{"id":1276,"date":"2019-05-23T15:37:51","date_gmt":"2019-05-23T15:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bfvlaw.com\/lets-talk-business-the-business-of-our-children-and-their-future-2\/"},"modified":"2023-08-01T17:02:02","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T21:02:02","slug":"lets-talk-business-the-business-of-our-children-and-their-future-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bfvlaw.com\/lets-talk-business-the-business-of-our-children-and-their-future-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s Talk Business: The Business of Our Children and Their Future"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jerry Sandusky<\/a>, the former Penn State University football defensive coordinator and convicted child sex abuser, never considered his victims\u2019 future, or how severely he was harming them, physically and emotionally. He used his position at the University, along with the charity group he founded to help underprivileged youth, to systematically and repeatedly sexually abuse boys<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Larry Nassar<\/a>, the former USA Gymnastics national team and Michigan State University athletic trainer, and convicted child sex abuser, didn\u2019t care that the malicious and abhorrent acts he perpetrated tore apart families and changed the bright future of innocent girls. At his trial, 158 women and girls made statements about the abuse they suffered.<\/p>\n

Sandusky and Nassar grab our attention.\u00a0 They were highly respected in their community. Their crimes were despicable.\u00a0 And in both cases, their superiors and the authorities were unwilling to take swift and significant action to stop their crimes.<\/p>\n

Sadly, each year, there are tens of thousands of incidences of sexual abuse of children, many of which never make the news cycle. One such story happened in Atlanta.\u00a0 At its annual Change Makers\u2019 Breakfast, the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy<\/a> hosted keynote speaker Rachel Sowers, a survivor of sexual abuse and sex trafficking in metro Atlanta.\u00a0 Rachel\u2019s horrifying experience did not make headlines, yet hers is a story we need to hear. Raised in an upper middle-class family in Pasadena, California, Rachel was a high school honor student and beauty pageant queen who decided to attend college at Emory University. During her junior year, she began modeling part-time and performing in music videos. It was in this environment that Rachel was coerced and manipulated by what she calls a \u201cCEO Pimp,\u201d who used her personal information, social security number and threats of violence against her and her family to force her against her will into domestic sex trafficking. Rachel suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse for 10 months until another victim of the same pimp reported his crimes to police.<\/p>\n

Child sexual abuse affects all of us. 20% of all victims are abused before their 8th<\/sup> birthday and one in 10 children will be abused before age 18. This year alone, approximately 400,000 babies born will be victims of sexual abuse.<\/p>\n

Victims suffer emotionally and physically. Emotional and mental health problems are often a consequence of abuse. Physical manifestations include substance abuse, delinquency, and academic and sexual behavior problems. Similarly, abuse victims frequently turn to criminal behavior.\u00a0 As a society, these consequences translate into increased healthcare costs, criminal justice costs, and child welfare costs, and significant productivity losses.<\/p>\n

It is easy to look the other way.\u00a0 It is easy to read the headlines, shake our heads in disgust and do nothing. But it is not so easy if we stop, and realize that this epidemic affects our own children<\/u> – your children, my children – and their future. Imagine if your son, who plays high school or college football, or .any sport at any level, was being sexually abused by his coach, a person he admires and respects.\u00a0 Suppose that it is your daughter being treated for a sports injury by a doctor that is sexually violating her repeatedly during routine examinations. Or simply substitute Rachel Sowers\u2019 name in her story with your child\u2019s name. Children are sexually abused every day in our community. Often, the perpetrators are people we know and trust: relatives, friends, neighbors, \u00a0teachers, counselors, coaches, troop leaders, clergy, etc. In fact, 90% of abusers are people who the victim and their family know and trust.<\/p>\n

It also is easy to take action to help stop abuse in your community and family – \u00a0and keep your children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces and friends\u2019 children safe. The Georgia Center\u2019s website lists 30 prevention tips for parents and organizations<\/a>. Some simple steps you can take right away are:<\/p>\n