The Jerry Sandusky investigation and trial was a nightmare for a thousand different reasons, but for some of us, it gave new life to horrifying memories that’d been buried for years. For instance, when the allegations first came to light, this brutally honest column was one of the more powerful things to emerge in the aftermath.
After Sandusky, Dana Jacobson Shares Her Own Story Of Sexual Abuse
And now former ESPN anchor Dana Jacobson has come forward with her own story of sexual abuse, putting a very prominent face on a problem that too often leads to buried memories instead of justice and healing.
Her words, below:
Like the young men who bravely took the stand in the Sandusky trial, I was molested as a child. That’s still not easy for me to say, let alone write and share publicly, but if we’ve learned anything from the Sandusky scandal it’s that the time for silence is over. As I heard one Sandusky victim put it, it’s time to “find my voice.”
It was something I couldn’t do when I was molested. I didn’t speak out, no matter how many chances I may have had. I just couldn’t. Travis Weaver, one of the young men who testified in front of the grand jury in the Sandusky case but not at trial did an interview which aired on Rock Center last week. He said he was scared to say anything because he thought no one would believe him.
I know that feeling. That’s what these monsters count on, our silence. They have the power and they know it.
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There’s no discrimination when it comes to child sexual abuse. It isn’t a socioeconomic issue, a racial issue, or even one of gender. Think about it. Travis Weaver, who I mentioned earlier, was a young boy from a broken home, growing up without a lot of means. I was a young girl from a supportive and loving family growing up in an upper middle class neighborhood. We couldn’t be more different and yet we both suffered, in silence.
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I’ve learned that each time I tell my story, I let go of some of the shame and guilt I’ve carried with me for years. Those feelings so deeply buried at times they seem never ending.
So truth be told, my sharing right now is really just a part of that long road to recovery I mentioned earlier, the one Jerry Sandusky’s victims are just beginning. I’d like to thank them for helping me take this latest step, finding my voice. I hope by doing so, I can help others find theirs.
It’s a courageous message to share ... and a reminder of two things. First, as horrible as the Sandusky crimes seemed, the problem’s nowhere near as isolated as we’d like to hope.
And second, as haunting as those crimes were, the best defense is speaking out, letting others know that the suffering won’t be met with silence. So with that in mind, here’s to hoping that if anything good can come from such incredible nightmares, the honesty from Sandusky’s victims and people like Dana Jacobson can help others as they struggle to find healing. In the face of horror, their courage offers hope.
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