Child abuse; it’s the elephant in the room that few of us want to talk about. But its presence has made itself known in the Valley this week in big ways, through two high-profile convictions and a reallocation of local resources from a longtime agency known for its work in the field.
There are many reasons why child abuse still goes under the radar, why it’s a taboo subject to deal with and talk about. It’s the shameful, ultimate act of bullying, the worst, clearest example of subjugating a smaller, weaker, often trusting victim by someone in a position of authority who is either fundamentally broken or fundamentally unknowing and ill-equipped to do the right thing.
In the case of the former California Highway Patrol official, John Swaim, he was found guilty by a group of his peers for sexually violating two young girls. Sadly, he had been accused of the same offense, but found not guilty, with another young girl many years earlier.
Yet there might be hope for those who have been shown the error of their ways. The entire Valley — and last year, much of the Internet — wanted the head of former Imperial Irrigation District Director Anthony Sanchez, who was caught on video that was uploaded to Facebook doling out punishment to his stepson with a belt.
Sanchez this week pleaded guilty to a lesser abuse charge in exchange for probation, community service, anger management classes and no jail time. Is this a man whose crimes are worth ostracism? Is this a man, whose entire professional, political and personal life have drastically changed course and been upended, worthy of forgiveness? Can he learn from his missteps?
There have been former abusers in this category whose main crimes were ignorance and the need to learn a better way. There are men like Sanchez who have benefitted from the programs and works of organizations like the Imperial County Child Abuse Prevention Council and the programs run by the county government to teach men and women to be better, more patient parents.
Of course Sanchez will get his counseling and classes in his new home state of Alabama, but there are many more young men and women here on the homefront who need to know the difference between a firm hand and an overreaction, the difference between a crime and a correction of behavior.
We were sad to see the CAP Council lose out on child abuse prevention funding to the Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program, because those who started and have run the CAP Council for so many years have never wavered in their commitment to protecting our children and showing moms and dads a better way.
IVROP, we hope, will do just as good a job. What started out as a job-training agency has in recent years diversified to the point of being a grant-writing machine. How that translates into child abuse prevention services, we’re not sure yet.
Clearly though, child abuse and high-profile cases come and go in the news, but it’s that nasty secret always just below the surface waiting for a tragedy to unleash it on the public stage. It’s important that we all remain vigilant in recognizing its signs, in others and in ourselves.
THE ISSUE:
Child abuse
WE SAY:
Abuse is ever present, but from time to time gets exposure.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
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