Penn State - Cultural Denial & Child Sex Abuse - Institutional Betrayal, Eugenics

articles:
Cultural Denial and Child Sex Abuse
Betrayal Blindness and Institutional Betrayal
Pedophiles infiltrate respected institutions to find victims
In North Carolina, sterilization victims demand answers and compensation


Voices In The Family - This Week 11/14/11
Cultural Denial and Child Sex Abuse

Alleged incidents of child sexual abuse brought to light at Penn State are disturbing. University stakeholders have been ousted. The campus remains a live wire of anger and confusion. As our hearts go out to children and families who have come forward with their stories, we find ourselves wondering, why did so many people fail to report what they saw or heard about?

On the next Voices in the Family with Dan Gottlieb: why the cultural hesitation and denial in sexual abuse cases, in general, when the well-being of children is at stake? We'll take a look at the psychology of institutional betrayal as well as prevention of abuse with Jennifer J. Freyd, Michael Stinson, Ken Singer, and Kelly Moore.

Jennifer J. Freyd is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Oregon. She has published extensively on topics that include child abuse, memory, and mental health, as well as ethical issues related to trauma research and conceptualizations. Her current research includes investigation of the impact of institutional betrayal. She is finishing a new book called Betrayal, co-written with Pamela J. Birrell.

http://www.whyy.org/91FM/voices.html

Betrayal Blindness and Institutional Betrayal
Jennifer J. Freyd, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon

What is Betrayal Blindness?
Betrayal blindness is the unawareness, not-knowing, and forgetting exhibited by people towards betrayal. The term "betrayal blindness" was introduced by Freyd (1996), and expanded in Freyd (1999) in the context of Betrayal Trauma Theory. This blindness may extend to betrayals that are not traditionally considered "traumas," such as adultery, inequities in the workplace and society, etc. Victims, perpetrators, and witnesses may display betrayal blindness in order to preserve relationships, institutions, and social systems upon which they depend. (Also, see Eileen Zurbriggen's essay on Betrayal Trauma in the 2004 Election.)

What is Institutional Betrayal?
The term "Institutional Betrayal" refers to wrongdoings perpetrated by an institution upon individuals dependent on that institution, including failure to prevent or respond supportively to wrongdoings by individuals (e.g. sexual assault) committed within the context of the institution. The term "Institutional Betrayal" as connected with Betrayal Trauma Theory is discussed in more detail in various publications, including in a section starting on page 201 of Platt, Barton, & Freyd (2009) and in recent conference posters by Smith & Freyd (2011a; 2011b) and by Medrano, Martin, and Freyd (2011). http://dynamic.uoregon.edu/~jjf/institutionalbetrayal/index.html

Pedophiles infiltrate respected institutions to find victims
By Greg Toppo, USA TODAY 11/15/11
The Penn State allegations may seem unthinkable: revered assistant coach and prominent community activist Jerry Sandusky preying on eight children. But such abuses of trust play out in the USA over and over again.

Respected people who set up charitable or social groups for children, only to be implicated in some form of child sexual abuse, are a frightening reality.

"I call them 'institutions of trust,' " says Portland, Ore., attorney Kelly Clark, who has represented more than 300 sex abuse victims. Some predators are so tacitly trusted "that when something like this happens, the instinctive reaction is, 'That can't happen here. We can't allow the mission to be compromised,' " he says.

Abuse experts say the common denominators in many such crimes are parents willing to allow noted people to have unrestricted access to their kids.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-11-13/pedophiles-breach-trusted-institutions-sex-abuse-victims/51189758/1

In North Carolina, sterilization victims demand answers and compensation Tue Nov 8, 2011
http://rockcenter.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/08/8698125-in-north-carolina-sterilization-victims-demand-answers-and-compensation