Will Penn State SCANDAL Finally Bring CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE Into the Spotlight?

[Segami]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OHFKh31FVvc/TsB0_sePJkI/AAAAAAAAAt0/LDpP4rlolRA/s200/Franklin+Scandal.jpg



" America has a history of sweeping stories about child sexual abuse out of the spotlight. But we already are seeing signs that the evolving Penn State scandal might be changing that. Officials at The Citadel, another institution of "higher learning," revealed over the weekend that they had not adequately pursued allegations against a counselor at the school. Meanwhile, multiple news outlets are reporting that the Penn State scandal might expand to include charges that former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky helped line up boys for sexual activity with wealthy university donors.



How ugly could this get? Are Americans finally prepared to face an issue that more or less disappeared when reports about the Franklin Scandal surfaced in the late 1980s? The Franklin Scandal involved a child prostitution ring that had origins at orphanages in Nebraska and reportedly made its way to the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations. Investigative work by The Washington Times brought the story into the open. Craig J. Spence, a Republican lobbyist who reportedly arranged nocturnal tours for male prostitutes at the Reagan White House, was found dead in a room at the Boston Ritz Carlton in November 1989.



Former Nebraska State Senator John W. DeCamp, a Republican, wrote a book called The Franklin Cover-Up The BBC produced a documentary called Conspiracy of Silence, and it was to air on The Discovery Channel in May 1994. The program was pulled at the last minute, and the Franklin Scandal largely fell from view in the United states. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weSzkIB8184 Will America come to grips in 2011 with a horrifying subject that it chose to ignore in the 1980s and '90s? Some early signals indicate the answer might be yes. Consider this report from Saturday about troubling activities at The Citadel:

The Citadel released details on one of its alumni, Louis Neal "Skip" ReVille, who faces charges including criminal sexual conduct with a child.


In 2007, the college received an allegation that five years earlier, ReVille invited two campers at The Citadel Summer Camp into his room to watch pornography. They did not touch each other, but engaged in sexual activity, the college said. . . .


The Citadel, in Charleston, South Carolina, said a review of ReVille's records at the time revealed no other complaints, and his file included a clean background check. He was a highly respected cadet and denied the accusation, the college said.


Four years later, Reville faces various charges, including criminal sexual conduct and committing or attempting lewd acts on a minor. He was arrested late last month.


http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/13/justice/south-carolina-citadel-abuse/?hpt=us_c2

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http://legalschnauzer.blogspot.com/2011/11/will-penn-state-scandal-finally-bring.html



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[lbrtbell]

1. It's about time this is brought to national attention - n/t

[riderinthestorm]

2. +1000000. The ignorance about child sexual abuse, the lasting affects,

the ways it damages a child needs much greater national attention - I am horrified at DUers own lack of understanding and we're the ones who are (usually) more motivated to understand these kinds of traumas and empathize with them.

Our society has such a stigma about rape in general. Add in the layers of homophobia. Then the ignorance about the consequences of being raped as a child and it's a perfect storm of ugliness.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Will Penn State finally get everyone to look hard at sacred cows?

[Catherine Vincent]

4. I hope so!

[rurallib]

5. In this country, if you have enough money, if you have enough power

you can get whatever you want.
Ask Limbaugh about his trips to the Dominican.
If the whole Catholic Church scandal didn't do it, I doubt this will.

[Segami]

6. It will take the will of some real brave people to come forward and confirm what has long been

whispered and discussed about such crimes.

[annm4peace]

7. I hope so.. but it will take the people demanding it

[duhneece]

8. 'Stranger Danger' indeed; it's usually family or friends of family

abusing children.

I hope light continues to shine on this soul-murdering crime.

[riderinthestorm]

9. Yup, that's very, very true.

And most of these kids continue to live with, and associate with, their abusers for years - decades even - without telling anyone, even if they see their abuser going after others.

Like you said there's a part of the child's soul that's crushed and its rare to find a child who can figure things out fast enough to talk about what's happened or what is happening.

[duhneece]

10. And that's why we must be the voice for our vulnerable populations

Children, inmates, physically or developmentally challenged.

We must push for more & better education, evidence-based treatment for offenders as well as victims.