Sequim Gazette Editorial and Letters to the Editor

Dauna Cole's story has been hard to do. It was hard to read her book, it was hard to listen to her talk about some of the abuse and it was hard to write about that abuse.

The statistics make things even worse. According to the latest government reports, 794,000 cases of child abuse and neglect were reported nationally in 2007. In just one year, 794,000 cases.

People understandably are upset about the tax money missing from the Clallam County Treasurer's Office. But even the highest reported amount that may be missing amounts to less than $1 for each abused or neglected child reported in just one year. Of that number, 10 percent or

79,400, are sexually abused.

Those are just the reported cases. How many more children live with abuse and neglect that never is reported? How many live with the daily terror and betrayal that abuse causes?



Two reasons to write

Cole wrote her book for two reasons:

• She wanted to let people know what may be happening to children on a daily basis and warn those who work with children about signs that might indicate child abuse.

• She wanted to give others who have been abused an idea of how to know if they could have dissociative identity disorder and to give them hope that help is available.

Abusing a child is so easy. A child cannot fight back. He or she won't turn in the perpetrator because threats of killing family members or the child work so well. Often, the child is so dependent on the perpetrator that the child has no recourse.

We used to think abuse only happened in poor, backward homes in poor, backward places. Certainly no one you know would do such a thing. No one you party with or eat dinner with or go on vacation with would do such a thing.



A dirty truth

That is not supported by the government statistics nor by Sequim Police Chief Robert Spinks, whose "On the Beat" column appears today on Page A-11. Abuse happens in homes all across the country and across all socioeconomic lines.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is an international treaty that legally obliges nations to protect children's rights. Articles 34 and 35 of the CRC require nations to protect children from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. This includes outlawing the coercion of a child to perform sexual activity, the prostitution of children and the exploitation of children in creating pornography.

Nations also are required to prevent the abduction, sale or trafficking of children. As of November 2008, 193 countries were bound by the CRC, including every member of the United Nations.

Except for the United States and Somalia.

It is beyond my comprehension that the United States of America will not agree to protect our children.



Up to you and me

That means it is up to the caring adults in the community to act as detectives of abuse and provide a safety net for children. So, thank you to the people who are brave enough to report suspected cases. Thank you to the Child Protective Services workers who check out reported instances of abuse.

Thank you to the people at Healthy Families who advocate for the children and offer counseling and other help as needed.

Thank you also to Serenity House for offering safe places for families to escape their abusers.

Hard as it may be, we need to stop child abuse in any form.



Dana Casey ordinarily covers arts and entertainment for the Sequim Gazette. She retired from a career in early childhood education in Ohio, Washington and Texas public schools. Reach her at dcasey@sequim

gazette.com.