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Home My WebLink About2016 04-20 Ramsey County agres to believe MAPLEWOOD REVIEW Volume 55, Number 16 A Lillie Suburban Newspaper Wednesday, April 20, 2016 MWR Ramsey Cagrees to believe Communities unite ing campaign," said Maplewood Mayor Nora Slawik. She expects the resolution against sexual will pass when it goes before the Maple- wood City Council. violence The national campaign, Start by Believing,bases its success on the preen- Aundrea Kinney ise that when responding to a report of Review staff sexual violence a nurturing framework r creates a better outcome for prosecu- 1 One in six women and one in 33 men tion and for the healing process of the y, are victims of sexual assault, and only survivor. a fraction of sexual assault cases are Last year Ramsey County Commis ` ever reported, according to John Choi sioner Jim McDonough, who repro- , ii.%' -, Ramsey County Attorney. sents the East Side of St. Paul, shared "Just in Ramsey County alone, two- with the public his experience of being � ir thirds of all the cases that are inves- sexually assaulted by his troop leader ,-, � tigated by police agencies never even when he was a 12-year-old Boy Scout. come to the county judge's office or At a launching event for the Ramsey prosecution to deal with,"Choi said. County: A Start by Believing Commu On April 12, the Ramsey County nity $ "�'* p y y ty initiative, he recounted his memo Board of Commissioners decided this ries of what took place in 1971 when he ,i under-reporting and under-prosecuting was 16 and no longer a Boy Scout. has gone on too long, and passed a reso- "That scoutmaster came knocking on lution to support the Ramsey County: my door, and I just was petrified, and ... A Start by Believing Community initia- he asked me to go for a ride and I did. •-<*:' tive. And-he shared with me that he had just It's the goal of this initiative for been arrested for sodomy with one of • everyone to believe victims and corn- the young Scouts,"McDonough said. - • prehensively investigate sexual assault McDonough said that his former „;a reports. The Board of Commissioners scoutmaster was facing possible prison ~.rw` also agreed that Ramsey County will time and was looking for sympathy. a work with its community partners to When McDonough didn't offer any, expand support for sexual violence sur- he was dropped off at home where he vivors through training, education and immediately isolated himself in his & , f J outreach. room. North. St. Paul and Maplewood city "I fully expected the police, the - 'may,w -,.. •, H Au eat ;nnev/Revs councils are expected to approve similar county attorney, the Boy Scouts, some- ' a i wa shing avant for the Ramsey County:A Start by Believing Community resolutions in the coming weeks. body to come knocking on my door and initiative Maplewood Police Chief Paul Schnell said,"As friends we can "I think it's really important to sup- believe and support these victims.As criminal justice system providers and port the ideas of the Start by Believ- see Violence on page 2 others we can believe and ensure that good solid investigation occurs!' Page 2 Wednesday,April 20,2016 Review Aundrea Kinney/Review , • barriers,with the system Ramsey County ,1',31r 'i' Violence response, they will not Commissioner my • • • continue on," said Rina � ` McDonough said that �� fi+,r McManus director of St. ,:V., ' F fir' s,t after allegations of sexual �� ,. continued from page 1 16-year-old, ... but I can Paul-Ramsey County pub assault surfaced against o .,: ,y.,7 - say with confidence in lic health. his former scoutmaster in �` say, `This just happened my heart that that first In response to the 1971, he expected authori- � "- 10`x'; atvy in your troop. You were interaction about what initiative, the Ramsey ties would talk with him .... ._ a member of that troop. happened, those first County attorney's office about the troop leader We want to talk to you words to me as a 16-year plans to begin reviewing sexually abusing him ' about that: I sat there all old, those first questions uncharged sexual assault when he was a 12-year-old r.3.5.1 ' day not knowing what I would have really made cases and investigating Boy Scout.No one ever would say,"he said. that decision happen system flaws that lead contacted him,but if they When the next day at that point in time," to cases not being pros- had,McDonough said it 'x" '` ; . came, McDonough still McDonough said. ecuted, would have helped begin ; ` didn't know what he was "I believe that we need the healing process. going to say to the inves- Breaking down barriers to look in a very systemic for law enforcement, but tigators, but as more time "Stopping violence way and review all of the police officers are.receiv passed, he realized that in our society and par- decisions that are made in ing additional training no one was coming to ticularly sexual violence every phase,"Choi said. in a trauma-informed interview him about the starts by reporting. If "As system providers technique that helps sexual abuse allegations people are afraid to come we will and can do better law enforcement gather against the scoutmaster. forward or they do come in our response to sexual information in ways "I can't say as a forward and they feel assault,"Schnell said. that calm and empower 60-year-old how I would like they have barriers Sexual assault response victims so the informa- have responded as a with their conversation, training is commonplace tion they provide is more coherent and accurate. who is trying to be empa- that first interaction and "We know that the thetic that actually ends respond compassionately majority of sexual assault up unintentionally silent- if someone shares their victims will seek help ing the victim. This is why experience. from a friend or family the Start by Believing cam- For more information member, leaving only five paign is so important. about the initiative or to 20 percent reporting McDonough said that it sexual assault resources directly to law enforce- is not only the responsi- please visit ramseycounty- ment," said Maplewood bility of law enforcement believesyou.us. Police Chief Paul Schnell. and the county attorney, A c c o r d i n g t o but also the responsibil- Aundrea Kinneg can be McDonough, often it is ity of everyone to be pre- reached at 651-748-7822 or the response of a loved one pared on how to make akinnejj@lillienews.com.