It's everyone's obligation

Gazette Editorial Board

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An important conversation has opened up in the wake of allegations that Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky sexually abused boys for years, and that university staff and officials did nothing to stop it.

The shocking case has people around the country and in Iowa asking what more we can do to help protect children from potential predators.

One question is whether or not Iowa should strengthen reporting requirements for child abuse - perhaps by requiring more adults who come in contact with kids to be mandatory reporters of abuse.

It's a question worth examining, but that alone is not enough to make sure kids are safe. No matter where you draw the line on legal mandatory reporting of child abuse, until society in general is willing to step up and blow the whistle, the problem will not be adequately addressed.

Child abuse - including sexual abuse - happens in every community and far too often.

Last year, the state Department of Human Services investigated more than 26,400 reports of child abuse in Iowa. About one-quarter of those cases were founded - meaning that the preponderance of evidence supports the allegation of abuse.

And while only 3 percent of those founded cases involved sexual abuse (the vast majority involve children denied critical care), even that is too many - a point on which it's easy to agree.

But still, in many cases, people ignore signs or outright evidence that a child they know is being abused.

That's apparently what happened at Penn State where several employees failed to report multiple incidents of Sandusky's abuse, according to a grand jury indictment.

In recent weeks, experts of all stripes have weighed in on why people are reluctant to report abuse: They don't think it's their business, or they're worried they might be wrong. They're scared of angering the abuser or losing their job. They think someone else will do it.

Iowa law does require certain types of professionals who have frequent contact with children to report suspected child abuse - usually through their work as educators or coaches, in child care, health care, mental health, law enforcement or social work.

But those mandatory reporters can't be everywhere. Even expanding their number, if appropriate, wouldn't be enough to eliminate or greatly reduce child abuse.

We all must hold ourselves responsible for reporting suspected abuse, by calling Iowa's Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-362-2178.

If you're witnessing abuse as it happens, call local police.

Every one of us has a moral obligation to report suspected abuse. Summon courage, do the right thing.

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