Advocates Push for Stronger Child Abuse Prevention Laws

By Jared Hunt
Charleston Daily Mail
January 11, 2012

http://www.dailymail.com/News/201201100258

Children's advocates want West Virginia lawmakers to toughen laws and invest $1 million in an effort to make sure scandals like the one that recently rocked Penn State University don't happen here.

Representatives with Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia held a Tuesday morning breakfast meeting with about 80 legislators and government officials to encourage the state to take a more active role in preventing child abuse.

The arrest of former Penn State assistant football coach and children's charity founder Jerry Sandusky on 40 counts of sexual abuse and assault against children last year shocked the nation.

Also shocking were further revelations that witnesses had told some university officials about the criminal acts they saw committed on school grounds. Those revelations led to the arrest of two other Penn State officials, as well as the downfall of longtime football coach Joe Paterno.

The scandal has refocused attention on laws that require certain people to report suspected child abuse to the proper authorities.

"The Penn State scandal is not surprising to those of us in the field," said Jetta Bernier, a child abuse expert who spoke at Tuesday's meeting. "We have known for many years now that there are large institutions and small institutions that sometimes make decisions to protect their reputations and pocketbooks rather than do the right thing for kids."

Bernier helped found Massachusetts Citizens for Children in 2002 following the sex abuse scandals in the local Catholic Church. The program grew into the national Enough Abuse Campaign, a nationwide network that helps states prevent child abuse.

"We know what works," said Jim McKay, state coordinator with Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia. "There are proven strategies such as what's being done in Massachusetts and elsewhere so that we can help prevent child abuse, but we need to invest in those programs."

McKay's organization is lobbying for support of a bill that would toughen the state's mandatory reporting laws as well as invest in community programs designed to stop child abuse.

The bill would raise the fine for failing to immediately report suspected abuse from $100 to $1,000. The misdemeanor crime also carries a 10-day prison sentence; the proposal does not change that.

It would also expand the list of people who must report to include people like youth sports coaches or those involved in Boy Scouts.

"Basically, anyone that through their work or efforts is in regular contact with children has a moral obligation - and we think in some cases has a legal obligation - to report cases of child abuse or neglect," McKay said.

The proposal also asks the state to divert $1 million annually to programs that would educate the public on how to identify the signs of abuse and how to deal with the situation.

Bernier also said these programs need to focus on preventing child abuse before it starts.

"We don't have to wait until children are abused before we do something," she said. "We can work and be ahead of the game to make sure kids are safe where they work and play, because children deserve to be safe and have a safe childhood."

McKay said, "As the Penn State situation has highlighted, often time institutions place other priorities ahead of children, so we need to make sure that children come first. We certainly don't want Penn State to happen in this state."

McKay said they met with several lawmakers, including Senate President Jeff Kessler, as well as representatives from Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's administration.

Kessler had already instructed Senate Judiciary Chairman Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, to review the state's laws after the Penn State scandal came to light.

Kessler said he hadn't yet discussed McKay's proposal with Palumbo, but he said the Senate will make strengthening abuse prevention laws a priority.

"I believe the Senate will be an aggressive advocate for strengthening protections for our kids," Kessler said.

Kessler said the Senate will also work to make sure funding is available for all programs aimed at preventing abuse.

Contact: jared.h...@dailymail.com