Mayo joins new global effort to help victims of child sex abuse

    Drug companies, medical schools, and others in the health care industry are collaborating to treat the long-term problems caused by sexual abuse of children. Experts say more governments are passing laws to protect children but sexual abuse is growing, nonetheless. 20 percent of the world's girls and ten percent of boys are abused before they turn 18.
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    The Mayo Clinic is joining two dozen partners in the health care industry to tackle the long-term health problems caused by sexual abuse of children. The group includes several pharmaceutical companies, as well as universities and health care providers.

    The International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children is spearheading the effort and announced it in a news release. The Centre estimates that 20 percent of the world's girls and ten percent of boys are sexually abused before age 18. Most of those crimes are never reported.

    Here in Minnesota, the U of M is taking a closer look at its policies protecting children in light of this week's sentencing of longtime Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. U of M President Eric Kaler told regents Thursday that most of the protections recommended in a report on the Penn State case are already in place in Minnesota. Even so, a new committee will look at how the university can improve its protection of children.

    The Minnesota Department of Health has collected resources to help treat or prevent child sex abuse.

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