Child sexual abuse is a painful and unpleasant topic that people including professionals have trouble discussing. Many people who demand abstinence education to prevent teens from engaging in consensual sexual activities do nothing to prevent non-consensual sexual assaults.
The media and abusers focus attention on the rare instances where false allegations are made. We need a concerted effort to dispel the myth that women and children frequently make false allegations of abuse and particularly sexual abuse. By the time children reach the age of 18, one-third of the girls and one-sixth of the boys have been sexually abused. Although the stereotypical rapist and abuser is a stranger, 83% of rapes and sexual abuse are committed by someone the victim knows. Someone the children knows is committing these acts and if we assume most allegations to be false society makes it easy for offenders to find more child victims. This is exactly what we see happening in the courts. Although deliberate false allegations of sexual abuse occurs only one or two percent of the time, a majority are disbelieved or dismissed for lack of sufficient evidence.
Many acts of molestation do not leave physical evidence, and the common delay until children get the courage to reveal the abuse of a close relative or friend often makes any physical evidence unavailable. Young victims may not have the language to describe what was done to them and are often denied credibility because of their age. Older victims are often threatened that they or someone they care about will be hurt or killed if they disclose the sexual abuse. Many children continue to love their abuser even after his abuse and are reluctant to get him in trouble.
The government routinely spends large sums of money researching far less important issues. It is long past time to stop tolerating what is intolerable. Society must come together to change the attitudes and beliefs that have permitted sexual abuse to be so widespread. It is not inevitable. The courts must adopt practices based on up-to-date research so that abusers can expect to be caught and punished! It is baffling to me that in this case with Eddie Long, in particular, people are so quick to say let's wait and see. It is NO secret that pedophiles run rampant in the churches across the world. Many leaders in the church have been known to hold a secret to what lies beneath the truth. Many families also hold this dark secret as well. It is time that people say SOMETHING. This could prevent the next child from becoming a victim. I do not understand why families and other individuals knowingly make excuses for and hide this type of behavior as if it doesn't exist. I know it's hard to come forth and admit this happened to you, it was for me, but if the first or the second or even the fifth person abused by the same person were to come forth then victims six through infinite would certainly have not occurred.
Much Love,
Lipstick Diva
Food for thought.
