Sen. Bob Casey Calls On Congress To Pass 'Speak Up' Child Abuse Bill

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- When a priest or lay leader -- or a teacher or a coach -- hears of child abuse by another, is it sufficient just to tell another up the chain of command?

No, says U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, who for eight years has been trying to get Congress to pass his "Speak Up to Protect Every Abused Kid Act" or the "Speak Up Act."

"It would no longer be permissible to say, quote, I told my boss, I told my head coach, I told my bishop. That's not enough," said Casey at a press conference in Philadelphia.

Casey's bill would increase the number of people required to report child abuse and strengthen standards on the reporting of child abuse, making certain that knowledge of the abuse got to state officials, not hidden within an organization's hierarchy.

"The bill requires that these mandated reporters make the report directly to the appropriate state authorities, such as child protective services or law enforcement itself," Casey said.

Casey said the Pennsylvania grand jury report should spur Congress to act.

"The grand jury report was a chronicle of pure evil, pure evil. There is no other way to say it. It was a catalog of crimes committed by adults who preyed on the powerless," he said.

And compounding the evil in the church, said Casey, was the cover-up.

"There were not just years but literally decades of cover-up by powerful people," he said.

And the senator, himself a Catholic, says the anger at this must be turned to good.

"We should all be angry. You don't have to be a Catholic, and you don't even have to be an American, just as a human being, we should be angry," Casey said. "And that anger and that outrage has to motivate and drive our actions to prevent this from ever happening again."

Now it's important to note that Casey's bill is a federal one to cover all states.

Pennsylvania already has laws in place that require clergy, teachers and school employees, medical personnel, and almost anyone who has contact with children to report suspected child abuse to what's called ChildLine.

Reports can be made either electronically or by telephone.

The failure to report could subject these so-called mandated reporters to a misdemeanor or felony charge.

Even if you aren't someone required to report, if you have good reasons to suspect child abuse, call ChildLine.

To report suspected child abuse, visit compass.state.pa.us/cwis or call 1-800-932-0313.