When it comes to legal versus moral responsibility with regards to reporting sexual crimes against a child where do we stand as a country? When role models become monsters isn’t it our responsibility as a country to reprimand and clearly denounce them instead of coddling and giving them succor?
Presently, the biggest child molestation scandal is in the process of unfolding at Penn State, one of the most lauded and top ranked Colleges in the USA. A 23 page Grand Jury Report details each horrific and unvarnished detail. Every American should read this report even though it will surely elicit disgust, horror and disbelief. It is said that one knows a country by the way the elders are treated. The same should be said about a country’s children.
According to the American Psychological Association, in the USA “1in 6 boys and 1in 4 girls are sexually molested before the age of 18”. Even so, these statistics are still not known to be accurate since in most cases reports of child sexual abuse are thought to go unreported.
The news last week that Penn State’s celebrity coach abused young boys over the span of a 15 year period was both shocking and debilitating. The accused in this case, Jerry Sandusky, is out on $100,000.00 bail for sexually abusing little boys in the showers of the university. Considered to be the ‘heir apparent’ to Joe Paterno, who was glorified as the “most winningest” coach in college football for the last 46 years, Sandusky founded, ran and raised millions for a children’s charity, which was supposed to help “troubled youngsters”. Last night both of Sandusky and Paterno were absent from the field as Penn State was trounced by Nebraska 17-14. Nebraska is ranked number 19 and Penn State 12.
Penn State students took to the streets to riot last Wednesday after the College Board announced the firing of Joe Paterno. They chanted his name in support, turned over cars and attacked police and reporters. The out pouring was mind boggling especially in the light of the story behind his firing. Penn students who rioted in the street must not have read the report. One would hope, if they had read it, there would have been a different approach. Some are saying the University’s football season should be cancelled; others are saying the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) should invoke the ‘Death Penalty’, which is the most severe punishment for a member or the organization.
The punishment requires the NCAA to suspend a team from playing for at least a full year. However, there are those who are saying this is too much since students who knew nothing about the behavior would see all their hard work go to waste. Nevertheless, the allegations are so horrific that maybe something needs to be done to bring things into balance: a type of reckoning that shows the NCAA and the University understands how despicably, awful this situation is. When a member of a family commits a serious crime, or is accused of one, his/her family usually suffers and is made to feel the wrath of their community/country. This is not fair to the families of the accused who did nothing wrong, but life is not always fair to those who follow the rules. Sometimes a price has to be paid by all affiliated when something bad happens.
Mr. Paterno did the minimum in his power to help the young victims. When he was told by, then graduate assistant coach Mike McQueary, who saw 6 foot Sandusky sexually assaulting a young boy in the university showers, Mr. Paterno reported up to his superiors and left it at that. The coach did not take it upon himself to go to the police or even Children and Family Services. We are now learning legally, so far, he did what he was supposed to do under Pennsylvanian law. Thus, the riots in the streets by students who see Paterno as Deity, and not as just an 84 year-old male who apparently considered, by his behavior, the football program at Penn State more important than the physical, emotional and psychological well-being of a powerless child. McQueary, now assistant coach who first reported the crime to Paterno is now on administrative leave and is said to be in protective custody. So far no one knows what has become of the child McQueary saw being molested by Sandusky.
The majority of students wore blue at last night’s game in support of child abuse victims. They collected funds to help fight sexual crimes against children. After last Wednesday’s night riot, for their role model Joe Paterno, they finally seem to be getting their priorities in place with regards to who are the real victims in this deplorable and as yet inexplicable drama. However, much more needs to be done to send a clear message about Penn State’s moral responsibility to Sandusky’s victims.
Related Links:
RAINN Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network