Ten years have passed since the public became aware of a horrific child sex abuse scandal that rocked many Pennsylvanians to their core. You might be wondering which scandal I’m referring to. Unfortunately, the Commonwealth has been home to its fair share of child sex abuse scandals in recent years. It was in November 2011 when former Penn State Assistant Football Coach Jerry Sandusky was charged by the state with over 40 counts of child sexual abuse. The charges stemmed from a long-term investigation and a Grand Jury that recommended charges be brought against him. I remember when the news about Sandusky first broke. I found myself trying to explain to many friends, loved ones, and members of the media how an individual who had a reputation for being beloved and yielding significant influence in a community could be accused, and later found guilty, of such horrendous acts. For those of us that have dedicated our professional careers to preventing child abuse, we know that abusers live and work among us—regardless of how prominent an individual may be.

From PennLive, November 4, 2021