The Jerry Sandusky interview on Rock Center this week was a coup for Bob Costas and the folks at NBC. They're the people who got the most talked about man of the hour to get on the phone and talk about child sex abuse allegations. Well, I hope they're proud of themselves.
Because the mother of one of the former Penn State defensive coordinator's victims has come out -- not surprisingly -- to say the interview tore her son apart. They gave an accused child rapist a soapbox, and look how he used it. To further victimize his (alleged) victims.
Sandusky admitted on TV to showering with boys, to horsing around. Of course he claims he's innocent of the charges. Basically, he got on TV and accused eight little boys of being liars -- all of 'em.
Now imagine you're one of his (alleged, I know) victims listening to that. What are you going to think? I'll tell you what I'd be thinking if I were that innocent little kid: "Gee, the people on the news think Mr. Jerkface is someone important enough to let him talk on the TV. And now he's saying I made it all up on TV. I'm just a kid, who is going to listen to me? They're going to listen to the guy who gets to go on TV, aren't they?"
In fact, the victim's mom -- who is being protected by ABC News in order to protect her child -- says her son was just 10 or 11 when he first met Sandusky in 2005 or 2006, and he was allegedly molested by the coach he trusted as many as 20 times. Now a teenager, the boy broke down in tears after hearing the interview and told his mom he's afraid Sandusky will go free.
What did they expect? The folks at NBC just let this guy beat up on some kids, verbally this time. These kids have no way of refuting what he's saying publicly without outing themselves and opening themselves -- as innocent kids -- up to public assaults. Rape and abuse victims are traditionally allowed their privacy for a reason! But this time, their privacy works against them as much as it does for them. If Sandusky is being treated as guilty before proven innocent (as some have alleged), this interview treated those kids as guilty of lying without even giving them a fair chance to prove themselves honest.
What was the first thought that came to mind when you heard Sandusky had done a public interview?
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