Sexual Misconduct

WASHINGTON -- More than 4.5 million students endure sexual misconduct by employees at their schools, from inappropriate jokes to forced sex, according to a report to Congress. The best estimate available shows nearly one in 10 children faces misbehavior ranging from unprofessional to criminal sometime between kindergarten and 12th grade, says the report by Charol Shakeshaft, a Hofstra University professor. "Most people just don't think this can really happen," said Shakeshaft, hired by the Education Department to study the prevalence of sexual abuse in schools.

The allegations of sexual misconduct against former tennis star Bob Hewitt have echoed across the sport since they were first reported by the Globe's Bob Hohler last year — everywhere, that is, except at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. Hewitt, the South African doubles legend, remains enshrined in the hall, whose leaders are seriously damaging their organization's credibility by failing to take the accusations more...

Colby College, a small liberal arts school in Maine, has found that the actions of 15 students violated the school's sexual misconduct policy, leading to suspensions and campuswide soul-searching. While administrators are silent on the specifics of the November incident that sparked the investigation, they said students committed a range of infractions, from sexual misconduct and sexual harassment to lying to college officials and conspiring to obstruct an investigation. A dozen students were suspended for a semester or more, two students voluntarily withdrew from Colby, and one...

Almost to a man, the bishops who worked under Cardinal Bernard F. Law played strong supporting roles as the archdiocese moved to quell complaints of sexual abuse by moving accused priests from parish to parish. But the thousands of pages of church records released in clergy abuse lawsuits over the last year show that one bishop complained repeatedly about giving new assignments to problem priests - and was repeatedly ignored. The warnings issued by John M. D'Arcy, now the bishop of the Fort Wayne-South Bend diocese in Indiana, began in 1978 with a polite letter to a fellow bishop reporting...

NEW HAVEN — Yale University has created a committee to address allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct as federal officials investigate a complaint by students that the Ivy League university failed to adequately respond to such concerns. Yale officials said the University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct will begin July 1 and make it simpler for students and faculty to pursue complaints. The US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights confirmed last week it would investigate a complaint by students alleging Yale has a sexually hostile environment and failed to...

Attorneys for a northern Maine priest say a criminal investigation leading to his voluntary leave of absence has nothing to do with allegations of sexual misconduct. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland announced this week that the Rev. James Nadeau had taken a leave pending results of an investigation launched by the Maine attorney general's office. Neither the diocese nor the attorney general's office would disclose the nature of the investigation The Bangor Daily News ( http://bit.ly/Ie1afx)

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT charges didn't drive Democrat Bill Clinton out of the White House. Why should they drive Republican Herman Cain out of a presidential primary race? As a candidate and president, Clinton was the target of a slew of allegations of sexual misconduct, from sexual harassment to adultery to rape. His reputation suffered and he was called to account for some of them. But Clinton, who served two terms as president, ultimately survived multiple sex scandals and maintained high approval ratings, for a number of reasons.

Almost to a man, the bishops who worked under Cardinal Bernard F. Law played strong supporting roles as the archdiocese moved to quell complaints of sexual abuse by moving accused priests from parish to parish. But the thousands of pages of church records released in clergy abuse lawsuits over the last year show that one bishop complained repeatedly about giving new assignments to problem priests - and was repeatedly ignored. The warnings issued by John M. D'Arcy, now the bishop of the Fort Wayne-South Bend diocese in Indiana, began in 1978 with a polite...

Vermont State Police say a teacher in Danville has been charged with sexually assaulting a student. Twenty-three-year-old Abby Shocik of South Burlington was arrested Thursday and charged with sexual assault. Police say they received a report from the Department of Education on Dec. 13 about possible sexual misconduct between at teacher and student at the Danville School. Shocik is accused of engaging in sexual misconduct with the student over the course of about a month. Police aren't releasing any other details.

NEW YORK -- More than 100 young women who expressed interest in joining the military in the past year were preyed upon sexually by their recruiters. Women were raped on recruiting office couches, assaulted in government cars, and groped en route to entrance exams. A six-month Associated Press investigation found that more than 80 military recruiters were disciplined last year for sexual misconduct with potential enlistees. The cases occurred across all branches of the military and in all regions of the country.

Attorneys for a northern Maine priest say a criminal investigation leading to his voluntary leave of absence has nothing to do with allegations of sexual misconduct. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland announced this week that the Rev. James Nadeau had taken a leave pending results of an investigation launched by the Maine attorney general's office. Neither the diocese nor the attorney general's office would disclose the nature of the investigation The Bangor Daily News ( http://bit.ly/Ie1afx)

BARTOW, Fla. - Admitting to a pattern of abuse that stretched over 14 years, a retired Boston Red Sox clubhouse manager was convicted yesterday of sexual misconduct with children - including a 4-year-old boy who is a distant cousin of former star pitcher Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd - while working for the team at its spring training headquarters here. At a dramatic hearing in Polk County District Court, Donald J. Fitzpatrick, 72, told a judge that he was pleading guilty to four counts of attempted sexual battery from 1975 to 1989 "because I'm guilty.

Colby College, a small liberal arts school in Maine, has found that the actions of 15 students violated the school's sexual misconduct policy, leading to suspensions and campuswide soul-searching. While administrators are silent on the specifics of the November incident that sparked the investigation, they said students committed a range of infractions, from sexual misconduct and sexual harassment to lying to college officials and conspiring to obstruct an investigation. A dozen students were suspended for a semester or more, two students...

ATLANTA - A Georgia megachurch leader has apologized to a Jewish group that criticized him for taking part in a ceremony in which he was wrapped in a religious scroll and exalted as a king. Bishop Eddie Long said in a letter to the Anti-Defamation League that he didn't mean to offend the Jewish community by taking part in the ceremony. The video from a January service at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church showed Rabbi Ralph Messer, a Messianic preacher, instructing two men to wrap Long in a large scroll that's purported to be the Torah.

Vermont State Police say a teacher in Danville has been charged with sexually assaulting a student. Twenty-three-year-old Abby Shocik of South Burlington was arrested Thursday and charged with sexual assault. Police say they received a report from the Department of Education on Dec. 13 about possible sexual misconduct between at teacher and student at the Danville School. Shocik is accused of engaging in sexual misconduct with the student over the course of about a month. Police aren't releasing any other details.

A Canadian Roman Catholic bishop charged with importing child pornography apologized in court Tuesday to the church and to victims of child pornography. Speaking for the first time since he was charged in 2009 with possessing and importing child pornography, Bishop Raymond Lahey told the court that his addiction to Internet porn went against his moral principles. "I am truly sorry for what I have done," said a frail and gaunt Lahey on the second day of his sentencing hearing.

More than 60 educators were disciplined or dismissed during a five-year period in Massachusetts for ethical or criminal offenses, including more than a third who were accused of sexual misconduct ranging from sexual harassment to child rape, according to a review of records by the Associated Press. Many of the sexual misconduct cases made headlines, such as the teacher who sent naked photos to a student. But other cases were prosecuted with little fanfare, or schools chose not to disclose information about the cases.

THE PENN State abuse case highlights the reality that any one of our social support organizations is vulnerable to evil predators who seek them out to perpetrate abuse. Schools, churches, youth sports, mentoring programs, service organizations, and foundations are prime venues for predators. Leaders of such organizations must recognize that their organizations may attract abusers to the vulnerable they seek to serve. Safe-practice policies and full in-service training as well as full vetting of all employees and volunteers are essential protections.

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT charges didn't drive Democrat Bill Clinton out of the White House. Why should they drive Republican Herman Cain out of a presidential primary race? As a candidate and president, Clinton was the target of a slew of allegations of sexual misconduct, from sexual harassment to adultery to rape. His reputation suffered and he was called to account for some of them. But Clinton, who served two terms as president, ultimately survived multiple sex scandals and maintained high approval ratings, for a number of reasons.