3/10/14: Today’s Round-up of Child Sex Abuse in the News
LOCAL
Saratoga, CA – Arraignment delayed again for California educator accused online of sex abuse
Juveniles who sexually assault unconscious victims could be tried as adults under proposed California legislation brought in response to the suicide of a 15-year-old girl who was sexually battered while passed out at a party then humiliated by photos circulated to classmates. Read more here:
Riverside, CA – Arraignment delayed again for California educator accused online of sex abuse
A California educator arrested after a former student accused her in a YouTube video of sexual abuse had her arraignment pushed back yet again Friday, meaning she won’t formally answer to the charges for another six weeks. Andrea Michelle Cardosa was charged in February with five counts of aggravated sexual assault on a child and 11 counts of lewd acts on a child, the Riverside County district attorney’s office said. Read more here:
Riverside, CA – Defense seeks to dismiss molestation charges against teacher
Defense attorneys are seeking to dismiss charges against a former Riverside and Perris teacher who was accused on YouTube of molesting a former student. Andrea Cardosa, 40, appeared in court briefly Friday as her attorney postponed her arraignment for a second time until April 18. He also said he would seek to lower her $5 million bail. Read more here:
Isla Vista, CA – VOX Rallies in Response to Recent Sexual Assaults
VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood will be holding a march called “Rally for Isla Vista Unity” today at 7:30 p.m. in front of the Student Resource Building to encourage unification efforts within the community in response to the recent sexual assaults in I.V. Read more here:
NATIONAL
Chicago, IL – An ‘open secret’: Catholic sexual abuse in black community
Files released by the Chicago Catholic Archdiocese show decades of systematic secrecy and protection of pedophile priests, however, for some victims of abuse, the nightmare continues and justice remains elusive. David Nolan is 46-years-old. His harrowing tales of abuse began at 13 years of age as Father Victor Stewart, now deceased, used his authority and power to have sex with dozens of young boys at will, and seemingly without any fear of being punished. Read more here:
Philadelphia, PA – Former coach gets jail for student sex abuse
A former Berks County high school coach admitted Thursday to having sex with a 16-year-old student. Benjamin Stopper, 32, was sentenced to 11 ½ to 23 months in prison, followed by 4 years of probation, after pleading guilty to institutional sexual assault and corruption of minors. Read more here:
Knoxville, TN – Football coach Rider charged
The Knoxville Police Department issued a press release indicating that head football coach Troy Rider has been charged with sexual abuse and has turned himself in to the authorities. Read more here:
Oswego, NY – Increasing sexual assault reports show growing awareness
According to the Clery Report, six cases of sexual assault were reported on the Oswego State campus in 2012. This is the highest number in several years, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes. According to One in Four USA, a nonprofit group dedicated to rape prevention, only 30 percent of rape survivors report the incident to the police. Read more here:
Boise, ID – Boise State Called Unfeeling to Sexual Assault
A Boise State University student-athlete was sexually assaulted and taunted by a male teammate, but the head track coach “refused to take any action and told her he ‘could not help,'” the woman claims in court. Read more here:
Charlottesville, VA – Former U-Va. student seeks to block new U.S. law on campuses’ handling of sexual assaults
A former University of Virginia student hopes to prevent a new federal law on campus sexual assault from taking effect Friday, claiming it would undermine the investigation into her allegations that a classmate raped her more than two years ago. A lawsuit in federal court in the District argues that the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act would allow colleges and universities to place a greater burden of proof on alleged victims, renewing the debate about which standard of evidence colleges must use in disciplinary proceedings in sexual assault cases. Read more here:
Charlottesville, VA – New Rules Press Colleges To Improve Sexual Assault Procedures
The Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act takes effect today. It holds institutions of higher education responsible for the prevention of sexual violence, not just responding to it after assaults occur. It also establishes standard procedures for disciplining those found guilty, and requires greater transparency on sexual violence policy and procedures, not just about rape but also domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.. Read more here:
St. Charles, MO – Lindenwood student reports attempted sex assault in library bathroom
Police and campus security at Lindenwood University are investigating a report of an attempted sexual assault in the school’s library. The incident, which was reported Friday morning, apparently happened late Tuesday night. According to an email sent out to students, a female student told authorities she was attacked in the downstairs bathroom in Butler Library between 10 p.m. and midnight Tuesday. Read more here:
Waco, TX – Sex offender charged with trying to hire hitman gets new lawyer
A convicted sex offender charged last month with trying to hire a hit man to kill a Waco judge will get a new attorney to represent him on appeal. Charles W. McDonald, the Waco attorney who filed the writ that overturned William Ray Phillips’ 2007 conviction and 99-year prison term for the sexual abuse of a relative, asked Friday to withdraw as Phillips’ lawyer in the appeal of his 10-year prison term for failure to register as a sex offender. Read more here:
York, SC – Clergy abuse support group demands answers after York pastor accused in sex assault
An international support group for survivors of abuse at the hands of the clergy is demanding that the denominational organization that employed a North Carolina pastor accused of sexually assaulting a girl at two York churches answer “why they allowed a convicted sexual predator to work.” Read more here:
Wakefield, MA – Sex offender, accused in 13 molestations, dies
A convicted sex offender from Wakefield who had been accused of molesting 13 infants and toddlers died Friday night from injuries he suffered during a suicide attempt earlier in the day at the Middlesex County Jail in Cambridge. John Burbine, who had been held without bail since 2012, died at Massachusetts General Hospital about 10 hours after he was found hanging by a sheet in his cell, according to his lawyer. Read more here:
Collinsville, MO – Former principal at Collinsville Christian Academy charged with sexual abuse
The former principal at Collinsville Christian Academy has been charged with twice trying to sexually abuse a former student. Both incidents allegedly happened on campus during business hours last year, before he was dismissed by the school board. Read more here:
Clarksville, TN – Local attorney charged in Robertson County sex abuse case
A Montgomery County attorney was indicted by the Robertson County grand jury and charged with committing sex crimes against two minors. Edward T. Farmer, 55, was arrested at the end of February along with his then girlfriend, Catrina McQuiston, 28, and charged with grooming, coercing and soliciting sex for money from the two minor victims between January 2010 and May 2010. Read more here:
INTERNATIONAL
Mumbai, India – AAP’s LS candidate in J&K accused of molesting woman
Aam Aadmi party’s Lok Sabha candidate from Jammu & Kashmir, Raja Muzaffar Bhat, faces charges of sexually assaulting a woman in 2010. According to the chargesheet, Bhat and five of his associates had beaten up the woman and ripped her clothes off outside her residence. Read more here:
Edinburgh, Scotland – Paedophile scout leader given longer sentence
The four men — three priests and an ex-priest — whose allegations of sexual misconduct against Scotland’s Cardinal Keith O’Brien forced the cardinal’s resignation a year ago, say local church authorities are stonewalling an investigation of O’Brien. They have made a direct appeal to Pope Francis to “sort this out.” Read more here:
Calgary, Alberta, Canada – Former Mountie faces charges in 8 ‘historic’ sexual assault cases
A former Mountie has been arrested on allegations of sexually assaulting eight youths when he coached minor hockey and baseball in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The RCMP in British Columbia said 58-year-old Alan John Davidson was arrested without incident in Calgary on Thursday. Read more here:
Calgary, Alberta, Canada – Calgary Seniors Home Staff Charged With Abusing Client
Three women who worked at a Calgary senior’s home have been charged with assaulting a man who was in their care. Police say the man’s family complained to police last month about concerns of physical abuse by staff at the Carewest Garrison Green facility. Read more here:
Calgary, Alberta, Canada – Alberta elder abuse probe promised following charges, allegations
Alberta’s health minister has ordered an investigation into the allegations of abuse against an elderly man at a long-term care facility. Calgary police charged three employees of Carewest Garrison Green facility with assault after the family of a man in his 90s came forward. The three have since been fired. Read more here:
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – Former Vancouver lifeguard gets two years of a house arrest for abusing teen boys in 1970s and ’80s
A former City of Vancouver lifeguard and swim coach who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing teenage boys during the 1970s and 1980s was sentenced to two years house arrest. Abraham (Abe) Kiewiet, 71, had pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault on a male by a male and one count of gross indecency. Read more here: