It
reminded me of the Penn State scandal, in which Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky
was convicted of 45 counts of sexual abuse against young boys. Several Penn State staff testified that they
saw or heard of Sandusky’s abuse, but never reported it to police.
Now
we can probably all agree that pedophiles are sick individuals that need to be
incarcerated for their crimes, but what about bystanders who know the abuse is occurring
but don’t report it? 47 states and the
District of Columbia impose penalties on mandatory reporters who knowingly or
willfully fail to make a report when they suspect a child is being abused or
neglected. In Indiana, individuals can
be charged with a Class B misdemeanor.
Sexual
abuse of children in this country is at epic proportions. According to the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 17% of boys and 28% of
girls will be victims of sexual abuse during their childhood. Think about that for a minute. That’s over 1
out of every four girls!
So
my question to you this week is, “Do you think the penalties should be harsher
for adults who know abuse is occurring, but don’t report it? Why do you think someone would know a child
is being abused, but not notify the authorities?” You must answer both questions to earn full
credit. As for me, this whole topic has
made me feel kind of ill. I want to say
I think adults who know abuse is occurring but fail to report it should get the
same penalties the child molesters receive themselves. Then again, even those penalties aren’t that
harsh. I’m eager to hear what you
think. Answers are due no later than
Sunday, March 10th, 2013. Don’t
forget! Daylight Savings Time starts
this Sunday! Move your clocks ahead 1
hour.
As I personally experienced something along these lines I must say this is an uncortable subject to even discuss. I think that.if someone knew it was happening and didnt say anything was just as much abusing the child as the person doing the actions. I don't know what punishment to give honestly, but some how I hope they will feel horrible for having allowed it.
ReplyDeleteSomeone would know if would be happening and not tell for many reasons they also enjoy it, they care about the person too much to tell on them, that other person has threatened them not to tell, the other person is a higher status and even if they did say anything no one would believe them, or maybe they some how thought the child deserved it. I'm not really sure why someone out of the direct situation wouldn't tell.... after all ... they could be their only hope.
You are letting these pure souls be destroyed and scared for the rest of their lives. It has been proven in many mental, and personality disorders by psychilogists that this will have life long effects. Litterallly your childhood is the molding time of your life. We need to protect and love them, they are the future. And that should be your only influence on a being, is to guide them in the safest way possible.
I answered, but I really dont even know if it makes sense.
Personally I think that they should share the punishment. It is said that the greatest evil is to observe evil being done and yet do nothing to stop it.
ReplyDeleteAs for the reason why people wouldn't, it could be any number of reasons. It can't be easy to deal with the situation if the person in question is a friend or family member. Denial is something that humans have become far too good at.
If an adult knowingly doesn't report something like this, they are enabling and encouraging these actions. I definitely think punishment should be equal to those who actually carry out the acts themselves.
ReplyDeleteSomebody could come up with countless excuses about why they wouldn't report something like this, but all of the reasons are selfish. The main reason nobody ever called out Jerry Sandusky is because he was a good coach. Christ forbid somebody would step up and do the right thing, their football team may have suffered! We couldn't have that!
I think it is an obvious answer. Everyone is accountable. It is being an accessory to the crime and obstruction to the law. If you know of someone doing a crime, what ever it is, your a guilty party too. As of punishment for sex offenders, well I say we borrow old Islam or India law and just cut off their finger tips. Or just tattoo a sign symbolizing sex offending crimes right on the sex offenders forehead.
ReplyDeleteI think they should get punished the same as the molester. Basically they are sick for knowing and not saying anything and letting this happen to the child. Its very sick and they should be charged. Its a crime to do such a thing to a child, to anyone.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason why they choose not to say anything about the abuse because either they are participating in the crime or it might have had happen to them and have always been afraid to say something. But at the same time that's no excuses. They would know the child is being abuse by the way the child is acting or his or her behavior around that person or family or people in general, and for some sick reason the adult chooses not to say a thing about this issue. I honestly hope and pray that this situation isn't happening at this moment with any one, its a horrible thing.
Yes, i believe If another adult knows a child is being molested they should be held just as accountable as the molester. The fact that a child is ten times more scared to say anything, its an adults job to be able to stick up for such an innocent human being. This topic disgusts me and how they justify the short-lived punishment given to molesters is disgusting.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why people don't notify authorities when they know something like this is happening. Wether its because they know the person and just don't want to think that they could do something like that, or the fact that they feel threaten by this person as they could be on a higher status than them, or if its just the fact that people tend to not care as much when it is not directly effecting them. What I don't understand is if someone knows this is happening how can they just not want to protect the child, tell them everything will be ok, and proov it to them by getting that person locked up.
I think there should be a harsher punishment for those who know it's happening but aren't doing anything. It's horrifying that they wouldn't.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason why someone wouldn't say something about it is because they don't want to be involved in the crime. If they think no one knows that they know, they probably won't do anything about it or that no one will believe it happened. But that's not right. They know what happened and they should do something about it.
If you saw someone steal something and you didn't do anything to stop that, you'd probably get in a lot of trouble for not saying anything too. If someone is holding knowledge of a crime that prevents the real criminal from being punished, that's a crime too and that should be punishable too. I agree with the person above who said that child molesters should be made to wear tattoos. Maybe the people who know about the crime should have the same punishment.
I believe there should be harsher punishment for both pedophiles and the people who do not speak up when they should have. For the pedophiles, prison becomes a "living hell". Once other inmates find out you were a child molester or you raped someone, you're pretty much going to have a hard life in prison. They, most of the time, get their punishment by other inmates. For the people who fail to report the sexual abuse just get a slap on the hand. These people could have stopped it all before it got worse. In Penn States case, I believe they didn't say anything because it could jeopardize the coaches job, or they figured he had someone who could hurt them or their family... being how he was pretty famous.
ReplyDeleteI personally, just think people are becoming to stuck up. When asking random people if they would help out someone who is getting bullied or possibly getting sexual assaulted, most of the answers you get are no, they wouldn't. Our society has formed this philosophy where if we just look the other way maybe it will go away. In many cases that doesn't happen. Rape, Child abuse, Molesting, this stuff really happens. People are just to scared to see it and do something about it. Especially if they don't know what to do or how to stop it.
Unfortunately I don't really have high faith in the police either, consider past encounters. They just seem too worried about gangs, speeding tickets, and party crashing. The people who don't report crimes should get the same punishments or more than the pedophile. Maybe prison will wake them up and make them grow some balls and realize they should stand up for other people.
It all comes down to values and morals.
- Sarah Brown
The majority of States require that reports of child abuse or neglect be made orally, either by person or by telephone, to the specified authorities. Some States require that a written report follow the oral report, but, in some jurisdictions, this is only required of mandated reporters. In other States, written reports are required only upon request. Some States allow professionals to report via the Internet. There also are penalties for making knowingly false reports of child abuse or neglect. Approximately 30 States have statutes specifying penalties for false reports. The penalties are similar to those for the failure to report. The majority of States classify false reporting as a misdemeanor, while a few States classify it as a felony. False reports should not be confused with cases that are found to be unsubstantiated by CPS. Those cases are ruled out due to insufficient evidence that was provided in good faith, as opposed to false reports where incorrect information is provided knowingly. And so my answer to this question would be that those withholding information, especially in cases like these, having any relatable info on abuse or neglect on a child just received the same penalties as the abuser. They are just as guilty and in so many words, this is considered lying under oath. Most people are in fear of the affects of speaking up and telling in fear that they will be judged, lose their jobs, etc. Bottom line is that this is wrong and those involved and know information pertaining to such matters should be punished indefinetely.
ReplyDeleteI think if a person doesn't do anything to help or benefit children that are being abused is just as bad as the one abusing the child. Chidren are our future it's bigger then us to just let a generation be laid to waist by adults that have most likely been abused in their past. I think it is a sad commentary for children to go though such a tramatic experience.
ReplyDeleteI think people don't want to talk it because of fear. I think we as a society are very cold. If a situation is not about us or anyone that we know why should we care. It's easier to turn a blind eye because it's quick kind of like the death penalty. For Instance "oh you killed my friend ok I'll just have the state kill you". The reality at the end of the day is that doing nothing has no time restranits and it doesn't make you un comftorable. The fuuny thing is when people find out the you knew a child was being abused and you did nothing they look at you from a much darker light. After it's all said and done why wouldn you help a defenceless child from loosing their innocence isn't that what makes them special.
I agree with most if not all the people above. The crime should share equal punishment to the doer and the "silent witnesses". The problem with this logic is that like most laws can then be pushed to extremes. Like if some of the other people that worked there after the act was out in the open were accused of being potential "silent witnesses" and in reality some actually didn't know. I guess the "potential law" could be backed by an investigation into who could of been involved.
ReplyDeleteI believe that people "these days" just don't want to get involved in situations. Yes, there are people who jump on opportunities to help people "children", but of course people have just gotten lazy or just can block it out due to feeling/loyalty to the Priest. I also agree with people that said maybe the thought no one would believe them and they would be risking there job for nothing. I personally believe that people now a day are just too desensitized to major issues going on, whether it be global warming, or children in need of immediate help. As long as the issue isn't involving their life personally, its not a problem for them to deal with...
Sean Brown
I think the penalties should be quite harsh. This is pretty much the most despicable act a human being can perform in my opinion. There's absolutely no excuse for it and everyone involved should be punished for it. And if you know this is happening, you're involved. Yeah i get it that wives can't be compelled to testify against their husbands so that's unreachable. But anyone else who knew of those offenses should be held responsible. You'd get in trouble if you didn't report a murder and then it was found out later that you knew, this should be no different.
ReplyDeleteAgain someone who wouldn't tell authorities would be a wife of whatever scumbag was doing this. In the case of the church they're just a bunch of perverted old psychopaths with an imaginary friend so they can't be believed to operate on any sort of logic. Other than that i'd think the only people who wouldn't report it are sick sick bastards
Kiernan
I believe that the penalty should be similar to that of accessory to murder, only instead of murder it would be pedophilia. It's hard to know that someone had been doing something horrible and the only thing you can do is sit idly by and hope it blows over. Also, wherever you go, there's always a bad apple that spoils the bunch so I wouldn't be stereotypical about it all anyways. But a sin is still a sin. Anyways, from a personal perspective, the reason someone wouldn't say anything would be that it all comes down to denial and repressing the memory that someone dear to you is doing something as awful and traumatizing as this.
ReplyDeleteAs for those saying their opinion on those who wouldn't report it, I would try asking someone before making a rash conclusion.
-Micah Kistler
This topic is kind of sensitive for me, as my biological father is sentenced to life in prison for child molestation. I feel that no child should have to go through such a thing, and any person that enables it by not speaking up should suffer some degree of sentencing the same as the convicted does. Children are unable to defend themselves and this kind of thing can hurt them for life in some instances. Some people might not say something solely for the reason of how much they may care for the potential offender, or they may not want to be considered a "rat," or perhaps the person does not want to get in front of a jury and testify. They could just not want to deal with any sort of authority figure. Whatever their cowardly reason, they need to be taken into justice just as a accomplice of a convicted murderer. This may not be murder, but their is no reason for the person to get off scott - free for not telling and helping a child in need.
ReplyDeleteI am a father of one son and soon to be another child, I can't agree more that pedophiles are very sick and demented people that should be shot into the sun, and when such a crime is being committed and another adult knows or suspects of it but fails to report it, they might as well be helping the suspect in the act. The idea of not wanting to be considered a "rat" is both childish and irrational, most people who have this in mind are usually criminals in some stupid gang, desperately seeking the approval of their peers. I was watching Lockup this weekend and one of the detainees was a older guy (cant say man) who had been arrested for what they called the largest child pornography collection ever seized, he came up with a lame excuse about not understanding file sharing programs, and claims not to have seeked them out. He was a father of his own children who had grown and had kids of their own, and in jail awaiting courts this guy askes his daughter for pictures of his grandchildren. Trying to be objective and see this from both her perspective and someone else looking in I still came to the same conclusion, I would not trust him alone with my kids, even if he was my dad. Either way he had to be kept from his grandchildren for obvious reasons and from the other prisoners since they would try to kill him, even criminals have enough dignity to stay away from children, so I say no mercy to those who fail to report instances of child abuse.
ReplyDeleteI do think there should be very harsh penalties for people who do not report child abuse to authorities. I think that anyone who can do that is deserving of being arrested and locked up for a long time. I think people don't tell the authorities because they don't feel it's their place or they're worried the victim will be affected somehow by them notifying authorities.
ReplyDeleteI do think the punishment for those who know about abuse and don't tell anyone about it should be more harsh. People may make their excuses, but there's no excuse good enough to allow abuse like this to go on with an innocent child.
ReplyDeleteAs I said before, there is no reason good enough to allow this to go on. Im not sure what reasons people could think would be good enough. Maybe people who are afraid of authority, people who probably deserve to be arrested anyway. Maybe people who think that its just none of their business, or even people trying to cover for a friend. Whatever the case, if someone knows for sure that sexual abuse is happening and they don't say something about it, it's almost as bad as doing it themselves. If the punishment is more harsh and people know it, maybe they'll think twice about hiding it.
I strongly feel that penalties for sexual abuse towrds a minor need to be more severe, the damage done to that child is with them for the rest of their lives, something that never goes away that just lurks in the shadows of their mind, its a horrible way to live ones life. As for those who know its going on but refuse to report it they too should receive the same punishment because with them not reporting it they might as well be doing it themselves to the child. This is something you wouldnt expect a first world country to have but it still happening so the only way to change it is to change the punishment.
ReplyDeleteI think as an adult if you know that a child is getting abused and you aren't doing anything about it you are screwing up! As an adult you are meant to take care of the young.
ReplyDeleteSomeone has to be the voice, it is harder to speak up and do something about it than to turn your cheek the other way. Go with your intuition.
ReplyDeleteWell this subject was painful to me for the sheer mass of this crime being commited in this supposed "church". I am not stating this to offend any Caothlic beliver, but from a moral point of view, the child is innocent, and does not deserve this treatment from anyone, no matter of race, sex, religion or political view. Now when you as the person commiting this hanus crime say you are a man or woman of God and serves the church, then your dealing with, at least from my view, with judgement you have no hope of escaping. So my answer is yes, there has to be a more stern punishment to these types of crimes.
ReplyDeleteTheir is too much taught in classes where we have to learn stuff that we will never use after graduation. What have you ever accomplished by answering questions on quizes about earth and space science? Chemistry? Geometry? Algebra? What has attempting or actually learning these done for you since you have graduated? I was always told the only things we should need are reading, writing and arithmetic. Bejamin Franklin believed self education, he did not believe in the school education. Im not saying I fully agree with that but I just feel alot of classes should be removed to focus on what is needed to excel. The environment is any where the student can focus. As for standardize tests, well as long as our future generations keep finding all their entertainment in shows like jersey shore we are only going to go from dumb to dumber and letting the other countries in on our stupidity.
ReplyDelete