SYRACUSE -- Child sexual abuse will be the focus of a forum at Syracuse University.
It comes on the heels of allegations of child abuse by SU's former assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine who was later fired from his job.
The Syracuse University Senate Women's Concerns Committee, working in conjunction with Hendricks Chapel and the Advocacy Center at SU, will host the forum next week.
The event is intended to educate students, faculty and the public about child sexual abuse, explore services and prevention efforts on and off campus and talk about what can be done to prevent it.
Panelists will discuss the prevalence of child sexual abuse, the impact it has on victims, reasons victims may not report the abuse, what to do if it is reported and more. The panel will include an adult survivor of child sex abuse. "Syracuse University and the greater community are engaged in continuous learning. Together, we possess a rich array of resources that collaborate to raise awareness and offer support for those impacted by child sexual abuse. This forum is an illustration of our collective commitment to educate and extend care," said Thomas V. Wolfe, SU's senior vice president and Dean of Student Affairs.
The event comes just a few months after allegations of sexual abuse were levied against one of SU's most well known coaches. Bernie Fine is accused of molesting two SU ball boys when they were teenagers. Fine has not been charged with a crime.
"The awareness of the issue of sexual abuse has been heightened in our community over the past few months," said Janet Epstein, director of SU's Advocacy Center. "We hope this forum is the first of many opportunities for members of the Syracuse University and greater Syracuse community to come together to have conversations about sexual abuse, to learn more about how abuse affects individuals and communities, to understand how to prevent abuse and to support those members of our community who have been directly impacted by abuse. By bringing together numerous experts on sexual abuse, we can greatly increase our understanding of this issue and begin conversations with one another about what additional steps we can take toward creating a supportive, caring and respectful community of empowered bystanders."
The forum is scheduled for Tuesday, February 7 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Hendrick's Chapel. It is free and open to the public.
