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	Penn State Sex Abuse Case Gives Courage to Victims across By Melissa Dribben Philadelphia Free Press December 25, 2011 http://www.freep.com/article/20111225/NEWS07/112250431/Penn-State-sex-abuse-case-gives-courage-to-victims-across-U-S- PHILADELPHIA -- Since the child sex abuse scandal broke at Penn State University in November, victims of sexual abuse -- many of whom had remained silent about their suffering for years -- have been speaking up across the country, seeking counseling, calling hot lines and contacting attorneys. An unprecedented increase in reports of abuse seems to have been inspired by the fall from grace of the university's revered football coach, Joe Paterno, and the school's president, Graham Spanier. "If the powerful come down, the powerless really do feel they have a shot," said Marci A. Hamilton, a lawyer from Bucks County, Pa., and author of "Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect Its Children." The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network reported that in November, after the scandal broke, its online hot line providing confidential support for victims ( www.online.rainn.org) had the busiest month since it started in 2006. The average of 2,500 sessions a month jumped to 3,100. Jeff Herman, a lawyer in Miami who represents victims of sexual abuse, said his website, which ordinarily receives 5,000 hits a month, got 15,000 in November. In recent weeks, two Pennsylvania politicians have come forward as victims. The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), based in Chicago, reported that in the last six weeks, it had been deluged with e-mails and phone calls from survivors. "The real enemy in the child safety struggle is 'surely,' " said David Clohessy, SNAP's executive director. "Surely, after all those lawsuits, surely, after all those priests were ousted, no day care center or athletic program or school or church or scouting group would ignore or conceal child sex crimes anymore." Penn State gave the lie to that assumption, which helped survivors in several ways. "Whenever high-profile predators in a particular occupation or setting are exposed, especially in rapid succession, some victims abused in the same setting or by the same type of perpetrator come forward out of hope," Clohessy said. Dramatic reaction Since the 1980s, revelations about pedophile priests have prompted other victims to speak up over time. But now -- with the frenzied news media focus on former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, who was arrested Nov. 5, followed by the firing of Syracuse University associate basketball coach Bernie Fine -- the reaction has been sudden, dramatic and on a much larger scale. "Millions of people are Catholics, but millions of others are parents of kids who have been in sports. ... The odds are very, very high you've had a son or daughter who would have found Jerry Sandusky or Bernie Fine or their local equivalent an absolute magnet." Hamilton, too, said that in the Catholic priest cases, hardly any bishops lost their jobs for covering up abuse. "That sends a message to victims," she said. "It's all about power. Part of what's going on is Penn State's response. Regardless of what they did before the grand jury (report) came out, they have said that, 'We believe the survivors enough to fire Joe Paterno, our legendary football coach.' " Hamilton testified this month before the Pennsylvania Legislature, which is considering several bills to strengthen requirements to report suspected abuse. She also is one of the lawyers in a civil case filed by the 11th victim who alleged Sandusky sexually assaulted him. One of the major reasons victims keep their abuse secret is fear, Clohessy said. Fear that they will not be believed. Fear that they will be seen as complicit. Fear that they will be judged harshly. "While it's extraordinarily hard for any child sex abuse victim to come forward, there's another layer of complexity and shame when it's same-gender abuse," he said. Since the Penn State scandal broke, disclosure has become easier. The scandal also seems to have tipped public opinion, Hamilton said: "There is this sense that something needs to be done." During a recent TV appearance with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Hamilton was asked, "So what should we do?" When she replied, "Get rid of the statute of limitations," she said, "the entire audience started applauding. I was amazed. ... We weren't seeing this kind of tone in the public before Penn State."
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