Weekly News Roundup

It's Friday, and I thought I'd start something new: I'm going to post ten news stories on child abuse or related issues (with links and attribution, of course), as a means of inspiring a little discussion. What does this mean for you? It means that you get to see ten stories you might not otherwise have seen, and that I would very much like it if you would click that little comment button below the post and leave a few words.

1. Iris Robinson, an Irish MP, has raised a storm by implying that homosexuality is worse than child abuse. It's a bit tangential, but I feel a need to lend my support to any effort to support people's freedom to be themselves. The article is a bit biased, as it comes from a gay newswire, but her offer to "cure" gay men by sending them to a Christian psychiatrist seems like institutional emotional abuse. (from Pink News)

2. Urbana, IL, school administrators are being charged with failure to report suspected abuse stemming from a second-grade teacher who had the girls in his class perform sexualized behaviors for his own pleasure. As a former student at the University of Illinois (I lived in Urbana from 1998-2000), I'm not terribly surprised. There were some lawsuits against the high school there a few years ago, as well, concerning a female student who was harassed by her male peers without any intervention. (from The News-Gazette)

3. The Department of Human Services in Philadelphia faces a class-action lawsuit stemming from claims that it does not adequately screen foster care providers. Following the death of a 14-year-old girl from starvation and neglect while in foster care, a lawsuit has been filed in the names of several children with substantiated histories of foster care abuse. (from The Bulletin)

4. New support service for vulnerable young

5. 8-Year-Old Testifies, Puts Kelly At Club

6. Attorney: abuse reporting law could have chilling effect

7. Cindy opens her heart

8. County ordered to give up files

9. Pallaras slips on Easling inquiry

10. Roberts nets journalism award for CPS series