WASHINGTON, November 26, 2011—Sage voices reiterate with strong words the ramifications of a society that condones, or at the very least ignores, abuse of its weakest and youngest members: the children.
“The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children,” said Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Nazi-era German Christian theologian.
“Child abuse casts a shadow the length of a lifetime,” said Herbert Ward, writer.
John F. Kennedy acknowledged the sanctity of children to society when he stated, “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.”
In light of such knowledge, how can children become victims of the most appalling form of abuse - sexual abuse?
What does this say about a society in which such abuse exists?
In the recent scandal at Penn State University, where numerous boys were allegedly sexually abused by Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant football coach and the founder of The Second Mile, a program for disadvantaged youth, questions immediately emerged regarding how much was known about the abuse prior to its public disclosure. Could men of prominence and stature, men who were revered by football fans, as well as those in academia, have known of these heinous crimes and yet not spoken out?
Such horrifying questions bring to mind the words of Confucius: “To see what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.”
As a result of questions regarding inadequate actions by those who may have known more yet done little, P.S.U. head coach, Joe Paterno, found himself on the firing block. Penn State University former president, Graham Spanier, was likewise dismissed from his position.
Meanwhile the Pennsylvania Grand Jury has issued 40 charges of sexual abuse of minors against assistant football coach and director of a program for disadvantaged youth, The Second Mile, Sandusky.
The Grand Jury Report also contains charges against P.S.U. Athletic Director Tim Curley and a P.S.U. Vice-President, Gary Schultz who are now defending themselves against accusations of perjury, as well as not reporting a crime against a child.
While this scandal rocks the world of Penn State fans, students, and Central Pennsylvania area residents, not everyone in the foray is forgetting the victims. Child advocates are speaking out in support of the victims, calling them “heroes” for reporting the crimes and naming the perpetrator of those crimes.
Similarly legislators are introducing bills calling for mandated reporting of child abuse to law enforcement and child protective agencies.
Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) introduced the most recent bill, “Speak Out to Stop Child Abuse Act,” on November 21 and with Republican support.
In addition, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) I request that a Senate committee hold a hearing regarding ways to better protect children from neglect and abuse. In a statement released by Casey, he said that the hearing’s purpose would provide “an opportunity to protect children from dangerous sexual predators.”
The strong stance being taken by lawmakers, as well as people we meet on the street, reinforces the belief that there are those who do care and who do choose to do what is right.
Due to the secrecy and seeming lack of empathy surrounding the Penn State case, it is difficult to not feel anger toward those who did not choose to stop the abuse years ago. How could anyone put prestige or glory of any type above the life of a child - a child whose life is invariably forever tainted by a predator?
As a mother and a human being, the heinous crimes that took place are mortifying. I cannot fathom the torture that the victims must have suffered during and long after their innocence was torn from them.
To my chagrin, there are people who would prefer to see this type of crime brushed under the proverbial rug rather than speaking out against it. I, for one, am willing to speak out and say I am sorry for the victims. Sorry that they had to suffer; sorry that adults failed them; sorry that people in power looked away instead of reporting the incidents to the proper authorities.
If we were not aware in the past, this case has brought to the forefront the fact that adults in Pennsylvania and 18 other states are required by law to report suspected child abuse.
If any good comes of this tragedy, it is that more people will be propelled, legally and morally, to report incidents of child abuse, thus ending needless suffering of “our world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” (President John F. Kennedy)
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