In a previous post, Stepfathers Protect Children, I talked about the signs of child abuse: physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect. With almost daily revelations of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal, I felt it would be an excellent time to begin a series on sexual abuse. This post is a first of a series on sexual abuse. My next post will address the Signs of Sexual Abuse. Read ahead to see how stepfathers are our brother’s keepers.
Reporting of Abuse
According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- There are 90,000 reports of child sexual abuse cases yearly.
According to Dr. Ann S. Botash, Professor of Pediatrics at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University. Dr. Botash is a national expert in child sexual abuse evaluation.
- An estimated 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be victimized by sexual abuse before age 18
- The numbers of boys affected may be falsely low because of reporting techniques
- Children, adults, and families are too ashamed or afraid to tell anyone what happened
- The legal procedure for confirming abuse took place is difficult
One in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys!!! if this was a virus or disease this kind of statistics will be an epidemic and there would be a public outcry to bring a quick end to this problem.
The ongoing sexual abuse investigation of former Penn State football defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky is evidence of how long sexual abuse can go on before its reported and investigate. Sandusky is accused of sexually abusing at least eight boys over a 15-year span. Also, now that the door has been opened other victims feel empowered to come forward with their allegations.
Sexual Abuse in the Blended Family
- Much higher risk for abuse than the traditional family.
- The rate of sexual abuse is about 8 times as high as in biological families.
- Stepfathers are the primary perpetrators in 33% of the reported cases.
- Reported in low numbers is the sexual abuse occurring between siblings.
Legal Action
Criminal
- Suspicions of child sexual abuse should be reported to a child protective services agency or law enforcement agency.
- Local child protection agencies
- Investigate abuse within the family
- Police
- Investigate abuse outside the family.
The law requires professionals who work with children to report suspected neglect or abuse.
Civil
In addition to reporting child sexual abuse to the authorities,
- Victims can sue their abusers in civil court to recover monetary damages or win other remedies (Crnich & Crnich, 1992).
- Many states have extended their criminal and civil statutes of limitation for child sexual abuse cases (National Center for Victims of Crime, 1995).
- The delayed discovery rule suspends the statutes of limitation if the victim had repressed all memory of the abuse or was unaware that the abuse caused current problems (Crnich & Crnich, 1992).
Are We are Brother’s Keeper?
The question should be, “Are you responsible for the welfare of other people?” Yes, we are. We are not islands. Stepfathers are our brother’s keepers. We were created to be interdependent upon each other and even though I expect to take care of most of my responsibilities myself, there will be times when I will need your help.
Although you will handle most of your responsibilities yourself, there will be times when you will need my help. Are you your brother’s keeper? The question is not whether or not you are your brother’s keeper. We are. The question is whether or not you actually keep your brother, whether or not you look out for him, whether or not his welfare is your concern, and your corrective action.
