this seems to be the week of news stories that i'm having a hard time believing, understanding and have been wondering why these problems still exist. how many more priests are men going to identify as pedophiles who molested them when they were boys? the problem is so prevalent in the church, it now involves the pope. and how many more men will come forward with stories of being molested when they were in the boy scouts?
it's heartbreaking to listen to testimony from these men describe their innocence being taken, their trust of male authority figures shattered. are we in such denial that we can rationalize away each account as it surfaces? if it quacks like a duck, it's a duck. we've heard about priests in the catholic church being relocated to other parishes once they're identified as sexual predators. not only are they relocated, the stories are buried. money is paid.
why do parents continue to place their children's emotional and physical safety in jeopardy? if you've read anything about pedophiles, you would know they hang out where children are - schools, camps, playgrounds, amusement parks. you would have also learned they are usually repeat offenders. they're cunning, sly, they gain the trust of kids over months. i have a 14 year old son and there have been times when i've gotten an odd feeling about a person, when something did not seem quite right. lacking anything but this feeling, i didn't confront the person, but i did not leave my son alone with them either.
wwcd: trust those feelings - you have them for a reason
why do parents continue to place their children's emotional and physical safety in jeopardy? if you've read anything about pedophiles, you would know they hang out where children are - schools, camps, playgrounds, amusement parks. you would have also learned they are usually repeat offenders. they're cunning, sly, they gain the trust of kids over months. i have a 14 year old son and there have been times when i've gotten an odd feeling about a person, when something did not seem quite right. lacking anything but this feeling, i didn't confront the person, but i did not leave my son alone with them either.
wwcd: trust those feelings - you have them for a reason
where is parental support at the depth that the youngster can say, "mom i got a weird feeling..." or "so-n-so did something that scared me ..." the pervasive problem is fear and awkwardness about sexuality. can we celebrate their curiosity and help our kids see the line that distinguishes respect and exploration of their new and unknowable sexual self from disrespect or manipulation?
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