Rhoni Reuter – How Do We Protect the Innocent?

Rhoni Reuter

By Tara Overzat

Last night’s Dateline focused on the October 2007 murder of Rhoni Reuter, longtime girlfriend of ‘85 Chicago Bears star Shaun Gayle. Often these Datelines are predictable and all fingers point to the significant other. Reuter, however, who was several months pregnant was instead killed by one of Shaun’s many other girlfriends, a real-estate agent and wannabe model, Marni Yang.

What is disturbing though Read more »

Child Sexual Abuse is Underreported

By Tara Overzat

Numerous scholarly articles have stated that not only is child abuse underreported (here and globally) but so is child sexual abuse.

My own sexual abuse is difficult to talk about. But I can say that looking back, I am incensed at the pediatrician in the town I was raised in for the first several years of my life who didn’t take any legal action when he treated me for the aftermath. Read more »

Punishment for Child Abusers

By Tara Overzat

Child abuse is a crime with long-lasting consequences. Much like the butterfly that flaps its wings today only to cause a typhoon a thousand miles away, abuse follows a survivor for decades, impacting every day of their lives. Some of the long-term effects of child abuse include: depression, anxiety, chronic physical pain, obesity, substance abuse, and sometimes the proclivity to abuse children. Read more »