It was only a few weeks ago that we wrote about a significant development in the Sandusky sex abuse civil lawsuits against Penn State. Late last month, the university agreed to settle with 26 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims for nearly $60 million. As of earlier this week, Penn State is facing another lawsuit from a […]
Rape and sexual assault are difficult to talk about, and many people are uncomfortable even thinking about such topics. But rape is a crime that gets committed every day, and silence on the issue only hurts victims. Currently, prosecutors in one Pennsylvania community are trying to sort out exactly what sort of interaction took place between a […]
Sports leagues, clubs and community organizations are a great way for kids to learn valuable life skills and make meaningful connections with their peers. And while many adults in a given community are happy to help lead youth-centered activities, time and experience have shown that not every adult volunteers with good intentions. The Jerry Sandusky […]
While child sexual abuse is an issue that reaches into nearly all walks of life, it is frequently associated with the Catholic Church, and has been for decades. Whether or not this association is deserved is a matter of debate, but it seems that priest sexual abuse allegations continue to surface regularly. Recently, a 56-year-old […]
Sexual abuse of children is an issue that is hard to think about and even harder to discuss. The children who become victims of this vile and inexcusable crime may be affected by it for decades without even consciously remembering that it happened. The trauma may be so intense that they repress the memory of […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]