Abuse victims need understanding, care

After reading the article about Matt Sandusky article describing the allege abuse, my heart went out to Matt. As an little child of 8 to have this big, strong man who you think is there to guide you approach in this inappropriate, sexual manner could only be complete, devastating shock.

A child who has no place to report this disgusting action shuts down, turns off, panics and wants to run and hide but knows a strong, highly respected man has much more power and strength, and so he doesn’t try and get away or even attempt to tell anyone. A new “file cabinet” in the brain and the heart is created with big, strong padlocks so no one can ever see this shameful part of the child, who now feels partly to blame for the humiliating acts.

As time goes on and the abuse is no longer present, a good therapist can open the locks placed on the file cabinet over time. As more abusers speak out, it again becomes safe for the victim to unlock a padlock. One by one, memories may unfold in careful pieces, so as not to destroy the mind of the abused.

Yet, they don’t unfold as the lawyers who defend Jerry Sandusky question him. Those lucky lawyers, who don’t seem to have previous knowledge of sexual abuse in their minds, do not understand why the memories don’t come flooding out. Those lawyers and all the nonbelievers who will never understand why Matt didn’t tell right away, or changed his story as his memories unfolded, can thank God they never had to lock away a shameful file because of something that happened to them that they had no control over. Matt, you hold your head up high. You survived.

Dee Maroney

Schaumburg