Predators often ‘groom’ children and parents before assault

Mounting evidence to the contrary, Jerry Sandusky insists he's no pedophile.

But damning grand jury transcripts and his eerie interview with NBC's Bob Costas, which aired Monday night, leave little doubt why Sandusky finds himself charged with eight counts of child sexual assault.

While Sandusky professed his innocence to Costas, the former Penn State assistant football coach admitted, "I could say that I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids. I showered after workouts. I have hugged them, and I have touched their legs without sexual contact. … I shouldn't have showered with those kids."

Now other alleged victims are coming forward, The New York Times reports.

The Sandusky-Penn State scandal has entered the national conversation and shocked the sports world, but the published details are actually pretty common in pedophile cases. It's the kind of behavior James Sweetin, Dr. Neha Mehta and Dan McGrath deal with every day.

Sweetin is the Chief Deputy in charge of the District Attorney's Special Victims Unit, which prosecutes sexual assault and physical abuse crimes against children. Mehta is a child abuse pediatrician with Sunrise Children's Hospital and the Southern Nevada Children's Assessment Center. McGrath is a lieutenant assigned to Metro's Sexual Assault Section.

Listen as they describe the general methods of the pedophile, and you'll better understand why the case against Sandusky is so strong. You'll also see how a pedophile's behavior follows a predictable pattern.

Child molesters defy the stereotype of the oily character hanging around the schoolyard gate. McGrath notes that sexual assault by a stranger is actually rare. Most pedophiles are more likely to be found in places where they can groom young children, engender parental trust and gradually work to separate vulnerable kids from their caregivers. Pedophiles tend to hide among the dedicated and well-meaning who volunteer as Scout masters, ministers and coaches.

"From my experience, it's more of family or acquaintances," McGrath says. "A lot of the child sexual abuse cases are generally adults who have access."

The grand jury transcript alleges that Sandusky used his status as Penn State's defensive coordinator, his youth football camps and his Second Mile charity for at-risk youth to cultivate his victims.

Pedophiles groom not only the children, but also work to persuade parents of their devotion and responsibility, Mehta says.

Adds Sweetin: "We have victims who come in all shapes and sizes, obviously, but one of the most significant commonalities between them is a person of trust in their life who acts out against them. These things usually start off with the victim looking up to the perpetrator. … Through what we call the 'grooming process,' it's so clear in so many of these cases, the perpetrator blurs the line between good and bad touching. They are able to commit many various sexual acts upon them without the child telling anyone or in many cases putting up a fight because they're eased into it so lightly."

Mehta reminds us that any child can be molested but says children without strong parental figures are often more vulnerable to the psychological ploys and physical advances.

Although pedophiles generate many victims, it's common for those children not to know others exist. That makes it more challenging for the child victim to come forward.

"Many children don't realize that there could be other, multiple, children being molested," Mehta says. "They don't make the connection that this person has worked very hard to create that illusion for the child. The child is left to think, 'Maybe it's something about me.' "

Then there's the question asked by some misguided Penn State fans and Sandusky's own attorney: Why did the victims wait so long to report the crimes?

Many reasons, Sweetin says. Some remain silent out of embarrassment. Others take many years to process the betrayal of the adult-child relationship. Others feel a sense of responsibility and guilt.

"Many don't want anyone else to know what's happened to them," Sweetin says. "They think, 'What's going to happen to you when your parents find out.' They think with a kid's mind."

Sweetin often meets sexual abuse victims who come forward after years of silence, and says he thinks it adds to their credibility: "Many times these victims go on to accomplish things in life. They go to high school, graduate from high school, but they eventually are so bothered by what happened that they decide to make a report to the police. That's not an unusual thing."

For defense attorneys faced with multiple victims and a client with a history of suspected abuse, attacking the timing of the report is a common tactic.

As the evidence mounts against Sandusky, it may be the only defense the former defensive coordinator has.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Email him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 702-383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.