Putting The Penn State And Syracuse Investigations In Perspective

I have a favor to ask you today. It doesn't require you to put up any cash, or to contact your Congressperson. I just want you to take a few minutes to read a commentary. It takes a look at the current sexual abuse in athletics crisis from an unfortunately all too aware perspective.

Diana Nyad is probably the greatest endurance swimmer this nation has produced. Earlier this year, at the age of 61, she attempted a long-distance swim from Cuba to Florida. Though she was unsuccessful, she plans another attempt next year. She is a successful journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker.

And as a teenager, she was sexually molested by one of her swimming coaches.

Nyad has said that her anger over the abuse motivated her in her swimming feats. Nowadays, she believes that her drive to succeed comes from other places. But the memories, the pain, remains. Her most recent commentary in the Huffington Post addresses her experiences in light of the investigations at Penn State and Syracuse Universities. As you'll see, it's relevant whether or not you're a parent. Please take a moment and read this. I have a quick point or two to add. But I'll wait for you to finish.

 "One in four girls, one in six boys, in this country do not reach their 18th birthday without being sexually molested by someone they know".

Is there a sadder, more brutal statistic than that one? If we do the math, it's more than a little likely that someone you know, or possibly yourself, was sexually abused as a child. I don't have any solutions, or any words of consolation that could possibly ease that level of pain.

If the question should come up, I was one of the lucky ones, never a victim of sexual abuse. But I ache for those who were, for those who are.

(HuffingtonPost.com)