As the sexual abuse saga continues to rile religious institutions around the world, venerable Penn State University has been snared in this tragedy. Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State defensive coordinator, has been charged with multiple charges involving the sexual abuse of minors. Most of the victims were in their early teens when the alleged abuse occurred. However, law enforcement officials fear that some abuse victims who have yet to come forward may be even younger.
Making matters worse, local Pennsylvania law enforcement officials have filed more charges against top-ranking Penn State administrators for lying to a grand jury about the sexual abuse as well as conspiracy to cover up the Sandusky sexual abuse.
This horrific news has left the collegiate community and its alumni deeply concerned and shocked. The weekend’s revelations point to the sad fact that child sexual abuse is a societal scourge for which we are all responsible and must take an active role in rooting out. Civil and criminal laws governing such behavior must be changed and toughened. The sexual exploitation and abuse of minors is a reflection on the relative health of the society as a whole. The news this past weekend doesn’t bode well for the present state of affairs.