Hendricks Chapel hosted a forum Tuesday night to discuss sexual abuse of children in light of allegations against former associate men’s basketball coach Bernie Fine.

Eight people sat on a panel, representing all different perspectives of sex abuse. Panelist Allison Young, the director of sexual abuse services and family transition services at Elmcrest Children’s Center, brought a new aspect to the discussion. Young works with the abusers, not the abused.

In a time of confusion surrounding the sex abuse allegations at Syracuse University, the administration should be holding panels like this, with a variety of voices and sources.

To accurately represent the total picture, the stories of the abusers need to be told. Child abusers were often abused as children themselves. This is often forgotten when sex abuse cases happen. Although it does not excuse the behavior, it provides a deeper level of understanding for their actions. Frequently, those who hear of child sexual abuse instantly think of the abuser as a monster. But casting the abuser as a monster fails to look at the whole issue.

The conversation about why abusers do what they do is often seen as taboo because explaining their actions can be seen as justifying them. But it is an integral part of the conversation about sexual abuse. By including all areas of the issue, the university was able to continue the conversation for students and community members to hear. 

Published on February 8, 2012 at 12:00 pm