The Fine scandal has promoted much demonizing of college sports programs, as though their members are more inclined to commit acts of sexual abuse than others.

The importance communities and universities place on college sports inclines sports to receive special treatment, even in criminal matters. As we’ve seen with the Pennsylvania State University scandal, that inclination can mean saving face at the expense of children’s mental and physical health.

But athletic departments aren’t the only places where sexual abuse is swept under the rug. Child molestation and rape are heinous allegations, ones so unsavory they cause people we trust — guidance counselors, friends, public officials, college leaders — to tiptoe around them, or worse, turn their backs in disgust.

A year from now, if conversations about sexual abuse and child molestation have slipped back to nil, then we have gained nothing from this experience.

There are important lessons to be learned from stories of child molestation at Syracuse University and Penn State. Administrators nationwide learn the consequences of placing an institution’s reputation before the law, or at least before basic morals.

The scandals teach us how victims, confidants and even police are too scared to rock the boatand potentially destroy someone’s career. It teaches us to take people seriously and to understand how childhood abuse can damage victims’ character and decision-making ability.

And, as an institution of higher learning, if the SU community can draw lessons from this experience, then why are we here.  

Published on December 4, 2011 at 12:00 pm

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