Abuse by the numbers

If you've been following my blog lately, you know I've been writing about a heavy topic. Childhood sexual abuse is not something people like to talk about. It's a topic that scares most people. It's definitely misunderstood. But I'm staying on it for now, as I'm determined to open minds.

Awareness is a beautiful thing if it helps people from turning the other cheek. Besides, we have children to save here. Even if the news is uncomfortable to read, it's important to realize that sexual abuse does not just happen on college campuses like Penn State or by the parish priest in your neighborhood Catholic Church. It happens everywhere. In fact, maybe you have been a victim yourself--or your children could be. To further understand the depth of this often ignored travesty, let's take a look at some of the cold, hard stats that have surfaced in the news since the Penn State scandal made the headlines:

_The National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect reports the abuse of more than one half a million children in the United States.

_I've read this over and over again, and the numbers shock me: As many as 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men are sexually abused before they turn 18.

_According to the advocacy group Stop It Now, in up to 93 percent of reported child sexual abuse cases, the child knows the person who commits the crime.

_Enablers make the problem worse. More than 15 people at Penn State may have known about Jerry Sandusky's behavior with young boys. Yet, they didn't do enough to stop it.

_Experts say about 70 percent of abuse victims never tell anyone. Bottom line, that means children are not being protected, and we don't know the exact numbers of those being abused. 

Let's vow to do more to stop the violence. Here's an article that offers solid tips on how to abuse proof our children.

A curated list of Penn State essays

After yesterday's post, I decided to compile a list of other essays and commentaries that have been written about the Penn State story. They are eye-opening and may help you to understand more fully the full effects of childhood abuse and why it can happen. The essays are listed in no particular order, but if any of them stir up any emotion or ideas of your own to write about, please pass on the links. It's time to say no to "Jerry":

_A young man and former Penn State graduate shares his thoughts about his loss of faith in the community where he grew up. Find out why he considers himself lucky.

_Charles P. Pierce writes about what really matters from this story, not that Penn State could lose football, God forbid, but that children were raped. It's the brutal truth.

_A commentary in which Mark Madden questions who knew what and when. Haven't we all? 

_David Brooks explains what research says about why we may not intervene when we see a crime, such as sexual abuse, occur, or why we look the other way.

_A trauma therapist speaks out on what you can do to help.

JUST ADDED
_A male sex abuse victim speaks out, telling us the abusers are not monsters. Calling them that, let's the rest of us off the hook. We're looking for monsters when abusers can be your family member or friend.