“Child sexual abuse is a hidden but significant problem in every community in America. Experts estimate that one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday. Less than one in ten will tell. Research clearly shows that individuals who are sexually abused as children are far more likely to experience psychological problems often lasting into adulthood, including Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, depression, substance abuse and relationship problems. Child sexual abuse does not recognize region, race, creed, socio-economic status or gender; it crosses all boundaries to impact every community and every person in America.

If child sexual abuse were like most childhood diseases, the prevalence and consequences of it would lead to telethons to raise money for its cure every weekend. But child sexual abuse is one of the last cultural taboos. With the exception of child-focused personal safety programs, almost nothing is being done to address it.”

The cost of child sexual abuse alone would pay for America’s health care. A 1996 National Institute of Justice study estimated that each year child sexual abuse in America costs the nation $35 billion dollars. Read that again.
$35 BILLION DOLLARS.

* Victims of child sexual abuse generally spend more on psychiatric care and medical services throughout their lives. Some victims of child sexual abuse require more expensive special educational services. Child sexual abuse causes lost potential and productivity. These expenses, which would not be necessary if not for sexual abuse, come from our taxes. Even if you or someone you know wasn’t directly impacted by sexual abuse, you’re paying for the damage these monsters cause.

As I’ve come to terms with the abuse I suffered, I realize just how much pain child molesters cause others and are still causing others. A minister from my former Presbyterian church in Knoxville, TN, molested friends of mine, and is still, I would guess, at age 76, molesting someone somewhere. A Baylor University graduate, he was connected to the University for quite awhile. I don’t know how Baylor could react other than to deny association with him or knowledge of his activities. Yet he was, he told my mother once, associated with Father Flanagan’s Boys Town in San Antonio, TX where he still keeps a house. That’s not unusual for such places to attract child molesters.

Our high schools, churches, scouting programs, any organization that works with youth will attract these molesters. They’re hard to detect as they go out of their way to be *nice* and charming. Unless a child reports them, and only one in ten will, it’s almost impossible to catch them, and harder to convict them.

But how do you go about outing a child molester so other children are not abused? Do you call up their congregation? Knock on their door? Post their name on the internet? Do you pray they meet a big bus on a rainy highway late at night? How do you protect others from these monsters?

Serial child molesters may have as many as 400 victims in their lifetime. At age 76, he may be adding onto his list. I know I once Googled his name and found he officiated at the funeral of a teenage boy who committed suicide. And I wondered….did the boy commit suicide because of him?

As I read an article on Oprah Winfrey’s site tonight about the male victims of child sexual abuse I wondered about his victims. She asks wives, “Is Your husband a victim?” The article is two years old, but still relevant. It makes my heart hurt for all the men who were victimized by this minister and hurt even more for the women who married those men. I ask again….how do you out them? He’s not on the federal sexual offender registry. So he’s never been caught AND convicted…mostly because when he was caught, no one wanted to prosecute him. He worked with a church camp, with youth groups…he babysat…. and he’s still out there. And someone’s son isn’t safe….