An Instagram account alleging a long-accepted culture of sexual predators on the Ocean City Beach Patrol has sparked an investigation by the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.
The anonymously run account that was created Wednesday has garnered thousands of followers, and many personal stories of alleged sexual harassment, assaults and abuse.
“OCBP has more pedophiles I power than not,” the first post states. “These men prey on young, impressionable girls on the beach patrol and beach patrons alike. Many underage girls have been harassed by their direct supervisor and have reported this and no action has been taken to stop this.”
More than 160 posts later, many have come forward to tell their own stories.
One woman said she stumbled across the account, and couldn’t believe that her experience wasn’t unique.
She then told the story of being a 12-year-old on vacation with family in 1996, when lifeguards harassed her for two weeks straight, asking to touch her breasts and inviting her to parties.
“I ended up avoiding the beach all together at the end of vacation,” she wrote. “It’s still all so vivid to me.”
The city learned of the Instagram account the day it was created and the Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the allegations that have been posted, city spokesman Doug Bergen said.
Mayor Jay Gillian directed Fire Chief Jim Smith to build on existing policies and do whatever it takes to make sure employees feel safe coming forward, he said.
“I want to continue to make sure all our city team members work in a safe environment,” Gillian said.
But those who have been kept safe over the years are the alleged perpetrators, according to those who have come forward.
Many of the stories are about the same two senior guards who “have preyed on young girls for decades,” the creator of the Instagram told BreakingAC. “Another senior guard is know for sending unsolicited pictures of his genitalia to young girls.”
No names have been printed of either those coming forward nor those claims have been made against.
The woman knows names but is not releasing any, including her own.
“It’s not about me,” she said. “It’s about all of the women and men as a collective group.”
In fact, she said she was prepared to just move on from her own experiences.
“That was going to be that,” she said. “But then it didn’t stop.”
Seeing the harassment move on to girls she “adored” – including one who was “like a sister to me” – gave her the will to fight for them.
Then, she said, a younger girl came to her after getting “zero results” when it was reported to the administration.
“I’m not going to give her zero results,” the woman added.
But Instagram isn’t the only place those who have been victims or witnesses are being asked to tell their stories.
Prosecutor’s Office investigators are now asking anyone with information to come forward.
Call the office at 609-465-1135. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Cape May County Sheriff’s Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net, and click on “anonymous tip,” or call Cape May County Crime Stoppers at 609-889-3597.
The city was made aware of the Instagram account on the same day it was created, and the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office has begun to investigate the allegations that have been posted there. Investigators urge anyone with information or who has been a victim to contact the Prosecutor’s Office at 609-465-1135, report it anonymously through the Cape May County Sheriff’s Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net (click on "anonymous tip"), or call Cape May County Crime Stoppers at 609-889-3597.
There have been reports to Human Resources in the past, city spokesman Bergen said, pointing to the Christopher Denn case.
Denn, a teacher at Mainland Regional High School, was arrested and later admitted to exposing himself to a female co-worker.
But even that case that ended in an arrest and plea deal wasn’t handled correctly, according to a post on the Instagram account attributed to the male co-worker who reported the incident, saying the victim “was petrified to report it.”
“The chief took her off the beach mid-day (so later that day, when this man was arrested, EVERYONE would put two and two together and realize who the victim was),” the man wrote. “And as my friend was sobbing, the police officer told her that she could thank me for what was going on, using my name, AND acting like I was the one who pulled my d*$& out to her while we were working!”
The Instagram page's creator has posted a statement, saying that the page was not made to hurt the Beach Patrol, but to help those who don't agreement with the alleged behaviors.
"I have not ever said that the entire OCBP is bad," she wrote. "Many of the guards take pride in guarding lives and are great people. These people do not deserve to be exposed to inappropriate conduct at work or encouraged to participate outside of the work environment, especially starting at such impressionable ages."
