What still matters in Penn State's sordid scandal: No one stopped Jerry Sandusky→

Essentially, there is this: How many allegations can there be that Paterno was told something, only for his supporters to keep claiming he didn't know anything?

Child told Paterno of sex abuse in 1976, court papers allege→

It came in the form of a single line in a court order on a related insurance coverage case involving Penn State, and its full ramifications can't immediately be gauged.

But that line was eye-popping in itself.

The line in question states that one of Penn State's insurers has claimed "in 1976, a child allegedly reported to PSU's Head Coach Joseph Paterno that he (the child) was sexually molested by Sandusky."

Dennis Hastert Sentenced to 15 Months, and Apologizes for Sex Abuse→

CHICAGO — J. Dennis Hastert, once among the nation’s most powerful politicians, was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 months in prison for illegally structuring bank transactions in an effort to cover up his sexual abuse of young members of a wrestling team he coached decades ago.

Olympic speedskater joins push to pass N.Y. child abuse law→

ALBANY — The effort to pass legislation that would allow sexually abused children to bring lawsuits as adults will get a personal assist next week from Olympic speedskater Bridie Farrell.

Farrell, who has accused Olympian speedskater Andy Gabel of molesting her when she was just 15, will take part in a press conference and roundtable discussion in Albany on May 3 to build support for the Child Victims Act.

Raped by iconic high school basketball coach, ex-Queens resident can’t sue in N.Y.→

Many childhood sexual abuse survivors dream about confronting their predators in a court of law.

Jimmy Carlino actually got that opportunity five years ago, when legendary New York basketball coach Bob Oliva pleaded guilty in a Boston courtroom to two counts of rape of a child.

Wrestling Propelled Hastert’s Career, and Provided Opportunity for Abuse→

WASHINGTON — When calls for his removal from office reverberated through the capital a decade ago, Speaker J. Dennis Hastert struggled to explain why he had not aggressively investigated allegations that a Florida lawmaker had sent flirtatious messages to a teenage boy who had served as a House page.

At that perilous moment, an impassioned group of supporters stepped forward to speak up on Mr. Hastert’s behalf: wrestling coaches.

“Denny Hastert is a good and honorable man — and one of wrestling’s own,” Leo Kocher, the wrestling coach at the University of Chicago, wrote in late 2006 in a letter distributed to high school and college coaches.

“The wrestling community must reach as many people as it can through calling talk radio, letters to the editor, and any other way in which public opinion can be moved,” he wrote. “Denny Hastert is one of the finest people to ever hold membership in the wrestling community.”

The absurdity of New York’s law barring child-rape victims from seeking justice as adults→

In recent weeks, the Daily News has been commendably focused on the compelling need to reform the New York statute of limitations for survivors of alleged childhood sexual abuse. New York has one of the most regressive laws on this issue in the entire United States; it bars child victims from seeking justice against predators unless they file a claim before they turn 23.

But, unfortunately, that’s just half the problem. At the very same time, judges have been interpreting the law in a way that’s protective of institutions that may have been involved in lengthy cover-ups of abuse

Torrance school district allegedy ignored sex abuse of at least 18 boys→

Attorneys for 18 boys announced a civil lawsuit Thursday against the Torrance Unified School District for allegedly turning a blind eye to decades of sexual abuse by a wrestling coach. 

‘I didn’t do anything then, but I can do something now,’ Pa. lawmaker trying to change child sex abuse laws→

"I didn't do anything then, but I can do something now. I can stand up for the voiceless and give all these victims out there that are struggling with alcohol, drugs, that have committed suicide, I can be their voice here in the Capitol."

Rozzi is using that voice to call for change, specifically in the statute of limitations.

"Our main thing is we want to eliminate the criminal and civil statute of limitations and it is a must that we have a two-year window to give victims an opportunity to go in court and have their voices heard," he said.

Protecting Children from Sexual Abuse: Texas Serves As a Model→

Jenna Quinn is a hero, and her courage is changing the lives of children in Texas.

Sexually abused by her basketball coach, Jenna remembers all too well the fear and shame that kept her silent. From age 12 to age 14, Jenna suffered through progressive violation of her trust and physical boundaries, followed by two more years of sexual abuse. The once outgoing, popular teenager became withdrawn and troubled, coping by overeating and experimenting with self-harm.

The moments that made Oscars night a milestone for sexual abuse survivors→

The room was already electric when Vice President Joe Biden stepped onto the Oscars stage Sunday night and gave an impassioned speech about reducing sexual assault on college campuses. He then introduced Lady Gaga, who performed a rousing rendition of "Til It Happens to You," the Oscar-nominated song she and Diane Warren wrote about sexual assault on college campuses for the Kirby Dick documentary "The Hunting Ground."

And then it happened: A group of about 50 women and men entered the stage flanking Gaga at a white piano. With messages of "We believe you," "It's on us" and "Unbreakable" written on their exposed arms, survivors of sexual assault joined the songstress. They locked hands and rose them in triumph. 

Olympic gold medalist shares past of pain, glory with Assumption students

Ms. Harrison, 25, who lives in Danvers, is a survivor of sexual abuse at the hands of her former coach when she was a young teenager. She said she’d be lying if she didn’t still think about the traumatic experiences she overcame. A decade later, therapy remains a means of coping and is still integral in her path to recovery, she said.

“I truly feel blessed,” she said. “I look at my life sometimes and say, ‘Wow. That could have gone real bad, real fast.’ ”

Sex abuse victim honored for fight to change law→

It was a huge moment for the more than 2 million adult victims in Georgia who report being sexually abused during their childhood. The bill essentially cleared the way for them to have their day in civil court by opening a two-year retroactive window for claims of abuse at any age, no matter how long ago the abuse happened.

The law allows victims who were shut out in the past by Georgia’s short statute of limitations to file claims between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2017. It also gives victims up to two years from the time their abuse is disclosed and documented by medical or psychological evidence in which to sue their accused attackers.

You would think that would make Justin Conway, 38, a satisified man. He’d finally stood up to the karate coach who he said sexually abused him beginning at age 13 and then fought hard to see “The Hidden Predator” Bill signed into law.

Grooming habits: Predators manipulate, create trust with child victims→

The line differentiating a close, personal relationship between an adult and a child and one that is paving the way for potential abuse can be razor thin.

At first, they can look the same; a special bond between the two. The child will confide with the adult, share secrets and talk about their feelings. The adult is someone to lean on, a shoulder to cry on, is a mentor and a source of comfort.

But there’s a reason for the similarities: It’s called “grooming,” a slow-evolving process in which an adult predator can gain the trust and comfort of a child they target for abuse by taking advantage of certain vulnerabilities.