By Brad Brickel
Thursday, November 17, 2011

Like so many of you, I have been captured by the events taking place at Penn State with the Child Sexual abuse scandal. I have wondered about the University's involvement and did Joe Paterno do enough. How does this affect the team and the students? (Yes, I am a Penn State Grad.)

Then the reality of the situation hit me. While the media frenzy is about the coaching staff and faculty and whether there is guilt by inaction, the real tragedy is still playing itself out behind the curtain. The real story here is about the young boys who were abused by an adult they admired and trusted.

The sad fact is that although this is a high profile case, this happens daily across America. Child sexual abuse is an epidemic. Statistically, 1 out of every 3 girls will be sexually molested before the age of eighteen and 1 out of every 7 boys. In 95% of these cases, the abuse comes from someone the child knows and trusts.

As we all question the actions or inactions by the people involved at Penn State, I ask if you are armed with knowledge of what to look for and how to respond if you are in a similar situation. I ask that we do not let this epidemic be hidden any longer. Please take the time to educate yourself, your family and friends. Knowledge is power. Please empower yourself to stop these bullies and predators from abusing our children.

The RAACE Foundation is a non-profit organization created to stop child sexual abuse by educating adults on the dangers, as well as how to protect your children and places you can go for help if abuse is suspected. www.raace.org
 
Scott Palermo

Forest Hill, MD – The RAACE Foundation welcomes Scott Palermo to the organization. Scott has been a professional sales leader in the wireless communications industry for over twenty years and had spent seventeen years working with hundreds of businesses throughout the York, Lancaster and Harrisburg areas.

Scott earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University where he majored in Business Administration with a minor in French.
 
In addition to his professional career, Scott is a third degree black belt in American Kenpo Karate and has been an instructor at Ronemus Studios in York for ten years. He teaches pre-school all the way through adults.

Scotts work with The RAACE Foundation is centered on his love of public speaking. As Outreach Director, Scott utilizes community and corporate partners to help achieve The RAACE Foundations mission and vision. Scott oversees each aspect of their involvement in an effort to increase the visibility and the number of active participants, as it pertains to The Time to Talk Guide To Protecting Your Child From Sexual Abuse and other outreach and educational programs.

According to Founder Kenneth Smith: “Scott is a true advocate for protecting children from the realities of child sexual abuse, he has the ability to motivate everyone to learn more so we can prevent this from happening to our families. Scott knows that it is Time to Talk with The RAACE Foundation. He cares enough to keep it from happening like we all do; and understands how our Time to Talk Guide can help you address it.”

Scott first found The RAACE Foundation while conducting business with Founder Kenneth Smith, then participating in the RALLY for RAACE Motorcycle Ride and later volunteering as part of the “Time to Talk” Awareness Station. Scott has taught child safety seminars for the general public through the Kenpo Studio and for YHSA.  He is the co-chairman of the annual St. Jude Children’s Hospital fundraiser through the martial arts program.

Scott and his wife Angela are home school parents and are active members of YHSA. They have two sons, Steven and Brian. The RAACE Foundation would like to thank Scott and his family for dedicating themselves to The Race Against Abuse of Children Everywhere, this is a race we can and must win!