Jody Plauché was just an 11-year-old boy from Baton Rouge when he made national headlines in March 1984.

Raped for over a year by his karate teacher, Jeff Doucet, who then kidnapped him and took him 2,000 miles away from home to Los Angeles, where Doucet again repeatedly molested and raped him. Remarkably, FBI officials rescued Jody and arrested his abductor, but upon Doucet's return to Baton Rouge, Jody's father waited at the airport and shot Doucet in front of the WBRZ news crew, a local ABC affiliate.

The country watched transfixed as the disturbing footage of the shooting — rare for its time — was shown over and over.

Now, 35 years later, Jody Plauché answers Deputy Barnett's questions on behalf of his late father and courageously explores the story of his molestation, kidnapping and survival in Why, Gary, Why? The Jody Plauché Story.

As Jody recounts his own incredible story, he unveils subtle tactics that child predators often use and points to warning signs that often go unnoticed. Using his tragic past for the good of others, Jody underscores ways for trauma victims to harness the resilience needed to recover and move forward, and not be defined by their past.

Gary Plauché eventually pleaded no contest to manslaughter and was sentenced to seven years hard labor. The sentence was suspended, and he was given five years of probation and 300 hours of community service for killing the man who had raped his son for over a year. Gary never served a day in prison.

Author, victim's advocate and counselor Jody Plauché has worked in the field of violence prevention since 1995. He obtained his bachelor's degree in General Studies from Louisiana State University, where he served on the executive board for Men Against Violence, a campus organization aimed at preventing sexual assault and other physical violence.  For seven years, Jody worked as a sexual assault counselor and prevention educator at Victim Services Center of Montgomery County in Norristown, PA.

In October 2002, he attended The White House Conference on Missing, Exploited, and Runaway Children, in Washington, D.C., which featured Colin Powell and President George W. Bush.   

Jody has shared his personal story as well as his knowledge about working with survivors of sexual assault on numerous TV shows, including Geraldo (1991, 1993, 1996), Now it can be Told (1991), Maury Povich (1993, 1996), Oprah (1995), Leeza (1995), Real TV (1996), The Montel Williams Show (1997, 2005), The John Walsh Show (2002, 2003), CNN's Connie Chung Tonight (2003), ABC World News Tonight and ESPN's E:60 (2013). He has been interviewed by local papers, local television stations and several radio stations.

Currently, Jody travels throughout the country to present professional and college training sessions about sexual violence risk reduction.