust into the headlines; however, as always, we will overcome and become stronger. I am referring to the media reports about the arrest of local resident Joshua Shea for possession of child pornography.

I have seen numerous comments in print and social media, including quotes of surprise and disappointment in the arrest of a “community leader.”

I have read about the demise of this year’s Lewiston-Auburn Film Festival.

I have read about the impact on community volunteers who have devoted so much time to this very important event.

I have read about film makers, cast members, and the many individuals it takes to put on a show and the hours involved in the production of films.

I have read about the future of LA Magazine being in limbo.

I have read about the economic impact for communities of Auburn and Lewiston because the film festival has been canceled, and I have read feelings of sorrow for the wife, children, and extended family of Mr. Shea.

What I haven’t read or seen reported are the effects of child abuse on the most innocent members of society.

I currently serve as a Lewiston City Councilor; however, I was a police officer for many years. I have had the privilege to work with and learn from some of the best investigators in this state, including the Computer Crimes Task Force. I served as a detective for a good part of my career and, over the years, I have investigated horrific child abuse cases.

Within our own community, state and nation, children are sexually abused on a daily basis. Some of this abuse is recorded and shared on the Internet. We know this occurs in Third World countries and might want to believe that it’s the only place it happens.

Not so.

As a police officer, I worked on a case involving several community members who fed alcohol and drugs to children under 10 years of age. They would commit acts on those intoxicated children that I will not allow to be erased from my memory. They passed those children around to each other and photographed those acts to share with their perverted community.

That is only one small example of the things that are done to our innocent children.

Years ago, that type of behavior was shocking; today, sadly, it’s no longer shocking because it is an almost daily event in our state and nation.

When we see community teenagers and young adults with terrible addictions to drugs and alcohol, let us not instantly judge them as ticks on society. For some, this is simply an expression of the abuse they have suffered. I can only imagine the stories of the many young lives exploited in child pornography.

News stories have reported that law enforcement seized hundreds of child pornography images from Mr. Shea’s computer. In time, more information will be shared with the public and, eventually, the matter will be dealt with in our justice system. I will hold judgment until that time.

In the meantime, let us first focus on the children who are being abused in some of our neighbors’ homes. Let us think of the victims who survived the assaults but struggle to recover, and let us think of ways that we can stop childhood sexual abuse.

Mark Cayer is president of the Lewiston City Council.