An unspeakable crime
Child sexual abuse victims face many problems, years of recovery
February 19, 2006
By
MEGAN VARNER AND JOANIE BAKER
Index-Journal staff writers
Uncle Tim loves his nieces and nephews. And everybody loves Uncle
Tim. He’s the type of uncle who sends money in the mail for
birthdays, makes visits on the weekends for “special outings”
to the movies and always has something sweet in his pockets for
people under four feet tall.
Everybody knows Uncle Tim is wonderful with children, so Maggie’s
parents never thought twice about dropping their 8-year-old
daughter off at her uncle’s house for private piano lessons
each week.
Until the permanent grin on Maggie’s face disappeared, and
the happy, outgoing little girl became restless and withdrawn.
To her parents, Maggie’s personality changes seemed to be
the result of struggles with multiplication problems at school.
After all, she did mention that she was having a hard time
concentrating in the classroom.
But to the trained eye of Maggie’s teacher, the changes were
the result of something more serious than multiplication.
After receiving extensive training, Maggie’s teacher knew
that the symptoms the little girl exhibited were typical of those
seen in children who have been sexually abused. She knew that
even though many people feel uncomfortable talking about the
topic, it is, unfortunately, much more common in this area than
most people think — it may even be happening in their own
home.
According to the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic
Violence and Sexual Assault, a child is sexually abused in the
United States every two minutes. The South Carolina Department of
Social Services said that in 2002, nearly 11,000 children were
victims of abuse or neglect in this state, and because so many
cases go unreported, the U.S. Department of Health and Human
services says the actual incidents of abuse and neglect may be
three times higher.
Only 10 to 16 percent of child sexual assault cases are reported,
said Charlotte Ehney, program coordinator with The Child’s
Place in Greenwood. The Child’s Place, serving Greenwood,
Abbeville, Laurens and Newberry counties, specializes in children’s
services for victims of sexual abuse. Last year, The Child’s
Place saw 200 children under age 16. Of those, 143 were females
and 57 were males.
“It happens across the board. It doesn’t just happen in
one socioeconomic background,” said Martha Busterna,
executive director of the Sexual Trauma and Counseling Center in
Greenwood, which operates The Child’s Place program.
According to 2005 statistics, a majority of the children seen by
The Child’s Place were white, but 55 black and five Hispanic
children were also treated by the center. Nearly 40 percent of
the assaults were committed by parents or relatives, and nearly
34 percent were committed by “other known” people.
Maggie’s story is typical of how the cycle of sexual abuse
begins slowly, and often happens when a trusted family member or
friend takes advantage of that close relationship and the child’s
sexual naiveté.
“Perpetrators operate in secrecy. They can be charming
people and you’ll see the side of them they want you to see.
They may have established a relationship with a child over a
certain period of time — it’s not usually a one-time
thing,” Ehney said. “They’ll test kids to see if
they will keep secrets, like tickling or back rubs. With
pre-teens they’ll supply them with alcohol or drugs and tell
them, ‘You can’t tell because you’ll get in
trouble.’ There is usually planning involved and building of
trust.”
This stage of abuse is generally called the “grooming”
phase, Busterna said.
“Generally, a child has been assaulted at least six to eight
times before they disclose,” Busterna said, adding that
children are often reluctant to tell an adult about the abuse
because it is confusing and takes place by someone they know and
trust.
“They (the abusers) use every type of technique to get that
child groomed for their first contact,” Busterna said. The
abuse can include inappropriate touching, fondling, indecent
exposure, making a child view, read or participate in
pornography, sexual acts and intercourse.
The abuse can have drastic and devastating effects on its victims’
personality and behaviors.
Kathryn Butler, a licensed social worker and case manager at
Brewer Middle School, said as children’s personal appearance
can change, they can become withdrawn, their grades can drop and
they can often miss days at school.
“Those are really big red flags for a teacher to spot,”
Butler said, adding that teachers in Greenwood District 50
receive in-service training on how to spot the potential signs of
abuse and neglect. “They are signs a child won’t
verbalize.”
Because the teachers see their students every day, these are
signs “the teachers can look for and track,” Butler
added.
Other signs include new fears and phobias, difficulty in walking
or sitting, sexually inappropriate behavior, avoidance of school
or friends, aggressiveness, rebelliousness, changes in appetite
and lying.
Butler said children are often reluctant to tell about the abuse
because they have been threatened by the abuser that disclosure
could bring about severe consequences for the child or their
parents. However, the daily relationship between teachers and
their students can lead some children to tell about the abuse.
“The smaller the child, the more intimidated they can be,”
she said. “But school is the safest place for a child who is
being abused. They see their teacher every day and they know it
is someone they can trust.”
Donna Brown, a licensed professional counselor and a guidance
counselor at John C. Calhoun Elementary School in Abbeville
County, said when teachers do suspect abuse or students report
the acts, the teacher or school counselor first talk with the
student individually before they report the abuse to the
appropriate authorities.
“The bottom line is we are mandated to report (abuse) by
law,” she said. “A lot of the cases just make my heart
hurt. This is a child and their innocence is gone. The guilt and
shame are overwhelming to them no matter what age the child is.”
Other mandated reporters of abuse include physicians, nurses,
optometrists, undertakers and funeral home directors, persons
responsible for processing film and clergy members.
Confidentiality is granted to those who report abuse, and only
the Department of Social Services and law enforcement can
disclose the name of the reporter to one another. According to
the Children’s Law Office, the only time the name of the
reporter can be released is if the court finds the reporter acted
maliciously, or in bad faith, punishable by a fine of up to
$5,000, 90 days in jail, or both. A failure to report known abuse
is also punishable by a $500 fine, imprisonment of up to six
months, or both.
When a child reports sexual abuse to an adult, The Child’s
Place recommends several steps for adults to handle the situation
before reporting it to authorities. The program advises letting
the child know that the adult believes them, reassuring the child
that it is not their fault and listening carefully to them
without pressing for details. Also, it is important to not
confront the abuser with the child.
“It’s important not to make promises to the child that
you can’t keep, like telling them they (the abuser) will go
to jail or that it will never happen again,” said Ehney with
The Child’s Place.
Ehney added that it is also important to thank the child for
disclosing the information before a report is made to DSS, law
enforcement or other authorities.
Tom Turner, DSS director for Abbeville and Greenwood counties,
said child abuse can be traced, and reports show that there are
spikes on days when children are home from school because of
weather or vacations, and when the business community experiences
a mass layoff.
MaryAnn Stroup, director of victim assistance with the Greenwood
County Sheriff’s Office, said that once a case of sexual
abuse has been reported to authorities, “victims services
are the first responders” for the victims.
If the assault is recent — less than 72 hours old —
Stroup said a sexual assault testing kit is administered to the
victim at the hospital. If the assault occurred more than three
days before reporting, a colposcopic exam — a special
medical examination — can be performed by pediatricians at
The Child’s Place.
Forensic examinations can give counselors and doctors insight
into the abuse as well, Stroup said. Special examination rooms,
with windows that allow investigators to watch the interviews
without being in the room with the victim, reduce the number of
times the victim must be interviewed and preserves the integrity
of the victim’s story. “We can sit on the other side of
the glass and take it all in,” she said. “The child
doesn’t have to repeat the story over and over again.”
If the abuser is a close relative, such as a parent, step-parent
or guardian, Stroup said Victim Services can take emergency
protective custody of the child, and DSS can place the child in a
home that is free of danger.
Once the abuse is reported, a difficult time can still await
victims and their family, especially when it comes time for the
abuser’s trial.
“Our next leg of the mission is to walk the family through
the (trial) process, explain and answer any questions they have,”
she said. “We will take the victims on a field trip of the
courtroom. It’s hard for some because sometimes they do have
to face these people (the offenders).”
When the offender is a parent, she said, the shockwaves of the
admission and trial can be even more difficult. “They are
devastated. Not only does the child feel betrayed by that parent,
but their siblings at home can get mad because their (parent) has
gone to jail,” she said. “The relationship with that
perpetrator is gone and it can never be again.”
But the effects of withholding the secret of sexual abuse for
years can slowly erode a victim’s self confidence,
self-worth and ability to cope with everyday stresses. Alcohol
and drug abuse, eating disorders, depression, self-abuse and
suicide also are increased risks for people who have been
sexually abused.
“The key thing to having a better life is intervention as
early as possible,” Busterna, with the STCC, said. “If
we can do enough to encourage a child to disclose after the first
incident, they are more likely to have less effects ... They will
always have that memory but they will be able to control that
memory (with counseling) and know that they didn’t
contribute to the abuse happening to them. It can help them deal
with the onset of guilt and shame.”Busterna said that
feeling of shame can be one of the most devastating effects of
sexual abuse for survivors. Because sexual abuse can be cyclical,
she added, as victims grow older they can become abusers
themselves or they can enter into abusive relationships because
they think it is a normal occurrence.
Recovery can take longer for adults because they have taken on
risky behaviors, but Busterna said survivors who seek treatment
have a high success rate in controlling the effects of sexual
abuse.
“Usually something drastic happens before they report it (as
adults). Something triggers them,” she said. “You can
see the immediate effects of being able to tell someone and
having a professional acknowledge and validate their pain. Making
the connection between what is happening now and the abuse that
happened years ago has saved a lot of lives.”
Ehney said the best way to protect children against sexual
assault is by talking to them about inappropriate touches, a
process that she said doesn’t always have to be
uncomfortable. She suggests taking advantage of everyday moments
such as seeing a woman in a bathing suit on TV and pointing out
that the suit covers private parts that should not be touched by
anyone. She also suggested not forcing children to give hugs or
kisses to relatives.
“Once you tell a child they don’t have a choice about
touches, that opens up the idea that an adult can overrule how
they feel about touches,” she said. “... It’s OK
to tell Aunt Emma that the child doesn’t feel like a kiss
today.” Though some tougher laws have been passed in recent
years regarding sexual conduct with minors, Busterna said that
even tougher legislation is needed to help protect children. But,
she cautioned, stricter laws, such as the global positioning
monitoring of pedophiles and other sex offenders, should not
offer a false sense of protection for parents.
Tougher legislation is on the mind of state leaders as well, and
one bill introduced this session to the Senate Judiciary
Committee could significantly increase the amount of time
offenders spend behind bars.
If passed, General Bill S-1138, a bill to enact the “Sex
Offender Accountability and Protection of Minors Act of 2006,”
would amend several sections relating to penalties for criminal
sexual conduct with a minor, as well as rules regarding
registration for the State Law Enforcement Division’s sex
offender registry.
Under the amended law, which is available on the state
legislature’s Web site, a person convicted of criminal
sexual conduct with a minor less than 11 years of age is guilty
of a felony and “must be imprisoned for a mandatory minimum
of 25 years, no part of which may be suspended or probation
granted, or must be imprisoned for life.” The bill also
would establish a bi-annual registration for the sex offender
registry.
But Busterna said one of the biggest keys in prevention and
protection against sexual abuse starts at the local level.
“As a whole, society has to see that sexual violence does
happen. It took a long time for the community to admit that there
is a problem because it is hard to understand that people are
being assaulted in their own homes,” she said. “It’s
easier for society to close the door on the concept, but it is
still our children, it’s the future of who we are.
“If we don’t step up to the plate and say we can’t
tolerate this, then we can’t stop the cycle of abuse.”
Bearcats give fans a win
February 19, 2006
By
CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer
The Lander University men’s basketball team gave its fans
reason to celebrate on homecoming.
The Bearcats defeated Augusta State, 74-66, Saturday in front of
a large homecoming crowd at Lander. With the win, Lander moves to
7-17 overall and 4-13 in the Peach Belt Conference.
“This game was important to us because so many alumni were
here,” Lander coach Bruce Evans said. “Right before we
took the floor we talked about making the alumni and former
players that were in attendance proud.”
Lander’s Jarred Jackson led all scorers with 28 points,
including seven 3-pointers.
“We were feeding off the energy of the big crowd,”
Jackson said. “As far as my 3-point shooting, it’s
tough to say. I was (zero) for four last game, then today I hit
seven. Hopefully I’ll gain some consistency down the
stretch.”
Evans praised his team’s ability to find Jackson.
“We did a good job of recognizing he was hot,” Evans
said. “Several times (Lander guard) Jahi (Rawlings) spotted
him in transition and kicked it to him.”
Augusta State center Garrett Siler, who stands 6-foot-11, opened
the contest with a thunderous two-handed slam dunk. Lander
answered on the ensuing possession when Bearcats forward Jarred
Jackson swished a 3 with a defender’s hand in his face.
Jackson nailed another 3 moments later, followed by yet another
triple, this time from Bearcats’ guard Michael Griffin.
Lander was ahead 16-9 with 14:09 left in the half.
The Bearcats expanded their lead as the first half continued.
Lander forward Scottie Smith banked in a layup off a bullet pass
from Jahi Rawlings. Jackson followed that basket by nailing yet
another 3-pointer minutes later. Despite a pair of hoops from
Augusta State’s Jason Mills, Lander led 25-14 with 10:09
remaining in the half.
The Jaguars drew closer as halftime neared.
Augusta State reserve guard Matt Scott swished a pair of
3-pointers and a layup. Jaguars forward Tyrekus Bowman followed
up with a putback of a Scott miss and, on the next Jaguars
possession, flushed a high-flying slam from along the left
baseline. Augusta State had cut Lander’s lead to 32-30 with
4:14 left in the first half.
Lander was able to edge its lead out a bit further heading to
intermission.
Bearcats’ guard J.T. Greene drove into the lane and canned a
stop-and-pop jumper. Just before the end of the half, Lander’s
Emanuel Hodrea went to work in the post, backing down Mills and
executing a textbook hook shot. The Bearcats headed to the locker
room with a 40-34 advantage.
Lander picked up where it left off in the first half in regards
to 3-point shooting.
Griffin opened the second half by clanging in a trey from
NBA-range. Jackson came down on Lander’s next possession and
buried his fourth 3 of the night. Smith banked in a hard fought
scoop shot to give Lander a 49-37 lead with 14:56 left in the
game.
The Bearcats continued to shoot the ball well as the second half
passed.
Hodrea was active on the offensive glass, grabbing a Jackson miss
and popping it back in the basket. Augusta State countered with
3-pointers from Scott and Karin Telfer. Lander held a 58-45 lead
with 10:57 left.
Obituaries
Amanda L. Cobb
ABBEVILLE
— Services for Amanda L. Cobb are 2 p.m. Monday at
Fairfield Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Michael Peppers.
The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the
church cemetery.
The family is at the home of a niece, Mary Stackhouse, 115
Barnett St.
Brown and Walker Funeral Home is in charge.
Bobby Craft
GREENWOOD
— Robert Marion “Bobby” Craft, 77, of 122
Orchard Park Drive, husband of Betty H. Craft died Friday,
February 17, 2006 at Hospice House.
Born in Greenwood, he was the son of the late Robert T. and Eula
Garrett Craft. Mr. Craft was a U.S. Navy veteran, and retired
from U.S. Corps of Engineers. He was a member of the American
Legion Post 20, the Masonic Lodge 91, Hejaz Shrine Temple and a
member of South Main Street Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home, a son Dan Craft and wife
Susan of Hilton Head, and two grandchildren Rebecca Susan Craft,
and Robert Daniel Craft Jr.
Services will be 2:00 PM Sunday at Harley Funeral Home Chapel
with the Reverend Richard McWhite and Dr. Phillip McMinn
officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Kyle Sessions, Vance Wells, Jack McDowell,
Gary Roper, Nick Anagnost, Ben Harvin, Henry Veach, and Frank
Hill.
Honorary escort will be the American Legion Wednesday AM Coffee
Group and Larry Landrum.
Memorials may be made to Hospice House, 408 West Alexander
Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646, or South Main Street Baptist Church
Building Fund, PO Box 1093, Greenwood, SC 29648.
The family is at the home.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.
PAID OBITUARY
James Graham
ABBEVILLE
— James William Graham, 87, of 657 Sharon Church
Road, husband of Viola Burdette Graham, died Saturday, Feb. 18,
2006 at the Abbeville Nursing Home.
Born in Abbeville County, he was a son of the late John William
and Janie Caroline Pursley Graham. He was a World War II Army
veteran, a retired textile employee with Abbeville Mills,
Milliken Plant and a member of the Abbeville First Baptist
Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home; a son, Roger Graham of
Abbeville; a daughter, Eve Poole of Abbeville; a sister,
Jacqueline Cothran of Abbeville; two brothers, Paul and Bobby
Graham, both of Abbeville; five grandchildren and four
great-grandchildren.
Services are 3 p.m. today at The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home,
conducted by the Rev. Reiny Koschel and Mr. Sammy Lewis. Burial
is in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, Abbeville.
Visitation is 1:30-3 p.m. today at The Chandler-Jackson Funeral
Home.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O.
Box 658, Greenwood, S.C. 29648.
The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.chandlerjacksonfh.com
PAID OBITUARY
‘Pal’ West Roper Jr.
McCORMICK
— “Pal” West Roper Jr., 84, of Augusta
Street Extension, husband of Mary Jennings Roper, died suddenly
Saturday, Feb. 18, 2006.
Born in Troy, he was a son of the late P. W. and Sarah Mullinax.
He was a member of the McCormick First Baptist Church and a
retired welder from Daniel’s Construction.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two sons, Victor Dale of
Saluda and Robin Dale of Irmo; a brother, Phil Roper of North
Charleston; a sister, Lucretia Neeley of Columbia; three
grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Tuesday at Overbrook Cemetery, conducted by
the Rev. Henry Gambrell.
Visitation is 7-9 p.m. Monday at Strom Funeral Home.
The family is at the home.
Strom Funeral Home is in charge.
Opinion
Church membership shifts should open a lot of eyes
February 19, 2006
Fundamentalist
Protestant churches are growing rapidly while many, if not all,
of the mainline Protestant churches are experiencing a decline in
membership. Many “traditional” Protestant leaders and
others have expressed concern and many others wonder why it is
happening.
It could be that the “traditional” church members are
turning away because of changes in the value system they have
been taught all of their lives and the beliefs they grew up in.
It’s not difficult to see how the numbers are changing.
Evidence of this can easily be found in Greenwood.
THE “DOUBTING THOMASES” might attend a few services at
fundamentalist churches and see and hear for themselves why those
churches are gaining in membership. They’re likely to find
those churches addressing those very values so many people in the
Palmetto State want to hold on to. When they think they can’t
at the churches they’ve been part of for years, they go
someplace else. It’s as simple as that.
It’s seen on a wider scale, too. Look no further than the
recent opening of the global assembly of the World Council of
Churches. That group’s liberal leanings are no surprise, but
they might be enlightening.
For example, consider the messages from opening speakers at the
assembly in Brazil. They urged Christian churches to look beyond
differences that undermine unity within the faith, such as
intense disputes over homosexual clergy and tolerance of same-sex
“marriage” ceremonies.
AGAIN, DOUBTERS MIGHT look at how some of the mainline churches
are discussing these issues. That might determine for them how
many of their members are going “fundamentalist”
because of what they perceive is happening to the churches in
which they and often their parents and grandparents grew up.
There will, no doubt, be those who say that such thoughts are
misguided and wrong. However, ask those who are leaving mainline
Protestant churches to go to fundamentalist churches and the
truth is likely to be easily found. Just ask why. The trouble is,
too many mainline officials will not ask. They’re likely to
even deny that such reasoning has any substance ..... while their
churches’ memberships continue to decline.
Agree or not with the causes. Church membership is shifting, not
only in South Carolina, but all across the nation and world. If
not because of a change or breakdown in time-tested policies,
then what?
Editorial
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