Unfortunately, There’s More Penn State Sex Abuse Victims

As so often happens in sexual abuse cases, more survivors come forward as they summon the courage to come forward and publicly face their accuser who sexually abused them.  This scenario is now beginning to play out in the Jerry Sandusky matter as he has been arrested again on two new charges stemming from the sexual abuse of two more minors.  These two boys were also involved in his former charity work Second Mile.  According to news reports, the boys were given gifts as part of the sexual abuse grooming process prior to Sandusky abusing them in the Sandusky residence.

The local ABC news affiliate reported, “The man, now 19 and identified as Victim 9, met Sandusky at a Second Mile swimming event when the boy was 11 or 12, according to new information in the grand jury presentment. Sandusky asked for his phone number, which he then used to ask the boy’s mother if he could spend more time with the boy, and then proceeded to pick the boy up from school and take him to Sandusky’s home for sleepovers.

At the Sandusky home, the boy said he was forced to stay in the basement at all times, and was even brought his meals there by Sandusky and told not to leave. He testified that he had little contact with Dottie Sandusky, Jerry’s wife, and that she never came to the basement. Sandusky allegedly sexually assaulted the boy in the basement bedroom numerous times, including forcible rape. On one occasion, the boy screamed for help, hoping Dottie Sandusky would hear him from upstairs, but she did not come downstairs, he said.

We will stay tuned to see how this all plays out, but those last few sentences tear at the heart, and should reignite our commitment to fighting child abuse and those who allow it.