HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1989-07-26, Page 5Lueknow Sentinel, Wednesday, July 28, 1989—Page 5
Identifying the child molester and the victim
BY 10101A IRWIN
Most parents today find it very easy to
warn their children against taking candy
or rides from strangers.
But evidence indicates that preventing
a child from becoming a molester's vic-
tim isn't that easy.
Because in the vast majority of cases,
the rnolester is Someone the child knows.
And the -highest incidences of child sex-
ual abuse are perpetrated by one of the
two people the child ,knows best
"All our experience suggests that the
person most apt to abuse a child is the
natural father, sad as that is," said Lt.
Jack 'Shepherd. He was one Of three
speakers at the second annual seminar
on the investigation and prosecution of
child abuse, held June 29 at Bluewater
Youth Centre.
Shepherd, who has served with the
Michigan State Police since 1973, is com-
manding officer of the Investigative Sup-
port Section of the Michigan Department
of State Police.
"We want to believe that most often
it's a stepfather, live-in boyfriend or
`Signifi.cant Other," he told the more than
200 people who attended the seminar.
However, while sexual abuse
perpetrators are "overwhelmingly male,"
Shepherd advised the audience not to
"dis- count"--female-offenders:
"Generally (female offenders) fall into
two groups," he said. "Those overly
religious to the point of fanaticism, and
'the overly seductive types. But the one
component that holds true for all female
(offenders) is that they were all sexual-
ly abused themselves."
He added that investigators often see
"several layers" of abuse in one family
This could mean that the child has been
abused by. more than one member of the
family, or that the practice Of Semi
abuse has been in the family for several
generations, or both.
Shepherd explained why children
Weenie victims of sexual, abuse, and why
they don't report it. •
Children make "ideal victims" for
several reasons, he said. Among them:
• Children are "naturally curious, and
they're easily led -by adults — at least un-
til they're teens," be said, drawing
laughter. "Then you've got a different
problem."
• Children also need attention and affec-
tion, and some need more than others.
"That's bite a beacon, a light over their
little heads, to a child molester," said
Shepherd.
• They make poor witnesses. Children
younger than five years "generally tend
to make bad witnesses across the board,"
he said. "Prosecuting attorneys often
hate going to court with them. Defense
lawyers have a field day with them.
"Defense attorneys are there to destroy
your case," added Shepherd, echoing
Detroit prosecutor -Paul Bruno, another
speaker at the seminar. "They're not
there speeifically to prove their client's
innocence."
• Children are taught to respect and obey
adults, . and not to be tattletales.
- ---•--Childrervare-taught-to-be-seen-and-not—
heard, and parents emphasize this lesson
frequently by not really listening- to what
their children are saying, Shepherd said.
"When we're working on an out -of -
home assault case, the parents say 'Why
didn't they tell us?' But when we talk to
the children, they say 'We tried to tell."
But children "tell" in their own way,
and it's usually indirect. If the abuse
happens at a place the child regularly
goes to-, the child may constantly com-
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Effective July ,51, 1989, Hunting and Fishing Licenses
.Not • Be .Sold
at. the Ministry of Natural Resources,. Hwy. 4, South of
Wingham.
Hunting & Fishing Licenses may bepurchasetilocallrinthe
Lucknow. area at the following locations:
CEDARHILL GARDEN 'CENTRE
RIPLEY 7cpitoP
HOLYRoOD :GENERAL 'STORE
For the names of LicenseissUersin other iocatiOns Within
the Winghani District :pleasercantitct:,
THE WINGHAM DISTRICT OFFICE,
MINISTRY OF NATURAL ',RESOURCES
WINGRAW1,15NTA0100 AlOP;WO
TEL: .511/45143191:
til %went 0. Korth)
Natural
Resources
plain of stomach aches whenever it's
time to leave — and parents usually -don't
probe.
Some children will never be victims, at
least of out -of -home assaults, said
Shepherd, and the reason is that the
"seen and not heard" lesson isn't taught
in their homes.
"They have open communication with
their parents," he said. "They can talk
about anything, and the parents listen."
A child'a reasons for not bluntly repor-
ting abuse are also numerous, said
Shepherd. First and foremost is the em-
barrassment it will cause them.
"How many of you would volunteer to
come forward and tell the rest of us
about your last sexual experience?" he
asked with a grin.
As ripples of embarrassed laughter
spread through the audience, he added
"No takers? But what is it we're asking
(molested) children to do? The very
same thing.
"We must find a way through this, or
we'll have more victims who suffer in
silence. I know there are .some in this au-
dience who have been sexually abused
and have never come forward about it —
probably because of the embarrassment,
and because -when it happened there was
no network to say 'It's OK to talk about
it."'
Children also fear being blamed for the
sexual abuse, and along with that comes
fear of punishment.
"How many children who take cookies
from the cookie jar, or who break a dish,
come forward and say 'I did it'?" he
said.
They have a terrible fear of being
labelled, especially young boys assaulted
by men.
COURTS NOT `USER-FRIENDLY'
Children don't know much about the
court system, but despite that — or
maybe because of it — the system is
frightening.
"It's scary for adults; it's even worse
for children," Shepherd said.
"I don't know about here, but in the
U.S., courts are not 'user-friendly.' Why
do the judges have to wear long black
robes? Why do they have to sit on rais-
ed benches, higher than the children?
Why do the children have to sit on a high
bench and have the family of the accus-
ed glare them down?"
Turn to page 8
Rambler's back
• from page 4
matter had retained everything it had
learned in the past six months, and I
whipped the pictures through in no time
and the fingers did the walking across
the keys with a mind of their, own.
I have one more week* holidays left.
I have it scheduled for Agust and intend
to spend the time getting Number One
Son ready to go to college. I have a feel-
ing the empty nest syndrome may be
P.S. to Rob - yes I did wear a halter -
top, colourful shorts and work on my tan,
sat in a lawn chair and enjoyed a sum-
mer beverage. I did not worry about Mr.
Fixit or Number One Son doing anything
and I did not purchase any clothing.
Maybe we could compare your rash with
my scars left by those blood sucking
monsters in the Blind!
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