We're blessed here in northwest Iowa. Blessed with fertile land, good schools, a close, supportive community.

It's easy sometimes to be lulled into a false sense of security.

The awful stories we see on the national news and read in the press about man's inhumanity to man can seem sometimes to be filtered through a screen of complacency. Those things happen in other places, to other people. Certainly not in our community, and certainly not to the people we love.

We file those stories away in our brain under the heading of "That's awful, but I'm so blessed we don't have to worry about those things."

Well, those things can happen to those in our community. They can happen here. They can happen to those closest to us. And we need to be reminded of that, and we need to remain vigilant.

That's why it was so important to share the story of one brave young woman on the pages of The Daily Reporter last week. To remind us that the world is a dangerous place, and knowledge is power.

It took courage for Allison Klett to do the things she did in order to escape from her predator while on a trip to Mexico last month. And, it took courage and strength for her to come forward and tell her story.

I give her so much credit for her openness and willingness to share what was a very painful story with the public. And, I give kudos and thanks to her parents, Gary and Marcia Klett, for their support in her recovery.

They all recognize the importance of sharing the story, in hopes that lessons learned from Allison's torment will help to save another young woman, and another family, from what they've been through.

The hope is that by putting a face, one of our own, on what has become a huge issue on college campuses, in resort settings and even in our own communities, others will have important discussions with the young men and women close to them. Allison's story can act as a starting point for discussions, honest discussions, about the dangers these young people face, and tactics to help protect them.

As a newspaper, it's our responsibility to share the news. But, just as important, as a voice in our community, it's our responsibility to help equip our residents with the tools they need, in terms of information, to make their lives better. This story helped to do that.

While Allison's psychic wounds will take time to heal, in the landscape of her life the incident will recede further and further each day. She's an accomplished, strong young lady and she will move forward with grace and strength, with the help of those she loves.

And, in telling her story, perhaps she has save another young lady from having to go through what she did.