FREE ON BAIL: Middle River School Employee Charged With Sex Crimes
GREENBUSH, MN (trfnews.i234.me) A second Greenbush Middle River School employee has been charged with sex crimes within a month. John Dybedahl, the man who was is charge of buses at the school is facing 6 counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct. He is a free man after posting bail.
Released on Bail: Middle River School Employee Charged with Sexual Offenses
Reporting on sexual violence demands special care and increased ethical sensitivity. I understand it’s a difficult task, and appreciate the media’s commitment to doing so with integrity.
However, as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I ask that journalists anticipate the impact of publication, and take responsibility to do everything they can to avoid exposing anyone to further abuse or undermining their standing in the community. This includes re-checking whether you risk compromising a source’s anonymity, especially in a smaller community where specific details can lead to identification.
One of the worst things about abuse is having your power taken away. After the abuse is over, most survivors do whatever they can to try to protect their ownership of power. This includes when and who they disclose the details of the abuse. When someone else discloses the details of the abuse it can be as damaging as the abuse itself.
It can be significantly worse in a smaller community. Even though a survivor’s name may never be mentioned, the name of the abuser and the graphic details may give it away, and people are going to figure out it out. This can cause additional harm by bringing about public shame and victimization, and can function to disempower survivors from their own voices.
The graphic details don’t change the actual truth, but they can change the life of a survivor. They can also stop other survivors from coming forward. Graphic details can also trigger overwhelming memories, negative emotions and physical symptoms for survivors.
It’s great we have resources and professionals to help support survivors. And we should all do our part and be committed to prevention and keeping kids safe. To do this, we need to invest in education and community awareness. To support survivors we need to learn about the dynamics of abuse and follow compassionate and ethical media guidelines for reporting.
No matter how much information the public has or the local media reports, only the survivor will ever know the “whole story.” And it’s their story to tell.
If you have experienced sexual violence and need help, contact Violence Intervention Project crisis line 800.660.6667 or confidentially access advocacy services at VIP’s office in Thief River Falls on a 24/7 basis. Staci Reay, Survivor and Domestic/Sexual Violence Advocate, Violence Intervention Project
You are mispronouncing the last name. Long E in the middle and that is the high point of the name: Dib E dahl. Thanks for the story!