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The Denver Post

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Boy Scouts officials covered for admitted molester

Los Angeles>> Boy Scout officials in the U.S. and Canada not only failed to stop an admitted child molester in their tracks, according to confidential records, court files and interviews with victims and their families.

A Los Angeles Times and Canadian Broadcasting Corp. investigation published Saturday finds Scout leader Rick Turley molested at least 15 children over nearly two decades, most of whom he met through American and Canadian Scouting beginning in the 1970s.

Boy Scouts of America officials didn't call police in 1979 after Turley acknowledged molesting three Orange County boys, records show.

"You do not want to broadcast to the entire population that these things happen," A. Buford Hill Jr., a former Orange County Scouting executive, said of officials decision not to contact authorities. "You take care of it quietly and make sure it never happens again."

It happened again. Turley returned to his native Canada, where he signed on with Scouts Canada, and continued his abuses for at least a decade.

Turley, now 58, says he is surprised by how often he got away with it. The Associated Press

Ralston House comment:

At least 23 youth molested. Staff in organizations serving youth, such as the Boy Scouts, should know when and how to report child abuse, how to recognize signs of abuse and know about the manipulative behaviors of perpetrators. Training for agency staff is available. Ralston House provides free training for civic groups, schools, churches/ religious organizations, recreation centers, PTAs and other youth-serving organizations on ways to help keep these horrendous situations from happening and keep children safer.

Seriously, it is a crime to not report abuse.

The Denver Post

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Ex-coach accused in assaults on boys

State College, PA.>> A former defensive coach who was integral to Penn State's football success for decades was accused Saturday of molesting eight boys. Two school administrators were charged with failing to tell police when a witness told them he saw a boy being sexually assaulted in the shower.

Former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, 67, was arrested Saturday and released on $100,000 bail after being arraigned on 40 criminal counts, according to the office of the state attorney general, Linda Kelly. She called Sandusky "a sexual predator who used his position to repeatedly prey on young boys."

Though reports surfaced months ago that Sandusky was being investigated, the case took on an added dimension Saturday when Penn State's athletic director, Tim Curley, 57, and vice president for finance and business, Gary Schultz, 62, were charged with perjury. Both were expected to turn themselves in Monday.

Sandusky is charged with multiple counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of a child, indecent assault and unlawful contact with a minor, as well as single counts of aggravated indecent assault and attempted indecent assault.

The Associated Press