Quanitta Underwood

February 13, 2012

I read a tragic yet the inspiring story in yesterday’s sport section of the New York Times of Quanitta Undewood, a 27 year- old woman is, according to the article, America’s best hope for an Olympic boxing medal.

Last month she decided to tell the world her dramatic story. Since the age of 10 she had been sexually abused and raped along with her 12-year old sister by her own father.  The abuse and rape went on for three years. The sisters had not confided in each other but when they finally did they decided to reach out to their mother who had remarried many years prior and lived in another city. The mother immediately called the authorities who arrested the father. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to jail.

In the article she says:  “I can be an example. I am a survivor of child abuse, and I became strong and independent.”

According to Children’s Rights, a “national advocacy group working to reform failing child welfare systems on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of abused and neglected children who depend on them for protection and care,” there were 3.6 million reports of child maltreatment in the United States in 2009 involving more than six million children. (I am honored to serve on the board of that organization.)

Research performed by the US Government Accountability Office, in 2011, revealed that more than 5 children die every day of child abuse and 80% of them are under the age of 4. The estimated cost of child abuse in the U.S. is $124 billion a year.

G.R.A.C.E., an organization that fights the sex abuse of children in the Christian community says that studies have shown that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men have been sexually abused as children. (I am on the board of that organization as well.)

The obvious question is how is it possible that for three years no one, not even their step-mother, found out what was happening to the two girls? How can we, as responsible individuals, if we have any suspicion of child abuse have the courage to report it?

Certain professions such as healthcare providers and lawyers are mandated by law to report abuse, most of us are not.  Why are we so reluctant to report crimes against children?

Let me list some of the possible reasons, although none are justified.

• We may be uncertain about whether there is abuse. Safe Horizon, the largest victims service agency in the U.S. says that we trust your instinct reminds us that suspected abuse is enough of a reason to contact the authorities, that we not need proof.
• We may be reluctant to meddle in other people’s lives but saving a life should surpass these considerations.
• We may be reluctant to “get involved” because of the fear of disruption in our already busy lives. Yet we don’t really have a choice if want to be “our brother’s (and sister’s) keeper.”

Quanitta created a foundation called “Living out the Dream.” She describes her dream below:

“One day, I’m going to have the kind of parents who take care of me and keep me safe.  One day, I will be able to sleep through the night without fear that the door knob will turn and the pain will begin.  One day, I’m going to be the “Queen of the Ring” and nobody will ever hurt me again.  One day, I won’t be 12 years old and feeling helpless; one day I’ll be strong and unstoppable.”

We can make such dreams possible for thousands of abused children by simply speaking up.

Let’s remember what Karen Adams once said:

“Child abuse does not go away but 90% of child abuse is preventable.”

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