Over the past few decades many cases of sexual abuse have come to light that should put all parents on high alert. Children are the most frequent targets of despicable, sex-crazed individuals. The most frightening fact is that people we have long trusted are the ones most likely to abuse women and children.
The mind-boggling revelations involving US Gymnastic female athletes is the latest atrocity. For years Dr. Laurence G. Nasser has been abusing young female athletes as they prepared and competed in world and Olympic competitions. The “bad” doctor has been molesting young women on the treatment table.
Aly Raisman, a 23 year-old Olympic champion in the past two Games made an impassioned statement about personal abuse she was subjected to in the trial of the aforementioned doctor. Rightly so she castigated the doctor along with all the Olympic Committee officials that enabled this man to ruin her life and so many others. The number of young women who have come forward already is far more than 100.
The plight of these girls is weirdly reminiscent of the Penn State football team episode involving Jerry Sandusky, who abused young men in the locker room over 15 years as college officials and coaches, including the famous Joe Paterno, turned a blind eye. Sandusky is now in jail.
And of course there are the thousands of young boys who have been molested by Catholic priests. It’s hard to imagine that men of God forced children to do abhorrent acts for so many years, and possibly centuries. All the while popes, bishops and other high ranking officials protected sexual offenders and enabled them to repeat their acts of violence against others.
The sad truth is that large institutions have fostered bad behavior and failed to act when they became aware of it. All these organizations and the men who manage them are just as culpable as the deviants who abuse others.
If you can’t trust your priest, who can you trust? If you can’t trust your doctor, who can you trust? If you can’t trust your teachers, who can you trust? The answer, sadly, is no one.
The current women’s revolution against sexual abuse has turned out to be more important than anyone ever thought. It has opened the eyes of all Americans as courageous women across the country are speaking up and identifying criminals that abused them.
If parents are enlightened they will no longer allow their children to be alone with adults outside of the home, be they doctors, priests, coaches, camp counselors, even nannies. Hideous acts of perversion occur when demented adults are alone with helpless children.
The same thing holds true for women in the workplace. Do not find yourself in your boss’ office late at night after everyone has gone home, in a hotel room delivering papers or at office parties where everyone is intoxicated.
Every type of person that we originally thought would protect us has let us down. There should be no one above suspicion including family members. Sexual abuse by relatives has occurred since the beginning of time. These crimes are almost never adjudicated because of the shame they instill on those afflicted.
Parents, be alert. The best protection for children is to be in groups. They should never be alone with adults in secluded places at school, in church, in gymnasiums or in doctors’ offices. We must be protective of the innocent.
And one final note. It is extremely important for parents and schools to educate children about the dangers that are so prevalent in our society. For instance no one has a right to touch them in any way without permission . And they should avoid being alone with any adult in the places identified earlier.