Thank you, Jerry Sandusky

Thanks to Jerry Sandusky, today it's OK to discuss sexual assault.  His conviction on 45 counts of child rape is today's top story.  Next week, the topic goes back underground.  Most likely.

I have had the privilege of working several years with survivors of sexual assault and incest.  If there is just one fact to get across in all of this, it's that most of the time the victim KNOWS his or her attacker.

U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics: 93% of juvenile sexual assault victims know their attacker. Breaking it down:

• 34.2% of attackers were family members.
• 58.7% were acquaintances.
• Only 7% of the perpetrators were strangers to the victim.

Sexual assault of is not  Stranger Danger.  The danger is Uncle Bob or cousin Millie or the "friendly" neighbor/coach/youth leader or a parent's current partner. 

I've said for years that sexual assault or incest can be found in just about every family.  You may have to climb a limb or two to find it, but it's there. It can be found on a couple of limbs in my family tree.  We just don't talk about it.  Which is what breeds the shame.  That shame then converts into poison.  Possible side effects of said poisoning: depression, anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, PTSD, borderline personality disorder, suicide, homocide.  A hefty toll for something that is not the survivor's fault.

Sandusky's conviction and likely life sentence are certainly reasons for celebration.  I also hope they are reason enough for silent survivors to finally tell their story. 

Here's a good place to start if a person wanted to talk about their own abuse:

http://www.rainn.org/get-help