Statement of Kelly Clark in response to Minneapolis Scoutmaster indicted on child abuse charges

By Kelly Clark
October 22, 2009

I never get used to stories like this and it is never anything but devastating to me. Child abusers have social intelligence regarding kids that is off the charts. They know how and when to threaten, to charm, to bribe, to trick kids into believing that what we are doing is okay, that you shouldn’t tell anyone. The Scouts know this, because they have more experience with child abuse than anyone in the country, and have for about 50 years. But if– and I don’t know this yet– but if they didn’t share that knowledge with the parents and the kids, if they didn’t train the kids, train the parents, on the way these perps operate, then they have failed the kids and the parents. If a child molester sees even a slit of light, he will extort it in a minute. The Scouts know this, so there is really no excuse for a failure to train– if that is in fact what happened.

I have a sick feeling in my stomach that between the Scouts, the church activities, and the bus route that this man held, you’re going to end up with dozens of victims, maybe more.

Read more here:

//www.startribune.com/local/south/65205132.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU