Sandusky Penn State trial

[mickminmom]

Is haunting my thoughts...

Innocent children...

He is evil.

[Giantbear]

I am a big believer in due process and innocent until proven guilty, but someone needs to take him behind the woodshed and put two between the eyes.

[citymama]

It will be an outrage - a mockery of justice - if his "histrionic personality disorder" gets him off the hook, or lightens his sentence in any way. 52 counts of child abuse and you tell us he's attention-seeking so it's not his fault?

He was entrusted with a position of authority by his employer that allowed him access to kids he could abuse. So the "histrionic disorder" (sic) wasn't a problem then?

Child abusers cannot continue to do what they do and think they can get off the hook by fabricating medical excuses.This trial must send the message that it's unacceptable.

Giantbear, his fellow inmates will likely take care of that.

[TwoBees]

It's disgusting. HE'S disgusting. He's got to have some serious psychiatric condition to not think that showering with teen boys and naked "horseplay" with them isn't wrong. Not that I hope he gets off (no pun intended) because of this. He should rot in heck.

[Jacksmommy2b]

Giantbear, his fellow inmates will likely take care of that.


One can only hope.

Being pregnant I refuse to watch anything about the trial. I have enough nightmares as is.

[kijip]

I hope he gets a nice long sentence. His defense is laughable.

But make no mistake about it, child abusers will not stop because some other person, Sandusky or not, is sent away for a long time. The children saved by this are the ones he might be abusing now if not indicted. Other abusers will continue their criminal activities and continue to find more victims regardless of how long his sentence is. There is not a deterrent to be found in his punishment except for his own would be crimes.

The crushing tragedy here is that the school and co-workers could have stopped him long ago but failed to act. By failing to act, each person sent a powerful message to the victims - "you are alone and no one will help you. You are not worth saving." The sexual abuse of children will not stop until people stop pushing all forms of child abuse under the rug because it is shameful or a big secret or confronting it violates someone's privacy. Sexual abuse and rape are symptoms of a problem, not the whole problem. And it is a problem that extends beyond the abusers personally.

[HannaAddict]

I really thought he'd just take care of it and kill himself once he was out of custody and awaiting trial. He is horrible and I'm disgusted by the staff of Penn State.

[brittone2]

I hope he gets a nice long sentence. His defense is laughable.

But make no mistake about it, child abusers will not stop because some other person, Sandusky or not, is sent away for a long time. The children saved by this are the ones he might be abusing now if not indicted. Other abusers will continue their criminal activities and continue to find more victims regardless of how long his sentence is. There is not a deterrent to be found in his punishment except for his own would be crimes.

The crushing tragedy here is that the school and co-workers could have stopped him long ago but failed to act. By failing to act, each person sent a powerful message to the victims - "you are alone and no one will help you. You are not worth saving." The sexual abuse of children will not stop until people stop pushing all forms of child abuse under the rug because it is shameful or a big secret or confronting it violates someone's privacy. Sexual abuse and rape are symptoms of a problem, not the whole problem. And it is a problem that extends beyond the abusers personally.

Have you followed the story of the so-called "Victim #1"? So many adults could have acted, and instead the assistant principal was calling him down to the office during school hours so Sandusky could talk to him. Sick, sick, sick.

So many adults failed to act.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/06/jerry_sandusky_central_mountai.html
From the article linked above:
Almost four years ago, he was outed in his own community as being the kid who falsely accused Jerry Sandusky (http://topics.pennlive.com/tag/jerry%20sandusky/index.html). For three years, he kept his promise to investigators that he wouldn’t talk about the abuse he alleged he endured at the hands of a legend during his childhood.
Then, when Sandusky was charged — not just with molesting him, but also nine others — he was bullied out of school. Someone close to him gave his identity to the national media.
Midway through his senior year, he left his friends, his track team. (http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/11/alleged_jerry_sandusky_victim.html)He moved with his family to a new place and started at a new school.

<snip>

One day after school in late 2008, Victim 1 told his mom he was afraid his teachers thought he was a bad kid.
“Why?” she asked.
He told her Assistant Principal Steve Turchetta — also the head football coach and the athletic director — called him down to the “principal’s office” a lot so that Sandusky could talk to him privately.
His mother was furious.

[kijip]

It is not shocking that survivors were mistreated by their peers and community. It's classic blame the victim. Blaming the victim, not believing the victim, siding with the famous/nice/trustworthy/respected/devout/whatever abuser is par for the course in sexual abuse and rape cases. While it is not surprising, it is wholly unacceptable and why I think that plenty of people who never personally abuse a child are still personally responsible for a child being abused. We have created a system where in few get caught and fewer see trial. When victims get blamed or shunned and intimidated by more people than just their abuser, is it any wonder that offenders think they can get away with it?

[brittone2]

It is not shocking that survivors were mistreated by their peers and community. It's classic blame the victim. Blaming the victim, not believing the victim, siding with the famous/nice/trustworthy/respected/devout/whatever abuser is par for the course in sexual abuse and rape cases. While it is not surprising, it is wholly unacceptable and why I think that plenty of people who never personally abuse a child are still personally responsible for a child being abused. We have created a system where in few get caught and fewer see trial. When victims get blamed or shunned and intimidated by more people than just their abuser, is it any wonder that offenders think they can get away with it?

I agree.