BY FR. SHAY CULLEN
AFTER MONTHS of trial and deliberation by a jury in New York, a wealthy British socialite, Ghislaine Maxwell, has been convicted of crimes related to human trafficking, grooming and facilitating and enabling the sexual abuse of minors by her wealthy boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein. She was the recruiter, pimp, human trafficker, and enabler of child sexual abuse. Maxwell, 60 years old, is now facing a possible jail time of 65 years behind bars.
This conviction focuses attention on the persons who are the enablers. They are the cover up agents of crimes committed by another against children. They fail to help, protect and report the sexual abuse of children.
Parents and relatives, even some teachers and social workers, are guilty of crimes of omission and failure in their mandated duty to act to protect sexually or physically abused children.
A school principal in Zambales, Philippines, received a report of child sexual abuse but instead of referring the child victim, call her Amber, for help the school principal summoned Amber’s mother to the office and informed her of Amber’s disclosure. The mother did not believe her husband could abuse their daughter but promised she would better protect her. Months after, Amber was abused again by her father and she sought the assistance of her teacher who referred her to the municipal social worker and police and the social worker referred the child to the protection and care of Preda Foundation home for abused girls. The father will be charged in court but the principal must also be held to account and resign. The DepEd must investigate. Amber is healing and recovering and studying continually.
Another child victim, call her Beth, was raped by her half-brother who is a religious pastor, when she was 14. She was raped again by her adult nephew in the provincial town of San Marcelino. She complained to her parents and begged help. They knew of the abuse but ignored her and it happened again. They considered their daughter to be their property and enabled the abuse and covered it up because the abusers were her half-brother and nephew. The abusers and parents should be brought to justice. They knew about the abuse and allowed it.
It was only when Beth, in total desperation from rejection and trauma, tried to commit suicide that her parents brought her to the authorities in San Marcelino. The authorities did the right thing and referred Beth to the Preda home where she was welcomed and given support, understanding and a warm welcome in the family of children recovering from heinous crimes. She immediately felt secure and free from the pain she suffered from rejection and the abuse she endured. Beth disclosed all her hardships and suffering and is now healing and recovering from her trauma. (To be continued)/PN
