HOLLYWOOD, FLA. — Florida Senator Lauren Book — survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Founder/CEO of Lauren’s Kids, and the Florida Legislature’s preeminent fighter for child protection — has issued the following statement in response to breaking news revealing the FBI failed to properly handle reported cases of child sexual abuse, resulting in delays and further instances of abuse –
“As a survivor of child sexual abuse and someone who has dedicated my life to protecting children, I find it unconscionable that our nation’s leading law enforcement agency would neglect its duty to safeguard the most vulnerable among us.
The findings that the FBI did not report suspected child abuse to local law enforcement in over half of the cases reviewed, and that in some instances, it took over a year to take action, are a betrayal of the trust placed in the bureau. Each delay, each missed report, represents a child who was left in harm’s way—suffering unimaginable pain and trauma that could have been prevented.
The FBI disregarded reforms prompted by its own mishandling of the Larry Nassar case, which left USA olympic gymnasts quite literally in the hands of a known predator. Therefore, it is not enough to acknowledge mistakes or promise improvement. The FBI must be held accountable and take immediate, transparent actions to ensure that these failures never happen again.
Protecting our children is not just a responsibility; it is a moral imperative. We must all demand accountability from those entrusted with the safety of our children and communities – ensuring justice is served swiftly and effectively for every victim of abuse.”
Book’s advocacy has resulted in dozens of laws being changed to better protect children and keep predators at bay, including enacting the toughest abuse reporting law in the nation following the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky failure to report case. She has walked across the state of Florida nine times to raise awareness and advocate for change, and created an abuse prevention curriculum being used in 46 states across the country to educate millions of children and adults about personal safety each year. She recently launched a petition which has garnered thousands of signatures and gotten international attention, demanding the Olympics change its rules to prevent convicted child predators from being allowed to compete in the Olympic Games — following a Dutch volleyball player who raped a 12-year-old girl being allowed to compete at the Paris games as part of his country’s national team. Learn more at LaurensKids.org.
BACKGROUND from the Associated Press:
The FBI has failed to report all suspected child sexual abuse cases to appropriate law enforcement agencies despite changes prompted by its handling of the case against former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, according to a Justice Department watchdog report released Thursday…
In one case, the FBI did not take appropriate investigative action for more than a year after it received an allegation of abuse by a registered sex offender, according to the report. The person was accused of abusing at least one other person over 15 months while the FBI failed to appropriately act, the review found.
