Abuse Reports Increase In Wake Of Penn State Scandal

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The Penn State child sex abuse scandal and the arrest of Jerry Sandusky created a phenomenon – what abuse counselors call an explosion in the number of abuse cases reported.

Joan Mills, the manager at A Child's Place at Mercy Hospital, is seeing what she's never seen before.

"For the first time it's brought forward surviving adults of victimization and they have never reported it or they did report it and got no justice," she said.

The most recent high-profile case – allegations from three adult men accusing former Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine of abuse.

The men, including Zach Tomaselli who says he was molested at a Pittsburgh hotel by Fine, came forward following the Jerry Sandusky-Penn State scandal.

Tomaselli says the abuse took place here following a Pitt Syracuse basketball game in 2002.

Pittsburgh police will determine if there is a case. They are looking into it.

Meantime, the counselors handle their caseload the best they can.

"We are getting calls where they want their cases to be prosecuted and tell us a variety of reasons why they think maybe their cases weren't prosecuted," Mills said.

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