Motorcycle ride planned in support of victims of child sexual abuse

The ride is free, but they are raising money for the Red River Children's Advocacy Center. This year our goal is 10 thousand dollars and they hope to have at least 300 bikes.

WEST FARGO, N.D. — Hundreds of bikers are planning to take a ride around Fargo in honor of a courageous little girl.

“Abuse should not affect a child in any way, shape, or form. Children are not sexually attractive, they are children, and no parent should ever have to tell them that they have been raped or sodomized. They have been threatened. This is not something that should be normal,” Natalee’s Mom Rosa Strubbe said.

Natalee Strubbe is a five-year-old girl who enjoys being active and is not shy about being around a camera.

However, this Fargo girl has seen more adversity than most her age.

“When she was four, she was raped multiple times by a teenage boy,” Strubbe said.

“It was one of the most horrific days of my life, but pretty much the most horrific day to hear my four-year-old tell me these egregious things that happened to her,” Strubbe said.

Through the family’s advocacy to prevent another child from suffering, they helped push for Natalee’s Law in North Dakota.

It helps provide court information to families whose kids are involved in a sexual assault case they would not normally have access to,push for stricter sentences for offenders and provide resources for both the victim and the offender’s families.

Because of her experiences, Natalee could not go to parks without getting panic attacks, so her mom came up with an idea.

“I just randomly posted on Facebook and said ‘Would anyone be interested in riding with us to a couple of parks? We are trying to replace a horrible memory, and she really loves motorcycles,'” Strubbe said.

The Ride With Natalee is on its second year after bringing in hundreds on their first ride.

Harley-Davidson, which is partnering with the event in West Fargo, says even with COVID-19, they will continue to support Natalee.

“Everybody is aware of having to socially distance, and it is taking place outdoors. We are super excited to have everybody out here,” owner of West Fargo Harley Davidson Jimmy Entenman said.

The ride is free, but they are raising money for the Red River Children’s Advocacy Center. This year our goal is 10 thousand dollars and they hope to have at least 300 bikes.

The kickstands lift at 1:00 Sunday afternoon at the Harley-Davidson dealership in West Fargo.

KVRR does not name victims of sexual assault. In this case, since the family has chosen to use their daughter’s name for public advocacy, we have chosen to include it.