Student sexual abuse is an uncomfortable topic to discuss or address, but silence and inaction only allow the behavior to continue. While it didn’t occur here in Philadelphia, one recent case shows that schools and school districts that fail to respond to reports of student sexual abuse will almost certainly be held liable later on. Three young […]
A recent abuse case in Pennsylvania has advocated for abuse victims talking about gender, age and reporting requirements. The recent case involves a young man who reported that he was abused by a Pittsburgh Public Schools police officer while attending middle school during the 1998-99 school year. The first issue that prompts discussion is the […]
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight offer a courageous example of the effort needed to rebuild a life of normalcy after being victimized by a sexual abuser. These three women suffered almost a decade of sexual abuse when held captive in a Cleveland home. The women worked together to produce a video thanking everyone that […]
Public shock and outcry over recent sex abuse cases in Pennsylvania have led lawmakers to take more steps to protect children. In particular, three bills were overwhelmingly passed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and those pieces of legislation will now have to be weighed against and perhaps combined with similar measures in the Senate. […]
We expect people in positions of power not to abuse that power, but unfortunately sometimes these individuals commit sexual crimes against the most vulnerable people in society: children. A brief scan of national headlines shows that doctors, priests, teachers, employers and police officers are not immune to criminal prosecution for illegal sexual conduct, nor are […]
A Pennsylvania woman faces charges of simple assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct after an alleged domestic violence dispute. The 49-year-old woman was charged with misdemeanor assault after allegedly striking a 45-year-old man on the back of the head with a flashlight. Authorities were initially called to the apartment of the woman to investigate a domestic […]
For a child, being injured or abused by a trusted authority figure can have a lasting emotional impact that is not easy to recover from. Because of this, it is important that in Pennsylvania we ensure that children are safe from predators at all times. Fortunately, our lawmakers seem to agree. Think about where your […]
Child sexual abuse is one of the worst crimes a person can commit, and for parents in Philadelphia and elsewhere, the thought of their child being victimized in such a way is unbearable. Unfortunately, sometimes authority figures for children — like teachers, priests or coaches — abuse their power by taking advantage of the children […]