With all of the horror of war and all of the political stories which have filled our newspapers’ pages and our television screens, what does it say to us when the country’s leading newspaper, The New York Times, carries for its two front page stories Saturday, reports about child abuse: the convictions of Penn State’s Jerry Sandusky and of Msgr. William J. Lynn?

Sandusky was convicted on 45 counts of sexually abusing young boys. Msgr. Lynn was found guilty of endangering children, becoming, according to The Times, the first senior official of the Roman Catholic Church in this country to be convicted of covering up abuses by priests under his supervision. Before all of the investigations and appeals in these cases are over there will undoubtedly be many other arrests.

Though they happened in Pennsylvania, these convictions should open eyes in every school and church, town and city in our country. I serve on the board of a charity which for nearly 200 years has worked to prevent and to heal such injuries as these which are inflicted on our most vulnerable citizens. One of Natchez Children’s Home Services’ most difficult tasks has been to convince the average citizen that such things go on right under our very noses. That these crimes occur with increasing frequency right here in Natchez!

The recent vote concerning sex education in our schools is important. Children need this, given Mississippi’s high rate of teen pregnancies. But they also need to be taught at an early age how to resist and report inappropriate advances from adults, even members of their own families — even at sports practice — even in their schools — even in their churches!

Natchez Children’s Home Services conducts a year around A.B.C.s (Academic, Behavioral and Counseling) Program for pre-schoolers which currently cares for 30 at-risk children. In addition to this, we have started a Children’s Advocacy Center. Since opening the CAC just four weeks ago, we have already had 14 allegedly abused children brought to our center to be interviewed by a forensically trained staff member. The interview is filmed and observed by a team of experts who analyze the film and use it to prevent the child from having to go through the trauma of repeating his story to teachers, lawyers, doctors, law enforcement officers, etc. It may also be used in court to keep the child from having to testify in person.

The lesson to be learned from this week’s headline horror stories is this: Please be aware at all times of where your children are and who is in charge of them. Listen to your children. If they report or you observe any abusive activities, it is your duty to report this to the police.

You may also contact the Children’s Advocacy Center at Natchez Children’s Home Services by calling 601-442-6858 and asking for Glenda Wilson, director of CAC. She will discuss the problem with you, contact DHS, your doctor or law enforcement officials and arrange for your child to come to the center for an interview to help determine what has happened. This is all done in a private and strictly confidential setting.

Taking this action will not only help locate and punish the perpetrator, but will help heal the victim.

Abuse can happen to anyone’s child, in any place, at any time.

Please help us prevent it.

 

Kathie Blankenstein is a member of the board of directors of Natchez Children’s Home Services.