Sandusky Conviction Not a Celebration but a Call to Action
By: Lynn Adler
Updated: June 25, 2012
STATE COLLEGE - Many are cheering now that Jerry Sandusky is facing a likely life sentence.
But victim advocates say, not so fast.
Debra Kittle-Greenleaf, Assitant Executive Director of The Centre County Women's Resource Center, said watching Sandusky head off to jail Friday night was a relief, but the convinction is not a cause for celebration. Instead, she said, it's a call to action.
"Sex crimes, domestic violence, sexual abuse against children -- we tolerate this within our communities. Once we decide as a community not to do that anymore we can change that."
Child sex abuse is at epidemic proportions, she said. Keeping kids safe from another Jerry Sandusky, she added, means facing the graphic and disturbing reality of the horrific crimes the former football committed. It is something many fatigued with Sandusky coverage may not be so eager to do.
"Unfortunately, this whole trial process has helped educate our community in some ways about the realities and that's going to help us move folks forward out of this uncomfortable place of not wanting to hear about it anymore to maybe a place of being more engaged as bystanders."
The only way to prevent something like this from happening again, Greenleaf said, is through community awareness, education, and learning how to intervene.
She hopes other survivors of childhood sexual abuse take comfort in the case, and in the courage of the victims whose stories sent their abuser to jail.
"I hope that a lot of survivors can take courage from how this came out with the victims and how the community responded and how the criminal justice responded."
But victim advocates say, not so fast.
Debra Kittle-Greenleaf, Assitant Executive Director of The Centre County Women's Resource Center, said watching Sandusky head off to jail Friday night was a relief, but the convinction is not a cause for celebration. Instead, she said, it's a call to action.
"Sex crimes, domestic violence, sexual abuse against children -- we tolerate this within our communities. Once we decide as a community not to do that anymore we can change that."
Child sex abuse is at epidemic proportions, she said. Keeping kids safe from another Jerry Sandusky, she added, means facing the graphic and disturbing reality of the horrific crimes the former football committed. It is something many fatigued with Sandusky coverage may not be so eager to do.
"Unfortunately, this whole trial process has helped educate our community in some ways about the realities and that's going to help us move folks forward out of this uncomfortable place of not wanting to hear about it anymore to maybe a place of being more engaged as bystanders."
The only way to prevent something like this from happening again, Greenleaf said, is through community awareness, education, and learning how to intervene.
She hopes other survivors of childhood sexual abuse take comfort in the case, and in the courage of the victims whose stories sent their abuser to jail.
"I hope that a lot of survivors can take courage from how this came out with the victims and how the community responded and how the criminal justice responded."
