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	Three Lessons to Be Learned from Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal By Thomas G. Plante Mercury News November 17, 2011 http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_19349344 The sexual abuse scandal at Penn State offers three important lessons regarding child sexual abuse. First, sex offenders often come from diverse backgrounds, including pillars of the community. They rarely include the stereotype of menacing and lurking strangers sporting trench coats and three-day stubble. In fact, most victims know their offenders because they're relatives, neighbors or in a position of authority with youths. Second, many pedophiles "groom" their victims by befriending their families, supervising youth in respectable organizations like youth sports, charities, Boy Scouts or churches to provide them with access to targeted children. Typically, the targets are children who are especially vulnerable, who are in trouble or who have few financial, family or personal resources. Third, prestigious and respected institutions confronted with allegations of sexual abuse perpetrated by highly valued members of their organizations tend to minimize or dismiss victims' claims, avoid reporting offenses to authorities, and try to manage these situations quietly to avoid scandal and embarrassment. Often, these leaders are in denial themselves because their valued organization member doesn't fit the stereotype of the lurking stranger. These patterns have been found at Penn State and other institutions such as the Catholic Church, other churches, Boy Scouts, youth sports and the public school systems time and time again. What is especially remarkable regarding Penn State is that these offenses are reported to be recent, between 1994 and 2009 -- unlike the Catholic Church, for example, where 94 percent of all reported cases occurred more than 20 years ago. The best available data from multiple research studies suggest that during the past half-century close to 5 percent of men who have ready access to and influence over minors will violate this trust and sexually abuse them. This is true for clergy, Scout leaders, schoolteachers, coaches and other men in responsible positions with minors. While the Catholic Church has received the most media attention, no organization serving youth is immune. Policies and procedures are available to minimize these risks. Socially engineering the situation so that adults don't have private engagement with minors is one way. Identify at-risk behaviors and screen for them in application and hiring procedures. And alert and consult law enforcement authorities when reasonable suspicions occur. Looking ahead, we can greatly minimize situations like those unfolding at Penn State. We have made great progress with mandatory report laws, quality education, camera surveillance, policies and procedures for how adults behave around children, zero-tolerance positions and the like. However, at the end of the day, humans being humans don't always follow these procedures. And when they don't, and abuse happens, there should be serious consequences so that others pay closer attention to the well-being of children in the company of adults. While the tragic situation at Penn State is terribly upsetting, there is much to learn so that children will be safer now and in the future. We know how to do this. We can do this. But everyone must do their part keeping their eye on the ball.
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