KENTUCKY
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Thursday, April 17, 2014
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790 SNAPclohessy@aol.com)
We are grateful that Schook has been sentenced to 15 years. We hope he’ll soon be locked up for a long time because that’s the best way to safeguard kids.
[WDRB]
No one would be fooled by his appearance or age. Child molesters are dangerous – whether young or old, healthy or sick. Let’s keep in mind that Schook claimed, for months, to be too ill to attend his trial.
And let’s remember that child molesters often exaggerate their illnesses to win sympathy from jurors. So he may well be more healthy and mobile than he claims.
Sexually violating a child takes no real physical strength or speed. So a predator with thick glasses, stooped shoulders and a balding head is still a threat.
In fact, elderly predators are often particularly dangerous. Over decades, they often hone their skills and can more readily pick out a kids who won’t tell, won’t be believed, and a family that’s less apt to call police. And their appearance falsely leads some parents to trust them: “He’s harmless as a fly. He looks just like Grandpa!”
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