OT: Another case of abuse :-(

[HuskyNan]

Three women and a man say they were molested as children by Bill Conlin, a Hall of Fame baseball writer and Philadelphia Daily News columnist.

In vivid accounts, the four say Conlin groped and fondled them and touched their gentiles in assaults in the 1970s, when they were ages 7 to 12.

[A victim], now a prosecutor in Atlantic City, and the others said they were speaking out now because the alleged sexual assaults and cover-up at Pennsylvania State University brought back painful memories and reminded them of the secrecy that shrouded their own assaults.

Four say Philly Daily News writer Bill Conlin sexually abused them as children

 

[EricLA]

every time i read a new report about something happening to the children, i get a little sick. it's just so wrong in every way.

 

[FairView]

As a father, I can't imagine what it is like for a parent to learn of such atrocities and resist the urge to lash out at the abuser. I only hope there is a way for victims to eventually overcome and move on in life.

 

[vtcwbuff]

What we're seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Icebear]

Yup, 1 in 4 women abused as a child and 1 in 6 men. This is from a reasonably reliable source.

 

[ThisJustIn]

What we're seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.

All this horror is one of the reasons I despise(d) all those sensational "Online Predator" shows. They help distract people from the reality: abuse happens locally, and most of the time it's by friends and family and trusted folks.

 

[Icebear]

All this horror is one of the reasons I despise(d) all those sensational "Online Predator" shows. They help distract people from the reality: abuse happens locally, and most of the time it's by friends and family and trusted folks.

Amen. I find they simply aggravate the situation and offer no insight or solutions.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Male sexual predators gravitate towards positions where they can be close to children, especially adolescent boys. Exclude the occasional perv uncles and you end up with teachers, coaches, scout and youth leaders, priests etc. abusing their position.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Male sexual predators gravitate towards positions where they can be close to children, especially adolescent boys. Exclude the occasional perv uncles and you end up with teachers, coaches, scout and youth leaders, priests etc. abusing their position.

add "family friend" to the list -- and I don't kow that the "perv uncle" is occasional.

I'm not disputing your "especially adolescent boys" but it's clear from the "Coaches Who Prey" series out of Seattle back in 2003 that "especially adolescent girls" is equally true.

 

[HuskyNan]

From this site:

Who commits child sexual abuse?

• Most often, sexual abusers know the child they abuse but are not family. For example, the abuser might be a friend of the family, babysitter, or neighbor. About 6 out of 10 abusers fall into that group.
• About 3 out of 10 of those who sexually abuse children are family members of the child. This includes fathers, uncles, or cousins.
• The abuser is a stranger in only about 1 out of 10 child sexual abuse cases.
• Abusers are men in most cases, whether the victim is a boy or a girl.
• Women are the abusers in about 14% of cases reported against boys and about 6% of cases reported against girls.
• Child pornographers and other abusers who are strangers may make contact with children using the Internet.

 

[FairView]

The Online Predator shows have the same objective of every other show you see on TV ... to attract an audience that enables them to sell more expensive advertising and make more money. For that reason the predator shows are as exploitive as they can be without being obvious about it. That sucks the audience in. They are not meant to offer insight and solutions, they are offered as entertainment. I'm not saying I agree with it or that it's correct, but that is what it is.

Given the ratings and the fact that the premise is repeated over and over, it's obvious that people are entertained by the shows. They are successful. Part of it is the "good vs. evil" of the predators. It's a morality play with a clear cut villain who -- for the part we see -- always loses. No kids are actually harmed, so we don't need to feel guilty about being a party to any real abuse. And Chris Hanson is masterful in the ways he deals with them. Also, the predators we're shown are the most entertaining, because of the way they act or the way they look or the reality of their personal situation.

If networks could get footage of the even more salacious situations of friends and family abusing children, they would. They would appear to treat it with respect and distaste. There would be soft music and a sympathetic tone, but he intent would be the same ... to get eyes on the screen and money in the bank.

 

[Icebear]

Male sexual predators gravitate towards positions where they can be close to children, especially adolescent boys. Exclude the occasional perv uncles and you end up with teachers, coaches, scout and youth leaders, priests etc. abusing their position.

Yup, that is very accurate.

 

[Blakeon18]

As I hear of each new accuser/accused in the last few weeks I must confess that I assume each alleged victim is telling the truth and that each accused is guilty. Not sure that would make me much of a jury member if called to do so.

That assumption of guilt does bother me some.....not a lot....but some.

 

[vtcwbuff]

add "family friend" to the list -- and I don't kow that the "perv uncle" is occasional.

I'm not disputing your "especially adolescent boys" but it's clear from the "Coaches Who Prey" series out of Seattle back in 2003 that "especially adolescent girls" is equally true.

Soory - My response was solely from my personal perspective. I didn't mean to give the impression that I was ignoring those that prey on adolescent girls.

 

[magical2]

What we're seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.

It is tragically TRUE The recent stories of sexual abuse by adults on minors is just a small # of what has for so long been going on. Those that become public is nothing compared to what really occurs.

 

[magical2]

Yup, 1 in 4 women abused as a child and 1 in 6 men. This is from a reasonably reliable source.

These #s that Ice is providing,are more than just random figures! Statistical studies are numerous providing at a minimum these figures! Ice you need not feel the need to indicate "reasonably reliable source" Multiple sources are available and the %s are even higher

 

[magical2]

every time i read a new report about something happening to the children, i get a little sick. it's just so wrong in every way.

It should make everyone sick! The stories that have recently come out,is nothing new! Most molastations are kept secret by the victims.

 

[DudleyDoRight]

Yup, 1 in 4 women abused as a child and 1 in 6 men. This is from a reasonably reliable source.

And these numbers have stayed consistent for years. I used to teach "Rape Crisis" counselors in the Army back in the 70's and those were the stats at that time (for women). The stats on males is coming more into focus as we hear about more incidents. Men were more reluctant than women to report these assaults.

If you are a parent, it is critical that you give your children lots of permission/encouragement to let you know if anyone even tries something sexual with them. You cannot assume that they know that it's okay to tell you. And you need to have a plan for what you will do when you are told something has happened-hopefully that plan includes reporting it to police and getting counseling for the victim(s).

These stories should prove that a statute of limitations on these crimes is ridiculous. I would daresay that the overwhelming majority of cases of sexual abuse are either NOT reported EVER, or reported decades after the fact.

 

[Icebear]

These #s that Ice is providing,are more than just random figures! Statistical studies are numerous providing at a minimum these figures! Ice you need not feel the need to indicate "reasonably reliable source" Multiple sources are available and the %s are even higher

I could not remember the specific sources and studies I read indicating these figures but knew they were solid but couldn't give specific citation.