What Do These People Have in Common?

Can you guess what the following famous and not-so-famous people have in common?:

• Roman Polanski, Oscar-winning movie director
• Jerry Sandusky, (former) assistant coach with the Penn State University football program
• Jimmy Savile, (deceased) BBC television host and philanthropist
• Fr. Edward Avery, (former) priest in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
• Rabbi Yoel Malik, (former) teacher in the Satmar Jewish community in Brooklyn
• Keri Ann Brekne, (former) teacher in New Jersey

All of the above people are guilty of child sex abuse. Regardless of gender, level of fame, religion, title, and geography, they all abused boys and girls.

Sadly, in the US, one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused by the time they reach their 18th birthday, according to the Centers for Disease Control! Like the perpetrators of this horrible crime, the victims come from all walks of life.

So, why am I telling you this on a blog dedicated to nonprofit management, marketing, and fundraising?

Let me explain.

I’m a former member of the board of directors of the Philadelphia Children’s Alliance, so this month, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, is particularly meaningful to me. To mark the occasion every year, I devote one blog post that will help you protect your loved ones from the nightmare crime of child sex abuse. Fortunately, we can do something about this national tragedy.

First, we need to recognize that child sex abusers are difficult to spot. Warnings of “stranger-danger” are inadequate because over 90 percent of abusers are not strangers; they are someone in the child’s circle of trust. Abusers can be men or women, famous or not famous, leaders or average individuals, city dwellers or rural residents, Americans or non-Americans. To help you better understand and recognize child molesters, read my post: “Can You Spot a Child Molester? Discover the Warning Signs.”

Second, learn what easy steps you can take to keep children safe. The experts at the Philadelphia Children’s Alliance have prepared a list of 10 things you can do. You can find the list in my post: “10 Essential Tips to Protect Children from Real Monsters.” You can find more tips in my post: “And Now for Something Completely Different.”

Third, consider supporting your local child advocacy center. CACs bring justice and healing to the victims of child sex abuse. For more information and/or to donate to the National Children’s Alliance, click here.

Fourth, as the Oscar-winning movie Spotlight observes, child sex abuse is a crime that exists in the shadows. The more light we shine on it, the safer children will be. So, I encourage you to talk with others about child sex abuse and what can be done to prevent it.

Fifth, I encourage you to share this post with others. As adults, it’s our collective responsibility to keep children safe. If we don’t take action to prevent abuse, we’re accomplices. So, I urge you to take action today to protect your loved ones and share the information I’ve presented so that others may do the same.

Will you help?

That’s what Michael Rosen says… What do you say?

Tags: child sex abuse, child sexual abuse, Edward Avery, Jerry Sandusky, Jimmy Savile, Keri Ann Brekne, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, National Children's Advocacy Center, National Children's Alliance, Philadelphia Children's Alliance, right thing, Roman Polanski, Spotlight, stop child abuse, Yoel Malik