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Saturday, April 4, 2009

ATTRACTIVE FEATURE ON IRANIAN FEMALE JOURNALIST/OBAMA'S CURRENT EXPRESSIONS/ARTS CULTURE FROM LAS VEGAS/NEWSPAPERS CHARGING ONLINE'S CONTENTS, ETC...






Parents of captive U.S. journalist heading to Tehran
Roxana Saberi, an Iranian American from North Dakota, has been locked up for more than two months. Her parents are flying to Iran in an effort to win her release.
By Ramin Mostaghim and Borzou Daragahi
April 4, 2009
Reporting from Tehran and Beirut -- The parents of an Iranian American journalist being detained in an Iranian prison were scheduled to arrive in Tehran this weekend to help secure the release of their daughter, who has been locked up for more than two months.

Roxana Saberi, a 31-year-old onetime beauty queen and Northwestern University graduate, is being held in Tehran's Evin Prison on unspecified charges. Her Iranian American father and Japanese American mother left their Fargo, N.D., home for Tehran after their attempts to gain her freedom from afar failed.

• Perplexing case of detained U.S. reporter in Iran
• U.S., Iran could meet at conference on Afghanistan
• Judiciary official defends Iran's human rights record
Saberi has been in regular telephone contact with her parents, said her lawyer, Abdul-Samad Khorramshahi, who last met with her on March 18.

"I found her in low spirits, as I had promised her she would have been bailed out before beginning of the [March 20] Persian New Year," he said in a phone interview.

An Iranian judiciary official told reporters a month ago that Saberi would be released in days. U.S. officials said they handed Iranians a letter on the sidelines of a conference Tuesday in the Netherlands requesting the release of Saberi, Iranian American student Esha Momeni and former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared during a trip to Iran two years ago. Iran's Foreign Ministry has denied the receipt of such a letter.
Iranian officials said Saberi was arrested after continuing to work as a journalist even though her official credentials had been revoked. She told her father she was detained after buying a bottle of wine, illegal but generally tolerated in the Islamic Republic.

But the length and nature of her detention suggests she may be facing more serious security charges. A judiciary official said last month that she was arrested because of unspecified "illegal activities" on a warrant issued by Iran's Revolutionary Court, which frequently tries cases of espionage and national security.

Other detainees in similar circumstances have faced grueling interrogations -- aimed at ferreting out their connections to Iranians and the motives for their actions -- but were not subjected to physical abuse.

Khorramshahi, the attorney, said he and Saberi's parents would go to court again today to try to get permission to visit her in Evin. "But I am not sure that there will be any success," he said.

Human rights groups have condemned Iran for holding Saberi without formal charges, as required by Iranian law.

"The constitution of Iran guarantees free speech, yet the government continues to detain journalists without charge for doing their jobs," Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. "In fact, Iran continues to be one of the biggest jailers of journalists worldwide."

Iranian authorities dismiss such accusations, saying the West has launched an ideological war against Iran by using allegations of human rights violations to pressure it on other disputes, such as the fight over its nuclear program and its support for militant Arab groups fighting Israel.

National Public Radio, the BBC and Fox News issued a statement last month calling for Iran to release Saberi. More than 10,000 people worldwide signed a petition, organized by the Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York advocacy group, calling for her release.

"We are very deeply concerned by the circumstances of Roxana Saberi's detention," Mohammed Abdel Dayem, the group's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, said in a March 25 statement. "She continues to be held without charge, while officials have offered shifting reasons for her detention."

daragahi@latimes.com

Mostaghim is a special correspondent.

Las Vegas: Portrait of a struggling arts scene
Artist Ed Dominguez mixes his paints at his Las Vegas studio, Cob4lt Blu3.

By Ashley Powers
April 4, 2009
Reporting from Las Vegas -- The painter was the first artist to move to the downtown corner. His neighbors included a strip club, the Little White Wedding Chapel, a Thai barbecue joint and red neon heralding the Tod Motor Motel.

Others might have shunned the gritty storefront near Las Vegas' embryonic arts district, but here, Ezequiel Lee Orona could grasp a decades-old dream for $900 a month. The painter opened 3rd Street Revolution gallery in January 2007, as Las Vegas wooed artists with promises of renewing its downtown and bringing culture to a city of sequins and kitsch.
But the arts district remains a largely unfinished canvas. And like so many other problems in this town, the recession is partly to blame.

On a recent morning, Orona, 59, admired his 900 square feet through tendrils of Basic cigarette smoke. Canvases popped with Crayola-bright colors and mixed-media works incorporating a tattered American flag and a radiator cover. He's sold only two or three pieces this year and thinks the entire arts scene is scouring the couch for quarters.

"I think Vegas is becoming the Emerald City or some damn thing," he grunted. "When you pull back the glitter and the lights and the glamour, people are really hurting."
Downtown Vegas attracted Orona with the same sales pitch that other cities have used in recent years: Arts groups, galleries and lofts could reinvigorate even decaying communities. But the economic downturn has endangered cultural endeavors in nearly every state, according to the nonprofit Americans for the Arts.

The Alabama Shakespeare Festival canceled a production of "Les Miserables." The Phoenix Center for the Arts discontinued most education programs. Even New York's famed Metropolitan Museum of Art cut staff.

In Vegas, the arts push was about more than moving real estate. The city had already found wealth through blackjack and slot machines, but like many nouveau riche, it was mocked as tasteless and unrefined. As the population boomed, civic leaders hoped Vegas would find its soul -- through art.

"That's what people say: The one thing Las Vegas lacks is culture. No one says we need another casino, and no one says we need another bar," says Wes Isbutt, who in 1992 opened the Arts Factory a few miles north of the Strip. The former crematory houses 17 galleries and is the hub of the city's nascent arts district.

Isbutt and others prodded city bigwigs to support the fledgling 18-block district, which is mainly devoted to antique shops and visual artists. As part of a larger downtown redevelopment push, the city began sprucing up the area's landscaping, lighting and streets -- along with adding public art -- in hopes of attracting artists and patrons. In 2002, locals launched First Friday, a monthly gallery showcase whose attendance has grown from 300 to 10,000. The city helped support that too.

In recent years, about half a dozen upscale condo projects were planned nearby. Storefronts, including Orona's, opened just beyond district boundaries.

Then the economy tanked, and Las Vegas became a poster child for economic malaise. Two of the region's cultural mainstays -- the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the Nevada Ballet Theatre -- are hurting financially. In February, the Las Vegas Art Museum, which relied almost completely on private money, closed.

But hopes were still high when Orona moved into the neighborhood. He was soon followed by Ed Dominguez, 42, who sold his home in Phoenix and opened Cob4lt Blu3, an airy space with oil paintings whose subjects range from Strip casinos to Catholic nuns.

Last year, sales halted for about five months, and he ran through thousands of dollars in savings. Still, he balked at scaling back prices or closing shop. "This is it. This is my life," he says. "That's why I can't let it go for nothing -- it's a part of me."

Already the portrait of a starving artist -- he mixes paints in red plastic cups -- Dominguez gave up his sole indulgence: CDs of electronica music. A friend suggested he offer paintings suburbanites might like in their living rooms: geometric motifs in tangerine, green and brown.

Dominguez has sold only five paintings this year, just enough to scrape by, but is optimistic an interior designer he recently met could order up to four more. "I'm dangling on hope right now," he says.

In 2008, more than 30 of 170 galleries and studios in Las Vegas went out of business, said Carol Meyer, a city business licensing supervisor. Six more closed this year. In recent months, Isbutt cut rent 15% for some Arts Factory tenants (they start at $1.25 per square foot), and he has seen a higher rate of turnover among them.

Only two of the proposed condo towers opened, says Dick Geyer, neighborhood association president, and many owners intended to flip their units, not live in them as civic leaders had hoped.

"It's never not been a baby arts district," says Naomi Arin, who runs a contemporary art gallery downtown. "It's never taken hold. It's never grown up."

Orona fears it never will. This morning, he mopped the storefront, which smelled of paint thinner and linseed oil. He's wanted a gallery since he lived near Fresno as a young artist inspired by Cesar Chavez. Now, with his hair starting to whiten and his forehead creased, he works part-time as a security guard.

He stubbed out a cigarette and considered his options, including renting out part of the gallery. "I could try to make art for the masses," he said. "But what's that? A T-shirt?"

He showed off a creation inspired by the first round of bank bailouts. He took a toilet found by a homeless man, spray-painted it gold and stuck nails to the seat, pointed ends up. "I wanted the title to be: 'Have a Seat, American Taxpayers, the President Will Be Right With You,' " Orona said.

Passers-by have stopped to gawk, but no one has offered to buy it.

ashley.powers@latimes.com

JOURNALISM IN THE AMERICAS

Murdoch Says Newspapers Must Charge for Online Content

Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corp., said papers must find a way to charge for online content to replace the declines in ad revenue, Market Watch reports.
Murdoch owns one of the few U.S. newspapers that charges for online content, The Wall Street Journal. Speaking at a conference in Washington, D.C., Murdoch said the Journal's online policy is "not a gold mine, but it's not bad," Reuters reports.
Using The New York Times as an example, Murdoch said The Times has one of the most popular U.S. newspaper websites, but still cannot cover its costs with online ads. The paper is involved in a semi-public debate about whether it should try charging readers for some or all of its online news and commentary. It canceled an earlier experiment, "TimesSelect."
By Yinka Adegoke
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch, whose media company News Corp owns one of the few U.S. newspapers that makes people pay to read its news on the Web, said more papers will have to start doing the same to survive.
Murdoch, who bought The Wall Street Journal and its parent company Dow Jones & Co in 2007, said online advertising, which most U.S. publishers hope will offset ad revenue declines at their print divisions, will not cover their costs.
"People reading news for free on the Web, that's got to change," said Murdoch speaking at The Cable Show, an annual cable television industry event, in Washington, D.C.
Murdoch pointed to the Journal's main rival in the United States, The New York Times, as an example. The Times has one of the most popular U.S. newspaper websites, but still cannot cover its costs with online ads, he said.
Murdoch's newspaper empire includes the New York Post, the Times of London and other papers in Britain and Australia, which are available online for free. The Journal had been charging for access for years before News Corp bought it.
His comments come as the Times holds a semi-public debate about whether it should revisit charging readers to get some or all of its news and commentary online. It canceled an earlier experiment, "TimesSelect", to charge for columnists and similar content because it made more money from ads.
The Journal charges readers for access to its website, which Murdoch said was "not a gold mine, but it's not bad". When he first took over the paper, News Corp and Dow Jones executives considered making the site free, but determined it would be better to keep charging for most, but not all, content.
As online ad revenue growth stumbles and in some cases falls, publishers are being forced to rethink whether charging for access is possible, or whether readers would simply stop going to their websites. Continued...
Time is running out. Some U.S. publishers like Tribune Co have filed for bankruptcy. Others, including Hearst Corp and EW Scripps Co, have been shutting down big city dailies. Still others are furloughing employees, cutting pay and buying out or laying off thousands of workers.
Even as they cut costs, publishers are looking for ways to get more people to read -- and pay for -- journalism.
Murdoch also told Cable Show attendees that News Corp is investing with partners in a new portable device to let people read electronic versions of their daily papers.
News Corp is investing in a reading device similar to Amazon.com's Kindle and Sony Corp's Reader but with a larger screen for reading newspapers, Murdoch said.
Newspapers like Pearson PLC's Financial Times and Gannett's USA Today are working with a Mountain View, California company called Plastic Logic on newspaper-specific reading device expected to launch early next year.
Murdoch did not clarify if it was the same technology and the company did not return calls seeking comment.
Murdoch also addressed concerns among newspaper publishers that search engines like Google Inc and Yahoo Inc help users to find stories by aggregating links to newspapers websites and blogs -- but then wrest ad dollars from them that they think should be theirs.
"The question is, should we be allowing Google to steal all our copyright... not steal, but take," said Murdoch. "Not just them but Yahoo."
Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt is expected to discuss this topic when he speaks at the Newspaper Association of America's annual conference in San Diego next week. Continued...


G20 Protesters Use Twitter and Social Networking Sites to Organize Demonstrations
G20 summit Protests aren’t just taking place on the streets around the Bank of England; they are also taking place online, with many demonstrators using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to organize, mobilize and publicize campaigns, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Twitter, in particular, has been heavily used by G20 protesters. During the Put People First march last weekend, a caped “superhero”, calling himself Megamouth, used a loudspeaker to shout out messages that people had posted on his Twitter page.
CNN reports that police are also using social networking sites like Twitter to gain intelligence about protesters, such as the number of demonstrators to expect, and their causes.
BBC technology blogger Rory Cellan-Jones provides links and examples of several other ways social networking sites have been present and recording the G20 summit, including Flickr, bloggers and this Web site where students recorded the day's events with their mobile phones. The Telegraph provides more links to AudioBoo, which has on-the-spot interviews with demonstrators outside of the bank and hundreds of YouTube videos.


(Contents collected from various news services as complementary issue by :Editor/Publisher of The Muktidooth)

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

A Call From Europian Journalist Community and our third world's citizen Journalist such Bangladesh...

European Citizens Consultations 2009: EU 27 citizens respond to the
economic crisis

European citizens call for tougher supervision of the financial
markets, more
focused spending on research and innovation, and greater investment in
sustainable energy in a unique pan-European debate on the EU’s
economic and social future.

Citizens from 27 EU countries who are taking part in a unique
pan-European debate on the EU’s economic and social future have
called for wide-ranging measures to boost Europe’s economy,
including tougher supervision of the financial markets, more focused
spending on research and innovation, and increased investment in
sustainable energy. These were among the recommendations for action
agreed by citizens at national events in all 27 EU Member States, with
calls for the creation of a politically independent European body to
monitor the financial markets and increase transparency in financial
transactions; for a more efficient allocation of funding for
innovation and research to maximise the benefits; and for increased
spending on sustainable energy to reduce the EU’s dependence on
imported energy. Other issues raised included the fight against
poverty, promoting a better work/life balance, and action on
education.

The 1,600 citizens - selected randomly by professional opinion
research institutes to represent the diversity of the population - who
participated in the national events over three weekends in March are
taking part in the 2009 European Citizens’ Consultations, which are
giving citizens an opportunity to make their voice heard at a time of
unprecedented economic turmoil and in the run-up to the European
elections.

Over the course of three weekends, these randomly-selected citizens -
from a 39-year-old employee from Inga (Finland) to a 21-year-old
unemployed Spaniard to a 58-year-old retired woman from Warsaw –
discussed a wide range of ideas for addressing the economic and social
challenges facing Europe and agreed on ten recommendations for EU
action at each national event. The citizens then handed over and
discussed these recommendations with members of and candidates for the
European Parliament, European Commissioners and national politicians
from their own countries.

Speaking at the national events, leading European policy-makers
praised the ECC project and underlined the importance of dialogue and
debate with citizens in shaping future EU policies.

European Commissioner László Kovács told citizens at the Hungarian
national consultation that: “The EU cannot function without citizens
- and it does not matter what the politicians decide, if the citizens
are not satisfied.”

Socialist MEP Carlos Carnera described the national consultation in
Spain as a “crucial event”, telling participants: “As an MEP, I
feel even more motivated looking at your contributions.”

Speaking at Sweden’s national consultation, European Commission
Vice-President Margot Wallström, said: “My, maybe naive but firm,
conviction is that the ECC will help the European Union to make better
decisions, better anchored with citizens."

Citizens who participated in the national debates were also
enthusiastic about the process. “The ECC is an educational
experience. I really got the feeling that I could have an impact on
things,” said Olja, a 21-year-old from Lahti in Finland.

In addition to the 1,600 citizens who took part in these
consultations, more than 200,000 have visited the online fora launched
in each Member State in December to give the wider public the
opportunity to feed their views and ideas into the debate.

In April, the participants in the national consultations will be asked
to vote online on the recommendations made at each one. The top 15
recommendations which emerge from this process will then be discussed
at a European Citizens’ Summit, which will bring together 150
citizens who took part in the 27 national consultations to debate the
recommendations with top EU policy-makers, on 10-11 May 2009 in
Brussels.

The European Citizens' Consultations are run under the auspices of the
President of the European Parliament by a consortium of more than 40
European partner organisations, led by the Belgian King Baudouin
Foundation (KBF), and are co-funded by the European Commission under
its “Debate Europe” programme and foundations including the KBF,
Compagnia di San Paolo, the Robert Bosch Foundation, ING and funders
at national level.

Contact:MUKTI MAJID (Editor/Publisher)

Europian Journalist Communitiy's News

European Citizens Consultations 2009: EU 27 citizens respond to the
economic crisis

European citizens call for tougher supervision of the financial
markets, more
focused spending on research and innovation, and greater investment in
sustainable energy in a unique pan-European debate on the EU’s
economic and social future.

Citizens from 27 EU countries who are taking part in a unique
pan-European debate on the EU’s economic and social future have
called for wide-ranging measures to boost Europe’s economy,
including tougher supervision of the financial markets, more focused
spending on research and innovation, and increased investment in
sustainable energy. These were among the recommendations for action
agreed by citizens at national events in all 27 EU Member States, with
calls for the creation of a politically independent European body to
monitor the financial markets and increase transparency in financial
transactions; for a more efficient allocation of funding for
innovation and research to maximise the benefits; and for increased
spending on sustainable energy to reduce the EU’s dependence on
imported energy. Other issues raised included the fight against
poverty, promoting a better work/life balance, and action on
education.

The 1,600 citizens - selected randomly by professional opinion
research institutes to represent the diversity of the population - who
participated in the national events over three weekends in March are
taking part in the 2009 European Citizens’ Consultations, which are
giving citizens an opportunity to make their voice heard at a time of
unprecedented economic turmoil and in the run-up to the European
elections.

Over the course of three weekends, these randomly-selected citizens -
from a 39-year-old employee from Inga (Finland) to a 21-year-old
unemployed Spaniard to a 58-year-old retired woman from Warsaw –
discussed a wide range of ideas for addressing the economic and social
challenges facing Europe and agreed on ten recommendations for EU
action at each national event. The citizens then handed over and
discussed these recommendations with members of and candidates for the
European Parliament, European Commissioners and national politicians
from their own countries.

Speaking at the national events, leading European policy-makers
praised the ECC project and underlined the importance of dialogue and
debate with citizens in shaping future EU policies.

European Commissioner László Kovács told citizens at the Hungarian
national consultation that: “The EU cannot function without citizens
- and it does not matter what the politicians decide, if the citizens
are not satisfied.”

Socialist MEP Carlos Carnera described the national consultation in
Spain as a “crucial event”, telling participants: “As an MEP, I
feel even more motivated looking at your contributions.”

Speaking at Sweden’s national consultation, European Commission
Vice-President Margot Wallström, said: “My, maybe naive but firm,
conviction is that the ECC will help the European Union to make better
decisions, better anchored with citizens."

Citizens who participated in the national debates were also
enthusiastic about the process. “The ECC is an educational
experience. I really got the feeling that I could have an impact on
things,” said Olja, a 21-year-old from Lahti in Finland.

In addition to the 1,600 citizens who took part in these
consultations, more than 200,000 have visited the online fora launched
in each Member State in December to give the wider public the
opportunity to feed their views and ideas into the debate.

In April, the participants in the national consultations will be asked
to vote online on the recommendations made at each one. The top 15
recommendations which emerge from this process will then be discussed
at a European Citizens’ Summit, which will bring together 150
citizens who took part in the 27 national consultations to debate the
recommendations with top EU policy-makers, on 10-11 May 2009 in
Brussels.

The European Citizens' Consultations are run under the auspices of the
President of the European Parliament by a consortium of more than 40
European partner organisations, led by the Belgian King Baudouin
Foundation (KBF), and are co-funded by the European Commission under
its “Debate Europe” programme and foundations including the KBF,
Compagnia di San Paolo, the Robert Bosch Foundation, ING and funders
at national level.

Contact:MUKTI MAJID (Editor/Publisher)

Sunday, March 29, 2009

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE FEATURE FROM JOURNALIST COMMUNITY

JCOMMUNITY / FEATURES AND TIPS /
RESOURCES/
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND PREVENTION
Child Sexual Abuse: Backgrounders

Most stories about child sexual abuse are breaking news: A popular coach is accused of molesting an athlete. Police announce the arrest of a dozen people caught in an online child pornography investigation.

So how do you move beyond reporting the basic facts of one case and tell more illuminating stories? Where can you find context and new story lines that will help your audience understand the risks – and what can be done to protect children?

Thanks to a grant from the Ms. Foundation for Women, the Journalism Center is producing new information to help. Sections will include background on child sexual abuse and prevention (below); the characteristics and mental health treatment of people who offend; policy, law enforcement and prosecution; advice for reporting stories with care; and Q&As with leading experts. Each section will feature a topic overview, story ideas, sources and resources.
This first backgrounder – covering the basics of child sexual abuse and prevention programs – is a starting point. It’s meant to help build your knowledge of child sexual abuse, which the American Medical Association has called a “silent epidemic.”
If you’d like to be alerted when new content is posted, e-mail us.

Child Sexual Abuse and Prevention
Child Sexual Abuse: Statistics and overview
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: An overview
Tips and Story Ideas
Additional Sources and Resources

Child Sexual Abuse: Statistics and overview

Child sexual abuse (CSA) includes many behaviors under a single theme. The CSA information and prevention service Stop It Now provides this definition:
“All sexual touching between an adult and a child is sexual abuse. Sexual touching between children can also be sexual abuse when there is a significant age difference (often defined as 3 or more years) between the children or if the children are very different developmentally or size-wise."
Abusive physical contact or touching includes:
-Touching a child's genitals or private parts for sexual purposes
-Making a child touch someone else's genitals or play sexual game
-Putting objects or body parts (like fingers, tongue or penis) inside the vagina, in -the mouth or in the anus of a child for sexual purposes
Non-contact sexual abuse includes:
-Showing pornography to a child
-Deliberately exposing an adult's genitals to a child
-Photographing a child in sexual poses
-Encouraging a child to watch or hear sexual acts
-Inappropriately watching a child undress or use the bathroom
Sexually abusive images of children and the Internet. Non-contact abuse also includes the serious and growing problem of people making and downloading sexual images of children on the Internet. To view sexually abusive images of children is to participate in the abuse of a child, and may cause someone to consider sexual interactions with children as acceptable.
Adults who abuse children typically try to build a connection with the child before initiating abuse; experts call the process “grooming.” They may also use emotional coercion or threats. (A later module will explore why people, including juveniles, offend. For information on adult abusers, see “The 'Nice Guy' Molester” by Dan Malone, a Fort Worth Weekly reporter who wrote for the center’s former The Children’s Beat magazine.)
Adults believe that CSA is widespread and possibly preventable. The ACE Study, an ongoing health effects study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Kaiser Permanente, asked more than 17,000 adult Kaiser network members about their “ACEs,” or adverse childhood experiences. Respondents – whom the researchers described as generally well educated and middle class – reported significant rates of CSA: 16 percent of men and 25 percent of women said they had experienced contact child sexual abuse.
In 2000, 49 percent of respondents in a national survey called CSA a “serious problem." The Enough Abuse campaign, funded by the CDC to test prevention strategies and a public awareness campaign in Massachusetts reported similar public attitudes. Further, 83 percent of respondents in their 2003 survey said that CSA is definitely or somewhat preventable, but only 27 percent of respondents felt “very confident” they could identify if a child was being abused.
Children who are sexually abused often experience other types of neglect and abuse. Detection is rare. Impact can be substantial. Researchers find it difficult to estimate how many children experience CSA. Among the challenges in data gathering: Surveys show that only a fraction of cases – 30 percent or fewer – are ever reported to authorities; states use different definitions of CSA; and states may assign CSA cases to their criminal systems, so they may not be counted in child welfare data. There’s rarely medical or physical evidence of the crimes. And no single behavior will suggest that a child has experienced of sexual abuse.
For more on the sources and limitations of CSA data, see this useful explainer from the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire.
State child protection authorities substantiated more than 88,000 cases that involved CSA in 2006. About 9 percent of children identified for other maltreatment were also found to be sexually abused.
But in Vermont, for example, where every CSA case is remanded to the child welfare system, there were 342 substantiated CSA incidents in 2007, compared with 153 incidents of physical abuse and 57 incidents of emotional abuse or neglect.
Another source of CSA data is law enforcement – although it’s important to note that the Department of Justice’s National Crime Victimization Survey does not include victims under age 12. In 2001, the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that approximately 225,500 sex crimes against children were reported to police in 18 states. A year earlier, the Bureau published a survey of child sexual assaults reported to law enforcement that found:
67 percent of all reported victims of sexual assault were juveniles (under age 18);
34 percent of victims were under age 12;
1 of every 7 victims was under age 6;
40 percent of those who victimized children under age 6 were also juveniles
(under age 18).
Other national data can be broken down by state. The CDC’s Healthy Youth survey reports the percentage of students who have been physically forced to have sexual intercourse. To find state data, choose "violence," then "forced to have sexual intercourse.”
The ACE Study continues to investigate a connection between adverse childhood experiences and health and social outcomes later in life. While many people are resilient, the researchers find that the more ACEs a child has, the greater likelihood that the adult years will be marked by problems such as re-victimization, serious disease and early death.
Overwhelmingly, a child is abused by someone she or he knows. Studies confirm that about half of abusers are acquaintances, and family members account for up to one third of cases. Strangers make up the smallest group of perpetrators, anywhere from 7 percent to 25 percent, depending on the research.* Survey data suggest that girls are much more likely to experience CSA than boys, though advocates warn that CSA may be even more undercounted among boys. Studies referenced by the Crimes Against Children Research Center found that girls were the victimized in at least 78 percent of reported cases.
*Note: The trend holds for victims of all ages: Nearly three-quarters of all sexual assaults are perpetrated by a non-stranger.

Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: An overview

The prevention of child sexual abuse is a safety issue. Society protects children through a mix of laws, research-based guidelines and common sense protections – from car seat laws to standard vaccination schedules and childproof gun locks. Child sexual abuse is a safety issue, too, say those who work in the field – a form of violence from which children should be better protected.
Registries are one tool. In recent years, public policy has been strongly focused on keeping children safe by publicly identifying those charged with or convicted of various sexual offenses. While affirming the need to keep dangerous people away from children, CSA advocates point out several weaknesses of a registry centered approach to child protection. Most cases aren’t reported to authorities, so registries will never be comprehensive. Scanning a registry can make a parent feel as though she’s taken action, while active parenting provides the best protection from abuse. And mug shots can send the message that molesters look scary, while abusers rarely do. (Registries will be further examined in another module.)
Information can overcome the “yuck factor.” What’s needed, prevention advocates say, is comprehensive community education about the risks of CSA and strategies for protecting children. In surveys cited above, the public identified child sexual abuse as a serious social problem. Prevention workers admit that there is a “yuck factor” that makes it difficult to talk about CSA. But the problem is so widespread that people may be willing to learn. In Massachusetts’ Enough Abuse poll, 69 percent of respondents said they would participate in a prevention training program “to protect my own children” or because “it’s an important issue.”
CSA prevention information is meant to give adults the language and confidence to talk to their children about sex without trying to make them imagine unfathomable dangers. Educators agree that children should not be made responsible for protecting themselves – they are not prepared for that role, just as they’re not prepared to cross the street alone.
The child learns to properly name her body parts and understand boundaries – even if a molester calls abuse a “game.” Further, the child is assured that she can tell her parent anything – that the parent won’t get mad and the child will be believed and protected. That last point is especially important, educators say. If children lack that confidence, the abuser can paint a frightening picture that practically assures her silence.
Little money for CSA prevention. The biggest challenge in CSA prevention, say advocates, is that little money is available for the work. Because child welfare data may seriously undercount the percentage of children experiencing CSA, prevention dollars have to compete with higher profile needs, including the sexual assault of adults.
In 2002, the CDC issued its first grants around CSA prevention. Three-year grants were given to pilot Massachusetts’ Enough Abuse community prevention campaigns and two other projects. Minnesota’s Project Pathfinder received a grant to expand outreach and treatment for adults and juveniles who have abused children or believe they’re at risk of doing so. And in Georgia, Prevent Child Abuse created a public information campaign around CSA prevention.
Jetta Bernier, who led the Massachusetts pilot program, says that part of the challenge in getting funding for CSA prevention is that most federal money goes for scientific research, and it’s difficult to prove that campaigns change behavior and actively thwart abuse. Prevention educators cite anecdotes of children who were protected and potential offenders who got help, and the results of surveys that show people learned the facts, but none of those effects meet the scientific gold standard for impact, Bernier said. “There is some thoughtful, solid work being done” on prevention, she said. “We need support for promising practices.”
Bernier and others are hoping that social spending included in the federal stimulus package will include money for CSA prevention. Bernier’s three year grant from the CDC was extended to five years and the campaign was praised as “trailblazing” by Rodney Hammond, director of the CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention. But no similar grants have been made available. While the three communities engaged in the pilot have continued to work on CSA prevention, Bernier has no funds to widely disseminate the model.
“We showed that there was hope and people in action,” she said. “People need to know there is something they can do.”

Tips and Story Ideas
(A later module will address sensitivity and ethical concerns in interviewing those who’ve experienced abuse.)
Is CSA prevention taught in your community?
Educators stress that prevention is adults’ responsibility, but where can they learn? Contact your state chapter of Prevent Child Abuse (see source list below) and other child protection organizations to see what’s available. The state sexual violence assault line may also have programs or leads.
Some schools also use a CSA prevention curriculum. Prevent Child Abuse-Vermont (see source list) has a SAFE-T curriculum for middle-schoolers because that’s where sexually abusive behaviors often begin; it also offers Care for Kids, a program for pre-K teachers and parents developed by a group in Canada. K-6 curriculum is also offered by nonprofits such as Child Help and Darkness to Light.
What if abuse has already occurred?
Child advocacy centers can be important resources. CACs are one-stop facilities for children who may be victims of maltreatment, where professionals from health fields, law enforcement and child protection can collaborate on case management. Find a list of state CACs here.
The CAC model has been evaluated by the Crimes Against Children Research Center.
Beware the economic downtown. Community-based nonprofits are having trouble finding funding – those working in CSA prevention may be especially vulnerable because they rarely have robust support. What is the funding situation in your community? Will child maltreatment – particularly CSA – be included in social service or law enforcement spending in your state’s stimulus package?
How do youth-serving organizations protect children from abuse? The sexual abuse scandal that shook the Catholic Church has played out among other youth-serving groups, too. As spring sports and camp season gets underway, examine what policies groups have in place to screen and train employees. The CDC published guidelines and advice on how to screen and train employees in a 2007 publication: “Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Within Youth-Serving Organizations.”
And don’t overlook the most vulnerable children. Advocates say that learning disabled and institutionalized children are especially vulnerable to sexual abuse because they’re so dependent on caretakers. How are those employees screened?
Deadline ahead: Is your state in compliance with sex offender registry requirements?
As of July 27, 2009, states and territories may face federal penalties for failing to implement Title I of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (known as SORNA. DOJ guidelines here).
Some states and courts have raised objections to the Act, saying it puts an unfair financial burden on states. Is your state in compliance?

Additional Sources and Resources
Child Welfare Information Gateway; http://www.childwelfare.gov/
Among its services, this federal information resource provides links to state laws and statutes about child abuse and neglect. It also produces the report: “Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect: Summary of State Laws.”
Crimes Against Children Research Center: Sexual Abuse;
http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/sexual-abuse
Center staff work to combat crimes against children through research and statistics. CCRC, based at the University of New Hampshire, is concerned with research about the nature of crimes including child abduction, homicide, rape, assault, and physical and sexual abuse as well as their impact.
Contact: David Finkelhor Ph.D., director, 603.862.2761 (New Hampshire);
david.finkelhor@unh.edu
Enough Abuse Campaign/Massachusetts Citizens for Children; http://www.enoughabuse.org
The campaign was developed as a statewide effort to eliminate child sexual abuse. The five-year CDC-funded pilot program focused on abuse prevention, especially within youth-serving organizations. Oregon has adopted the model and other states are considering it.
Contact: Jetta Bernier, executive director, 617.742.8555, Ext. 2 (Massachusetts); jetta@masskids.org
National Sexual Violence Resource Center; http://www.nsvrc.org
NSVRC offers information and resources on all aspects of sexual violence, including intervention and prevention strategies. The center is funded through a grant from the CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention.
Contact: Jennifer Shomper, communications specialist, 877.739.3895 or 717.909.0710, Ext. 119 (Pennsylvania); jshomper@nsvrc.org
Prevent Child Abuse America; http://www.preventchildabuse.org/index.shtml
Since 1972, Prevent Child Abuse America has worked to prevent child abuse and neglect through prevention efforts and information campaigns. PCA chapters exist in every state and may have resources on local CSA prevention.
Contact: Ben Tanzer, director of strategic communications, 312.334.6823 (Chicago); btanzer@preventchildabuse.org
Prevent Child Abuse Vermont; http://www.pcavt.org
The chapter has a strong focus on CSA prevention, with educational programs for parents, daycare providers and other child-focused professionals. It also developed SAFE-T, a well-tested curriculum for middle school students. PCA-V has also provided training in at least 10 states and is in the planning stages of developing a K-6 curriculum.
Contact: Linda Johnson, executive director, 802.229.5724
Stop It Now!; http://stopitnow.org
The nonprofit seeks to prevent child sexual abuse by challenging abusers, adults at risk of abusing, and their friends and family, to learn the warning signs and seek help. Staff can connect journalists to community-based programs that reach out to adults who are concerned about their own or others’ sexualized behavior toward children.
Contact: Deborah Donovan Rice, executive director; 413.587.3500 (Massachusetts);
president@stopitnow.org

(Re-Edited:MUKTI MAJID,Editor/Publisher)