NEW YORK
Times Union
By Christopher F. Davis, Commentary Monday, July 4, 2016
One in five. That’s 20 percent. That is the approximate number of children in New York who are sexually abused. As a husband and a father than sickens me. As a public health professional, the statistic indicates quite clearly we have an epidemic, a silent public health crisis on our hands.
One way to tackle the crisis? We have to hold those responsible for perpetuating child sexual abuse accountable. Another frightening statistic jumps out at me: children report only about 10 percent of sexual assaults. The way our statute of limitations law is written, few if any of those unreported predators are ever brought to justice.
I believe that government is involved in far too many facets of our daily lives. I believe government is broken. It simply tries to do too much, and does it ineffectively. However, this is a time where government must act.
Being a victim of child sex abuse has lifelong consequences. There is epidemiological data that suggests exposure to childhood sexual abuse is associated with a range of future public health issues, including cancer and heart disease, as well as severe mental health issues. This is not only detrimental for those who are abused, but it becomes an economic issue as well. Treating such conditions is expensive. The federal government estimates the average economic impact to those who are abused is over $200,000. One in five children are sexually abused. We cannot afford this economically, and we cannot allow this morally.
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