70 | AUGUST 31 • 2023
PROTECTING YOUNG ATHLETES continued from page 68
them feel uncomfortable should
not be kept secret from their
parents or legal guardians,” and
parents should encourage open
communication, without shame
or judgment, especially if the
young person has experienced
something of concern.
“Starting at a young age, talk
about correct boundaries but
don’t overdo it. Boys and girls
need to know that no one has
a right to touch them. Also,
that no adult can
ask them to keep
a secret,” said Paul
C. Jacobs, Ph.D., a
licensed psychol-
ogist in Bingham
Farms.
Warning signs
of sexual abuse
or other harmful experiences
include reluctance to participate
in activities children previously
enjoyed, nightmares or anxiety
of any type.
“If you notice any abrupt
change in behavior, try to
gently explore it,” he said, sug-
gesting parents ask questions
to learn whether their child
is simply bored or worried or
afraid of someone or some-
thing. “Do not ever pressure
them for participation; reas-
sure them it’s okay if they are
reluctant to engage and if they
do not want to talk, do not put
pressure on them.”
Jacobs added that parents
can ask if they would like to
talk to someone else such as
a therapist or another trusted
adult.
“The more parents are open
to discussing things with their
children, the more likely kids
are to go to their parents if
something is wrong,” said Lee
Weinstein, M.D.,
a pediatrician
at Child Health
Associates in Troy
and Novi. He
encourages parents
to talk to their chil-
dren about difficult
subjects such as sex, drugs and
internet safety.
While there are no hard and
fast rules, Weinstein says par-
ents typically do not stay in the
exam room once an adolescent
reaches puberty. “If kids want
their parents in the room, they
can stay; it’s a judgment call,”
he said. “Puberty brings a lot
of psychological and physical
changes, so it can be good for
kids to take responsibility and
talk without their parents pres-
ent. It also gives me an oppor-
tunity to ask how things are
going socially and at home.”
In addition, Weinstein’s prac-
tice gives teens pre-appoint-
ment screening evaluations
for depression, anxiety and
other mental health issues. If
there are concerns, physicians
will talk to the patients and
determine whether a referral to
another professional or other
type of follow-up is needed.
Weinstein, whose patients
are primarily male, says a nurse
is not usually present during
routine appointments unless a
patient requests it or there are
specific issues requiring more
detailed examination. He also
provides an opportunity to talk
privately with a patient whose
parent remains in the room
during an exam.
Finally, Cohen stresses that
parents should report suspi-
cious behavior directly, not
rely on another organization
to follow up. While teachers,
counselors, coaches and others
are obligated by law to report
suspected child abuse, includ-
ing sexual abuse, to police, this
is not always done correctly
or in a timely manner. She
adds that a failure by caregiv-
ers to respond appropriately
to young victims can lead to
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD).
If sexual abuse has occurred
or is suspected, parents should
call the police department
where the incident occurred,
says Sarah Greene, Acting Chief
of the Special Victims Unit
(SVU) of the Oakland County
Prosecutor’s Office. If the exact
location is unclear, call the
police department serving the
municipality where you live.
While many people are
reluctant to report suspected
abuse without definitive proof,
evidence is not required to start
the process. “
A victim’s account
of what happened is enough
to initiate an investigation and
pursue criminal charges,” said
Greene.
After an assault is reported,
police will begin an investiga-
tion, which typically includes a
session with forensically trained
child interviewers at an accred-
ited child advocacy center such
as Care House in Oakland
County. Police will then send
the information to the prose-
cutor’s office to determine the
next course of action.
“For a variety of reasons, sex-
ual assault is an underreported
crime. Victims are embar-
rassed, ashamed or reluctant to
get the person in trouble,” says
West Bloomfield Police Chief
Michael Patton, adding that
some are unsure whether they
were actually abused.
“It’s an unknown and scary
thing when you think some-
thing could have happened to
your child, or to
you,” said Greene.
“We’ve started
wrapping our brains
around the concept
of delayed disclo-
sures, and the more
our community
understands, this
goes a long way toward encour-
aging reporting.”
Patton added: “It’s a very
difficult experience, but we do
what we can to make it easier. It
may be better to report a crime
as soon as possible, but justice
can be served long after the
fact.”
Tips for Parents
1. Explain to children what
kind of touching by an adult
is okay and what is not okay.
Communicate that they do
not have to allow someone
to hug them. Encourage
them to tell parents if a doc-
tor or another adult is doing
something that makes them
uncomfortable.
2. For children and teenag-
ers, request that a parent/
guardian or nurse be present
during a medical exam. When
teenagers have gynecologic
exams, a local gynecologist
requires that the patient’s
mother is present for the first
examination and then a nurse
is in the room for subsequent
exams. College athletes can
ask that an athletic trainer or
coach be present during a
medical examination.
3. If college athletes are
uncomfortable with a physi-
cian or other health provid-
er’s behavior during an exam,
universities provide a process
for filing a report/complaint
under Title IX, a federal law
that prohibits discrimination
and sexual abuse at educa-
tional facilities that received
federal funding. (Public uni-
versities are an example of
such institutions).
4. If a child or teen says
they have been sexually
abused, report it immediate-
ly to local law enforcement.
Dr. Paul C.
Jacobs
Dr. Lee
Weinstein
Michael
Patton