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Incident after incident is teaching our state's young people there are some in positions of authority of whom they must be wary. That is frightening, given how often we adults try to drill into their heads they should trust us and do what we say.
There are reports of elementary school teachers arrested on charges of sexual abuse, accused of engaging "in inappropriate behavior and physical contact with a juvenile acquaintance under the age of 14 years old." (Police do say the incident that led to that arrest "did not involve the scope of his employment.")
There are reports on investigations by the Maryland Attorney General's Office detailing sex abuse allegations against more than 150 Catholic priests and others associated with the church.
And now we are told local attorney Teresa Toriseva plans to file a lawsuit on behalf of three females ranging in age from 14 to 17 who may have been filmed in the women's locker room at the West Virginia State Police Academy as part of the Junior Trooper Program. Toriseva's office notified State Police Interim Superintendent Col. Jack Chambers and West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey the lawsuit is coming.
"Our clients know they and other fellow female Junior Trooper program attendees accessed and used the female locker room at the West Virginia State Police Academy during the relevant time the anonymous letter indicates the camera or cameras were in use," Toriseva said. "The videotaping of women and minor females did not end until sometime in 2020. The Junior Trooper program was also discontinued in 2020.
"The deeper the investigation goes, the more shocking the conduct. All the women who came through the Academy during the time the camera or cameras were being operated hope they were not filmed. With the admitted destruction of evidence, the burden is now on the West Virginia State Police to prove these women were not filmed."
Appalling.
As the investigation continues, it is imperative that the West Virginia State Police and the Attorney General's office work to root out these individuals, fully cooperate in investigations and implement appropriate consequences. They must prove the safety of our children is more important to them than keeping quiet in the name of preserving their reputation.
It boggles the mind that some fail to understand they do far more damage to their reputations by appearing to protect these criminals. Worse, they compound the damage done to the victims. That is unforgivable, and it must stop. Now.