More than a third of children who are sexually abused are victims of other children. Date rape comprises a significant subset of this abuse. The use of alcohol and drugs are commonly present in these kinds of incidents. Not only do alchohol and drugs lower inhibitions, they also can fully or partially incapacitate the victim, making them much more vulnerable to assault.
This horror story in Maryville, MO should serve as a warning to all parents. While this case was initially dropped by the prosecutor’s office, publicity surrounding the case caused outrage throughout the state of Missouri. Recently, the local prosecutor requested that a special prosecutor be appointed. So we’ll see what happens now.
There are no simple steps to take in order to prevent this kind of abuse. The direction our culture seems to be taking points to an increase in this kind of behavior in the future. Parents need to be more vigilant than ever.
In this story, there is not enough information to identify what this poor mother might have done differently. Maybe she could not have done anything. But there were a whole lot of people in the community who share responsibility for creating the climate that allowed this abuse to happen.
In addition to parents needing to be more vigliant, all of us need to be more attentive to the cues that expose who the predators are. For example, the article reports that the accused boy posted this on his twitter account:
“In a recent retweet, he expressed his views on women — and their desire for his sexual attentions — this way:
‘If her name begins with A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z, she wants the D.’”
The attitude expressed here is not funny, or cute, or edgy. This is the attitude of a predator.
Everyone of us should be able to recognize it as such and condemn it.
Nightmare in Maryville: Teens’ sexual encounter ignites a firestorm against family – KansasCity.com.
truthalliancefoundation.org 
A friend’s daughter was asked out by a young man in her class. He told her they were going to a party but when they arrived she she was given a drink drugged and was raped. Afterwards, she realized she was “sold” in exchange for drugs to another high school senior who hosted the party and dealt in illicit drugs . She went to the hospital and the police were contacted but the Prosecution dragged it’s feet and although the boy was charged the trial date dragged on. Her mother was told by a school Counselor that there were other girls in the school who also went to the police having experienced the same scenerio with the same boys. “One victim and her family moved to another state.”
Months later my friend told me the original County Prosecutor had been replaced and the new one convinced her it would be too hard to prove in court, her daughter would suffer both in school and on the stand. So the case was dropped.
ER nurses I knew told me that when a suicide teen arrived in the ER from certain “upscale” towns they were advised not to speak to reporters because these townships,” …do not want their school’s tainted in the Press for the sake of property values.”
Linking this to what happened to my friend’s daughter and other cases of bullying ,beatings etc. happening in our own local high school , it became clear that real estate values and pressure from local governments to keep good PR trumped personal value and justice for individuals.
Cases of teen suicides bullying, sexual abuse and even murders are making the News now.
Just like a clerical abuse cases, it has become far worse than just a few isolated cases and I also link this to money.
I often hear ,”Because of the economy we have become a litigous society.”
This is a double edged sword and while the truth of our societal corruption is just beginning to emerge, there are still those who believe most of the accusations are made up for personal profit.
Not true. Having been involved in a personal dispute over a neighbor’s unleashed dangerous attack trained dogs, I know first hand that Prosecutors and Judges advise plaintiffs to seek justice in the civil courts. OJ Simpson case in point.
Where are the men in society who have solid moral family values? Why are they not standing up en masse demading protection and respect for their wives and children?
Where is the outrage?
Indeed. Where is the outrage? Where are the real men?