End the secrecy of child sexual abuse
Prosecutor urges Project Sunlight to educate the public
By DONNA HICKMAN
Daily Journal Staff Writer
Daily Journal Staff Writer
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Talking about child sexual abuse can go a long way toward preventing it.
“We need to be aware of the signs and take action,” said John Rupp, the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney who helped to bring Michael Devlin to justice in the Shawn Hornbeck abduction case. Rupp spoke Tuesday to Project Sunlight, a group dedicated to preventing child abuse in St. Francois County.
Rupp said his office handles about 60-70 cases of child sexual abuse each year. He quoted statistics that indicate one in five girls and one in 10 boys will be sexually abused. Most of those incidences — about 88 percent — go unreported.
“Our kids are at a huge risk because of the Internet, our hyper-sexualized society and people who are losing their inhibitions and acting out,” he explained. “We have to treat the whole problem. Sometimes after the headlines disappear, so do the services.”
He told the audience at Mineral Area College’s North College Center that a key to recognizing child sexual abuse is listening to children. He said such things as inappropriate knowledge about sex or a change in behavior or grades can signal a problem and parents need to make sure their children know they can come to them. He said in the vast majority of cases, a step-father is abusing a child and the mother doesn’t know it.
“The good news is when you hear that jury say ‘guilty’ and you have saved that child’s life,” he said.
He said he believes Hornbeck— who was kidnapped in 2002 and found in 2007 — is getting the kind of psychological treatment he needs to cope with what he endured at the hands of Devlin for four years. When he was asked about the day he found out the Richwoods boy had been found alive, he admitted it was almost funny what happened after the first call came into his office.
“The investigator calls and says ‘I think we have found Shawn Hornbeck and he is alive; I’ll have to get back to you.’ And I say, ‘What do you mean you think you have found him?’ and he hangs up. Then, my investigator’s phone rings and he gets the same message and I say, ‘What do you mean you think you have found him?’ He says, ‘I think you need to call Shawn’s parents.’ The Franklin County Sheriff calls and says ‘We think we have found Shawn Hornbeck.’ And I say, ‘What do you mean?’ And he says, ‘There’s a boy in the apartment with Ben Owenby who says he is Shawn Hornbeck.”
Ownby had been kidnapped in Franklin County just four days before he was found in a Kirkwood apartment in January of 2007.
“Well, we have a bookcase full of information about the Hornbeck case — we’ve been investigating it for four years — and I ask everybody, ‘Who knows the Akers’ (Shawn’s parents) phone number?’”
Nobody could find it, so Rupp called information at 4-1-1 and got the number for the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation. A volunteer gave him Pam Akers’ work number. He got her voice mail. He called the volunteer again to ask where she worked. He called 4-1-1 again for the number and called her office. He convinced the worker to give him Pam Akers’ cell phone number. He got her voice mail.
“Five minutes later, the sweat is pouring off me because I’m thinking they’re going to hear about their son on the radio before I can get to them. Then, finally, they call me back.”
Rupp told them to pull their car over and delivered the news of the rescue that’s been labeled the “Missouri Miracle.” He said the first time he saw Shawn was when he got out of the car at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.
“It was probably the most miraculous day I’ve had as a prosecutor.”
Devlin pleaded guilty and received 74 life sentences in three counties and 170 years on federal charges.
Project Sunlight Board Member Meg Reiner told Rupp his talk had served to motivate them to work harder to prevent child abuse of all kinds.
“What you have done is motivate us to run you out of the business of prosecuting these cases because there won’t be any cases any more,” she said.
“Go out and protect kids!” said Rupp. “You have gotta do it. Go to the next person and tell them to keep their eyes open. That’s how you’re going to end it. Talk about it. End the secrecy.”
Project Sunlight will meet again in March of 2009. Chairman Tim Porter said when the group began in 2003, the county ranked 105 out of 115 with the highest number of cases of child abuse and neglect. In 2007, they were ranked 70. He believes by sponsoring forums to talk about the problem and working in the community to prevent it, Project Sunlight is having an impact. To find out more, go to www.projectsunlight.org or call 573-431-3173 or 573-760-0212.
Donna Hickman is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact her at 431-2010, ext. 138 or at dhickman@dailyjournalonline.com.
“We need to be aware of the signs and take action,” said John Rupp, the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney who helped to bring Michael Devlin to justice in the Shawn Hornbeck abduction case. Rupp spoke Tuesday to Project Sunlight, a group dedicated to preventing child abuse in St. Francois County.
Rupp said his office handles about 60-70 cases of child sexual abuse each year. He quoted statistics that indicate one in five girls and one in 10 boys will be sexually abused. Most of those incidences — about 88 percent — go unreported.
“Our kids are at a huge risk because of the Internet, our hyper-sexualized society and people who are losing their inhibitions and acting out,” he explained. “We have to treat the whole problem. Sometimes after the headlines disappear, so do the services.”
He told the audience at Mineral Area College’s North College Center that a key to recognizing child sexual abuse is listening to children. He said such things as inappropriate knowledge about sex or a change in behavior or grades can signal a problem and parents need to make sure their children know they can come to them. He said in the vast majority of cases, a step-father is abusing a child and the mother doesn’t know it.
“The good news is when you hear that jury say ‘guilty’ and you have saved that child’s life,” he said.
He said he believes Hornbeck— who was kidnapped in 2002 and found in 2007 — is getting the kind of psychological treatment he needs to cope with what he endured at the hands of Devlin for four years. When he was asked about the day he found out the Richwoods boy had been found alive, he admitted it was almost funny what happened after the first call came into his office.
“The investigator calls and says ‘I think we have found Shawn Hornbeck and he is alive; I’ll have to get back to you.’ And I say, ‘What do you mean you think you have found him?’ and he hangs up. Then, my investigator’s phone rings and he gets the same message and I say, ‘What do you mean you think you have found him?’ He says, ‘I think you need to call Shawn’s parents.’ The Franklin County Sheriff calls and says ‘We think we have found Shawn Hornbeck.’ And I say, ‘What do you mean?’ And he says, ‘There’s a boy in the apartment with Ben Owenby who says he is Shawn Hornbeck.”
Ownby had been kidnapped in Franklin County just four days before he was found in a Kirkwood apartment in January of 2007.
“Well, we have a bookcase full of information about the Hornbeck case — we’ve been investigating it for four years — and I ask everybody, ‘Who knows the Akers’ (Shawn’s parents) phone number?’”
Nobody could find it, so Rupp called information at 4-1-1 and got the number for the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation. A volunteer gave him Pam Akers’ work number. He got her voice mail. He called the volunteer again to ask where she worked. He called 4-1-1 again for the number and called her office. He convinced the worker to give him Pam Akers’ cell phone number. He got her voice mail.
“Five minutes later, the sweat is pouring off me because I’m thinking they’re going to hear about their son on the radio before I can get to them. Then, finally, they call me back.”
Rupp told them to pull their car over and delivered the news of the rescue that’s been labeled the “Missouri Miracle.” He said the first time he saw Shawn was when he got out of the car at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.
“It was probably the most miraculous day I’ve had as a prosecutor.”
Devlin pleaded guilty and received 74 life sentences in three counties and 170 years on federal charges.
Project Sunlight Board Member Meg Reiner told Rupp his talk had served to motivate them to work harder to prevent child abuse of all kinds.
“What you have done is motivate us to run you out of the business of prosecuting these cases because there won’t be any cases any more,” she said.
“Go out and protect kids!” said Rupp. “You have gotta do it. Go to the next person and tell them to keep their eyes open. That’s how you’re going to end it. Talk about it. End the secrecy.”
Project Sunlight will meet again in March of 2009. Chairman Tim Porter said when the group began in 2003, the county ranked 105 out of 115 with the highest number of cases of child abuse and neglect. In 2007, they were ranked 70. He believes by sponsoring forums to talk about the problem and working in the community to prevent it, Project Sunlight is having an impact. To find out more, go to www.projectsunlight.org or call 573-431-3173 or 573-760-0212.
Donna Hickman is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact her at 431-2010, ext. 138 or at dhickman@dailyjournalonline.com.
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As mayor of Wasilla, from 96- 02 and 2 prior terms as counsel woman Sara Palin charged victims of rape for the forensic testing and collection of evidence, rape kit. The troopers and most muni agencies covered the cost. Not the city of Wasilla, They didn’t have to charge victims But under Sara’s watch the police dept charged for rape victims for rape kit and testing. Governor Tony Knowles an man put a stop to this in 2000. Sara appointed police Chief Charlie Fannon he disagreed with the law. “The law will require the city and communities to come up with more funds to cover the costs of the forensic exams.” Knowles signs sexual assault bill frontiersman 5/23/2000
http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2000/05/23/news.txt It is important to take note that the article says they charged victims insurance companies assuming they all had insurance, this left them with the co pays.