Local Advocacy Groups Concerned with Portion of Paterno Report
By: Mallory Lane
Updated: February 12, 2013
STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY - Local organizations are still responding to the Paterno family's review of the Freeh report.
One part of the Paterno report is gaining significant interest by local sex abuse advocacy groups.
Local advocacy groups say they do agree with a lot of the Paterno family report, but they're upset the family is suggesting a national organization be set up to do essentially what these local groups are already doing.
According to the Paterno family's new report, the last words Joe Paterno ever wrote, "Good side of scandal, it has brought about more enlightenment of a situation (sexual abuse of young people) in the country."
And it also brought awareness to child sexual abuse right here in Centre County.
"We've been really working very hard at that," Director of Centre County Women's Resource Center, Anne Ard, said. "About doing those kinds of prevention programs, about educating the community, and I think the community has responded really beautifully and with enthusiasm."
Throughout the Paterno report, it suggests a national organization be created to encourage prevention and education, but Ard says that's something that's already happening.
"I was sort of taken aback by that one," she said. "There are multiple national organizations who are working on child abuse prevention generally, and child sexual abuse prevention, specifically."
Andrea Boyles works with the Youth Service Bureau for Centre County. She says organizations like hers struggle to find funding, and for money to go to yet another organization that's doing the same things hers is, would be counter-productive.
"Starting a brand new program, is certainly more costly than funding programs that already exist," Boyles said. "In the case of Stewards of Children, that have been researched and proven to be effective."
The Paterno family says they want to help with these efforts moving forward. Ard says she would love to see them focus in their own backyard.
"There are lots and lots of ways for people to be involved and I would say that anybody, not just the Paterno's, but to anybody who is really serious about making this a safer community for children, come talk to me," she said. "I've got some very clear, and very specific, ways that you can be involved."
One part of the Paterno report is gaining significant interest by local sex abuse advocacy groups.
Local advocacy groups say they do agree with a lot of the Paterno family report, but they're upset the family is suggesting a national organization be set up to do essentially what these local groups are already doing.
According to the Paterno family's new report, the last words Joe Paterno ever wrote, "Good side of scandal, it has brought about more enlightenment of a situation (sexual abuse of young people) in the country."
And it also brought awareness to child sexual abuse right here in Centre County.
"We've been really working very hard at that," Director of Centre County Women's Resource Center, Anne Ard, said. "About doing those kinds of prevention programs, about educating the community, and I think the community has responded really beautifully and with enthusiasm."
Throughout the Paterno report, it suggests a national organization be created to encourage prevention and education, but Ard says that's something that's already happening.
"I was sort of taken aback by that one," she said. "There are multiple national organizations who are working on child abuse prevention generally, and child sexual abuse prevention, specifically."
Andrea Boyles works with the Youth Service Bureau for Centre County. She says organizations like hers struggle to find funding, and for money to go to yet another organization that's doing the same things hers is, would be counter-productive.
"Starting a brand new program, is certainly more costly than funding programs that already exist," Boyles said. "In the case of Stewards of Children, that have been researched and proven to be effective."
The Paterno family says they want to help with these efforts moving forward. Ard says she would love to see them focus in their own backyard.
"There are lots and lots of ways for people to be involved and I would say that anybody, not just the Paterno's, but to anybody who is really serious about making this a safer community for children, come talk to me," she said. "I've got some very clear, and very specific, ways that you can be involved."
