New Study Shows Media Under report Child Sexual Abuse, Miss Key Aspects of Issue

BERKELEY, CA — Tens of thousands of children are sexually abused each year in the United States, yet news coverage of the subject is out of sync with both the magnitude of the issue and the context in which it occurs. This finding comes from a study released this month from Berkeley Media Studies Group, a project of the Public Health Institute. The report, Case by Case: News coverage of child sexual abuse, examined national news stories on child sexual abuse published between 2007 and 2009. Fewer than one story a week focused on the topic and even fewer covered the issue in detail.

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http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-study-shows-media-underreport-child-sexual-abuse-miss-key-aspects-of-issue-122539198.html

Missing Boy’s Uncle Says Mother Had Ohio Ties

CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH–Amy Fry-Pitzen, 43, committed suicide at a Rockford, Illinois, hotel on May 15th. She left a note saying that her son was with people who love him.Dave and Jen West are back home after more than a week in Illinois helping search for their missing six-year-old nephew, Timmothy Pitzen, and bury the boy’s mother.

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http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-news-missing-boy-update,0,4240424.story?track=rss

Since the police are hiding the truth about sexual crimes against children, someone has to come out and reveal the true story

When the nation’s top cop orders the 2010 Crime Statistics booklet be placed under the banner of Official Secrets Act, berefting the people details on the state of crime affecting women and children, what should the people make of it? The statistics are available in a booklet prepared by Bukit Aman’s Sexual Crimes Child Abuse Division. Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), a non-governmental organisation, had three months ago requested for the information. The police responded saying they were unable to provide the details as the figures were classified as confidential documents.

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http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/05/23/sex-abuse-the-truth-is-out-there/

Castle Rock mom held without bond in kids’ slayings

CASTLE ROCK, CO — The Castle Rock mother accused of killing her two young children in a murder-suicide attempt went before a judge in Douglas County Tuesday morning where she was ordered to be held without bond. Kelli Murphy, 41, faces charges of first-degree murder and child abuse. Her wrists were covered in bandages as she made her first court appearance.

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http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-castle-rock-mom-to-face-murder-charges-in-childrens-deaths-20110523,0,2994681.story

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A man accused of shooting and killing a Louisville hip-hop dance creator is the father of a toddler who was found dead in a parked car over the weekend.Police said Kenneth Brown shot LaShawn “Sugar Shizz” Talbert in August 2010 during a drug deal in Okolona. Talbert was credited with starting a dance that became popular through the Internet.

ORLANDO, Florida — Two-year-old Caylee Anthony was not murdered by her mother as prosecutors maintain, but drowned in the family’s pool in June 2008, Casey Anthony’s defense attorney told jurors during his opening statements Tuesday. Authorities were not alerted to Caylee’s death, Jose Baez said, as Anthony and her father, George Anthony, panicked upon finding the child, and George Anthony told his daughter her mother would never forgive her and she would go to jail for child neglect, Baez said.

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http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-casey-anthony-jury-selection,0,6040168.story

UPDATE ON STORY: http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-san-diego-pool-bodies,0,4351015.story

The victims appear to be a family, including a child.

SAN DIEGO– Family members have identified a family of four found dead at their San Diego home Tuesday.
Firefighters, paramedics and police were sent to 162 Parkcreek Court, a home at the end of a cul de sac at about 6:40 a.m., San Diego police said. “The four victims were an adult male and three females. One appears to be a juvenile,” Lt. Ernie Herbst said.

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http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-san-diego-pool-bodies,0,4351015.story

SOUTH LOS ANGELES  — Police are searching for the gunmen who shot and killed a 2-year-old boy and critically wounded the child’s uncle in South Los Angeles Monday night. Authorities received the call around 8:45 p.m. from a residence near the 1200 block of East 55th Street and Hooper Avenue.

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http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-toddler-shot-killed-uncle-hospitalized-south-la,0,2465458.story

Police searching for 8th suspect in brutal child gang rape

Louisiana State Police are hunting for Point Coupee resident Lawrence Ricks Jr., a man they say took part in the group rape of three little girls. Cops have already arrested seven suspects for the alleged crimes. “Three young girls under the age of nine were forced to have sexual intercourse with eight adults at a residence in the Church Point area,” Trooper Stephen Hammons said in a news release.  Ricks is pictured above.

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http://www.wwl.com/Troopers-searching-for-8th-suspect-in-brutal-child/9895610

I’ve had a gutsful!  A few weeks back we had three child abuse cases that hit the headlines in as many days. Babies bashed, shaken, hurt and all at the hands of those who should be caring for them. To me they all sounded the same, just another beaten baby. I found myself looking for a point of difference in the cases so they may make the 6 o’clock news. Only one did. The story of baby Serenity, a six month old Ngaruawahia baby who died from traumatic brain injury.

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http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/donna-marie-lever-don-t-second-tolerate-abuse-4185112

While causes of child abuse are hard to determine, many professionals who work with abused children say recent increases in child abuse are probably a result of the poor economy. Stress can increase the chance of domestic abuse of all kinds. And financial stress can push parents to the breaking point. The loss of a job, a home or other financial difficulties common to the now years-long recession makes the tough job of parenting even harder.

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http://www.idahopress.com/news/article_0e9d215e-8504-11e0-beaa-001cc4c03286.html

HOW FAR AWAY FROM A PARK, SCHOOL, ETC. MUST A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER LIVE?

As of August 2006, at least 21 states and over 400 local governments had adopted sex offender residency restriction laws and ordinances, respectively, according to the California Research Bureau in an August 2006 report entitled The Impact of Residency Restrictions on Sex Offenders and Correctional Management Practices: A Literature Review. These laws are modeled after nuisance codes, creating sex offender-free zones like drug-free zones. They typically prohibit sex offenders from living, and sometimes working or loitering, within a specified distance of designated places where children congregate.

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http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/rpt/2007-R-0380.htm