The crimes of which former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky is accused are horrendous. And a typical parent will wonder: how is it that these kids were allowed by their families to have such contact with Sandusky? Who in their right mind would let their kid sleep-over at a "coaches" house? Who would approve unchaperoned trips? Who would allow a boy to spend so much time with a man who was not family?
The answer is obvious. The kids were without fathers in their lives, drawn to an organization-- the Second Mile-- specifically created to cater to fatherless children.
Who, exactly, are these kids without fathers, and why are they vulnerable to sexual predators?
It is well known to sociologists that the primary risk factor for being a victim of child sexual abuse is family disintegration. Children from intact families are much less likely to be victims of sexual (or physical) abuse. Most sexual abusers are male, and most abusers are men known to the child who are not the child's biological father.
The disintegration of the two-parent family is relatively recent. Before the 1960's, the vast majority of American children grew up in homes in which their father lived. Divorce rates were low and out-of-wedlock births were rare.
Now 80% of black children are born out of wedlock, and a third of white children are born so. A large percentage of marriages end in divorce. Million of children experience family disintegration. There are two factors responsible: changing societal morals-- sexual promiscuity being the hallmark-- and the replacement of the father by government welfare.
Disintegration of the nuclear family-- and it is disintegrating rapidly-- is shredding our cultural fabric that protects our kids from all manner of evil.
The best protection from child sexual abuse is to have a dad who loves you and protects you and who lives in your home with you. Child abusers do their evil in a milieu of children left vulnerable by adult betrayal.
As marital fidelity becomes more rare and nuclear families disintegrate, our innocents will be left prey to cultural and carnal wolves.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteUm ... I seem to remember that most child abuse is committed by family members and friends of the family. Sexual predators unknown to the family are actually rare. Sexual predators groom their victims by gaining the trust of the parent(s) and child. And that includes the parish priest or teacher who chooses his profession for ulterior motives.
It's a convenient story to blame it on marital breakdown, but it's still just a story. The hysteria about child abuse is reaching such proportions that one is becoming reluctant to even smile at an unknown child in case one is regarded suspiciously as a possible pedophile.
@bach:
ReplyDeleteI do agree that there is an atmosphere of hysteria. But abuse is quite common, and family breakdown is a major risk factor for it.
Also, abuse is a political football. Child sexual abuse is much more common in public schools than it is in the Catholic Church, but the Church is excoriated whereas schools are largely uncriticized.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteDo you have any accurate statistics to back up your assertions? I'm vaguely aware of the one published by the Heritage Foundation, which is pushing an agenda.
I suspect the figures are skewed in that child abuse within 'stable' marriages are often concealed and child abuse is often falsely claimed in disintegrating marriages as a bargaining tool.
Regardless of the relative frequencies of child abuse in schools or the church, it's still serious regardless of where it occurs. The church though claims to have higher moral standards than elsewhere, and the church wasn't excoriated for child abusing priests, rather it was criticized for attempting to conceal it and for transferring offending priests to other parishes. A school board which attempted to do the same thing would be sued.
Not all out-of-wedlock births are the same. There are cohabiting couples whose children grow up with both parents. A single mother with a stable job is also a different story than an unemployed teenage mother.
ReplyDeleteSo tying child abuse to divorce and out-of-wedlock births is a risky proposition. You might want to look at statistics of child abuse in different countries. For example, Iceland has the highest percentage of out-of-wedlock births (3 out of 4). Does it also have a high percentage of child abuse? I don't know. Japan is on the other end of the spectrum with just 2 percent of children born out of wedlock. Do we want to emulate Japan? I am not sure you will agree with that, either.
Some stat on child abuse and neglect.
ReplyDeleteReally sad!
You're right! We need more fathers in the home. Why if we could get, say, two fathers raising the same child there would be no risk at all! You're correct Michael, gay marriage is the only solution.
ReplyDeleteChild sexual abuse is much more common in public schools than it is in the Catholic Church, but the Church is excoriated whereas schools are largely uncriticized.
ReplyDeleteThe Catholic Church is excoriated because it covered up and enabled child sexual abuse. The hierarchy hindered investigations into child abuse allegations, intimidated or threatened victims, transferred abusers out of the reach of civil authorities, and engaged in a widespread conspiracy to prevent those who were committing child sexual abuse from ever being held legally accountable for their actions.
But of course, it only because people are being unfair that they are pointing out this institutional corruption. Smear on more clown makeup, it might get you attention.
Obviously there is connection between vulnerability and predatory behaviour. It is equally apparent that a child is best raised in a natural family environment. The often praised strong / nuclear family.
ReplyDeleteThat environment is preferably rich in culture, traditions, and with an extended group in which they feel comfortable socializing, mixing, and learning. The ever popular 'village' concept. The village is where the danger of abuse most often lies.
The fact is that these preferable social and mental conditions are the most likely to provide a happy environment for an otherwise healthy and provided for child. This is the ideal, and even the ideal is flawed.
The less strength the child has in the family, the more it will draw from the broader culture. If the kid is neglected or somehow left needing within the family, they will seek to fill the void with people outside the family unit. So strong foundations pre-empt the need to seek outside assistance, and thus making potentially dangerous connections.
The Doctor's post speaks to these foundations.
A father is a pillar, as is a mother. Remove these supports and you increase the potential vulnerability of that child. The argument against Egnor's position seems to take the stance that the father or mother can be filled in for, replaced. Aside from the blatant unrealism of this position, there is the the further consideration that the most serious and serial abusers often adopt these VERY roles of 'replacement daddy'. The only factoid to counter, is 'some priests do it too! Some have even 'covered' up such crimes.'
AND? That makes it okay?
Egnor's central argument, as I read it, stands unchallenged in these comments: A child with a strong father-child relationship, in a stable home with parents in wedlock, is less likely to be molested or the victim of abuse.
ALL that said, I think both Bach and Dr Egnor are correct in identifying the witch hunt like hysteria surrounding the subject. Children should not be socially isolated because of the morbid and sordid fears of their parents. Fear is the shadow of evil, and here we see it cast long and dark!
CrusadeRex,
ReplyDeleteHow traditional is the nuclear family? Before the nuclear family, there was the extended family, consisting of grandparents, parents and children.
Perhaps it is the breakup of the extended family that is the cause of the problem, if there is one. I'm not entirely convinced. I suspect that there was a lot of child abuse happening in the past, however, it was hidden. I also suspect that some of the reported child abuse nowadays is also fictional.
I actually meant, I'm not entirely convinced that there's an increasing problem of child abuse. I think that there is just increasing publicity of the cases that do occur.
There was a fascinating epidemic of 'recovered' memories (actually implanted memories by so-called health care professionals) leading to allegations of child abuse. Have a look at the frightening book 'Discovering Satan'.
There's also the well described phenomenon of hypnopompic sleep paralysis, where the person at the borderline of sleep and wakefulness is paralyzed and has a feeling of pressure on the chest and has various hallucinations. In religious times, the experiences became sexual congress with demons. Later on, ghost experiences. Later on, with the popularity of science fiction, alien abductions. With the hysteria about child abuse, many episodes would be interpreted as sexual abuse.
Bach,
ReplyDelete"How traditional is the nuclear family? Before the nuclear family, there was the extended family, consisting of grandparents, parents and children."
The nuclear family is the basis of all family units. It is a relatively new term, but the concept is the most basic and ancient.
The nuclear family is the bare minimum.
The traditions and culture, in a very large part, are provided by extended groups. Grandma, Granddad, Uncles and Aunts... then the 'village' family friends, friends. schoolmates etc.
I think I made that quite clear.
The nuclear family is the foundations, the extended the brick and mortar. One is built upon the other.
"I actually meant, I'm not entirely convinced that there's an increasing problem of child abuse. I think that there is just increasing publicity of the cases that do occur."
I am fairly convinced of both. I think there is an increase in the sheer amount of cases due to a number of aspects that make children more vulnerable. Predation is an opportunistic instinct, often very cowardly. With increase in opportunity, we see an increase in predation.
On the other hand, I think the hype and hysteria is VERY real and more than one innocent have been lynched to promote that climate of fear.
Bach, I understand your position is not to deny the connection, but rather the epidemic proportions of the growth etc.
I get the distinction.
"There was a fascinating epidemic of 'recovered' memories (actually implanted memories by so-called health care professionals) leading to allegations of child abuse. Have a look at the frightening book 'Discovering Satan'."
I am aware of the book and saw an eye opening Documentary on the subject. I am not so sure I would 'enjoy' the read, though I am sure it is illuminating.
The value of 'regression' techniques is questionable, and used like this it is an abuse of that ability / condition. But, I don't think this lunacy can account for the increases on it's own.
I see it like this: Where there is smoke there is fire, and when you burn some bullshit with the wood - there is a whole lot more smoke.
Parasitic types are using these horrors to make careers and get rich. When they run out of the real deal, they 'find' a witch to burn. Anyone will do. That is the 'shadow' of the evil I was referring to in my original response.
"There's also the well described phenomenon of hypnopompic sleep paralysis, where the person at the borderline of sleep and wakefulness is paralyzed and has a feeling of pressure on the chest and has various hallucinations."
Yes. I have read about this theory of pathology. I am not so quick as you to resort to 'dustbin' diagnosis. I am not saying this kind of paralysis is not real, I just do not see it able to account for all the varying aspects of the phenomenon you describe.
When it comes to the 'weird and wonderful', I have learned from experience: Be sceptical, but not a sceptic.
"In religious times, the experiences became sexual congress with demons. Later on, ghost experiences. Later on, with the popularity of science fiction, alien abductions. With the hysteria about child abuse, many episodes would be interpreted as sexual abuse."
I do not know what happened to these people, and paralysis does not account for the various physical manifestations of many of these 'events' you note, or in some cases the various truths revealed. There is something very strange happening here, and I do not think there is a medical answer for ALL of it...
Extended family...man i'd love to be an 'Uncle with benefits.'
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous: "The Catholic Church is excoriated because it covered up and enabled child sexual abuse."
ReplyDeleteThe public schools do too. So that's not it. Try again.
Joey
By the way, Jerry Sandusky is not gay! Just because he has homosexual desires and he acts on them does not mean that he's gay.
ReplyDeletehttp://twogaybullies.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/just-to-clear-things-up-jerry-sandusky-is-not-gay/
@Anonymous/Joey:
ReplyDeleteUnlike Catholics, public school teachers don't claim to possess the basis of morality.