SC- Cases show offenders often people we know

9-28-2008 South Carolina:

We teach children about stranger danger.

But locals arrested in sex-crime cases have included teachers, pastors and other seemingly upstanding members of the community. National statistics say that this pattern isn't unusual. In fact, most offenders are non-relatives whom the victim or the victim's family knows and trusts.

"They used to teach us stranger danger, but nowadays, that's not usually the case," said Rita Avila, a Charleston County Sheriff's detective who has investigated many such crimes in this area.

Her co-worker, Detective Diane Turner, added that most suspects don't fit the stereotypical, creepy image: "They need to maintain a good, upstanding-citizen-type role with everybody."

Last winter and spring, the Sheriff's Office and neighboring agencies arrested a cross-section of respected community members on abuse charges.

--A year ago, George Francis Weld, a photographer and former rector of a Johns Island Episcopal church was accused of molesting a boy and a girl in the 1980s and 1990s. Weld, 62, is awaiting trial on charges of lewd act on a child younger than 16, two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, the 9th Circuit Solicitor's Office said.

--In January, a James Island Middle School teacher who was once South Carolina's Teacher of the Year was arrested on charges of molesting a boy in the early- to mid-1980s. The boy was between 11 and 14 years old at the time. The suspect, Charles H. "Chuck" Long Jr., also was the director of the Charleston Youth Company, a performing arts program for students that he founded.

Long, 57, is charged with a lewd act on a minor.

--A volunteer coach at James Island Christian School, Rohan Lewis, also is accused of inappropriate sexual contact with a student. Detectives arrested him the same week a 15-year-old girl accused him of fondling her in the school gymnasium. Lewis, 39, is charged with a lewd act on a minor.

The suspects come from all walks of life. Many are married with children. Most have little or no criminal history.

"You can go online and find people on the sex offender list," said Libby Ralston, executive director of the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children's Center, which performs forensic interviews of children. "The only sex offenders on that list are ones who have been found guilty by a court of law. The majority of sex offenders are not on that list."

Detectives and children's advocates want parents to recognize the dangers but not to panic. There are ways to prevent abuse before it happens.

In cases when it is too late, authorities still want to hear from the victims, even if they don't wish to pursue charges. Avila and Turner said they even want to hear from potential abusers with pangs of conscience.

"Our job isn't just to lock people up," Turner said. "People only seek help after an arrest. We need to change that."

The investigators don't think the cases are necessarily on the increase, though they do seem to be getting reported more often. Police tend to get more reports after similar stories in the national or local media.

A big catalyst for local reports arrived in 1997 when news broke about former Porter-Gaud teacher Eddie Fischer. Fischer was accused of molesting students in the 1970s, and though officials had been warned repeatedly about his behavior, they moved him to other schools where he harmed more children. Fischer later received a 20-year sentence, but died in prison.

The detectives said a very small percentage of the allegations they receive prove to be false. Often, they don't come to light for years afterward because children are forced to do something that most grown-ups can't bring themselves to do.

"You're basically asking a child to make an adult decision," Avila said.

Local nonprofit Darkness to Light says increasing awareness of abuse is one of the best ways to protect children. Anne Lee, the group's president and CEO, recommended common-sense preventative steps, such as the Stewards of Children course Darkness to Light offers online. Parents should get training and let others know they have it.

"We don't need to be hysterical, we don't need to be overwhelmed," she said.

Don't be afraid to ask sports leagues, schools and church whether they have abuse policies in place and whether they train employees on them, she said.

"Sex offenders actually look for children, families and communities that aren't educated," Lee said. "When you think it can't happen to you, that's when you put yourself at risk."


Sex-abuse facts

As many as 50 percent of sexual-assault victims are abused by someone outside of the family whom they know and trust.

Thirty percent to 40 percent of victims are abused by a family member.

Fewer than 10 percent are abused by strangers.

Approximately 40 percent are abused by older or larger children whom they know.



More statistics

More than 30 percent of child sexual abuse victims never disclose the abuse to anyone.

Almost 80 percent initially deny abuse or are hesitant about disclosing it.

Of those who do disclose, approximately 75 percent do so accidentally. About 20 percent later recant their statements.

Fabricated sexual-abuse reports are thought to contribute to only 1 percent to 4 percent of all cases. Of these false reports, an estimated 75 percent come from adults and 25 percent from children.



Abusers can gain easy access to children at:

Sports leagues

Faith centers

Clubs

Schools



Local resources

The Charleston County Sheriff's Office, 202-1700

If you suspect abuse by a family member who has responsibility for taking care of the child, contact the Department of Social Services in your county: Berkeley, 719-1158; Charleston, 953-9422; and Dorchester, 821-0444.

The Dee Norton Lowcountry Children's Center can help with the process of reporting abuse, 723-3600, www.dnlcc.org.

Darkness to Light offers a range of educational materials to promote awareness of sexual abuse, 965-5444, www.darkness2light.org.

Darkness to Light and the U.S. Department of Justice's National Center for Juvenile Justice.

Less relevant than the ones above, in my opinion. ..News Source.. by Noah Haglund at 937-5550 or nhaglund@postandcourier.com