Editorial: Set boundaries to combat abuse

In an effort to close a harrowing chapter from decades ago, Kamehameha Schools last week paid a total of $65 million to nearly three dozen men who sued the institution for sexual abuse by a psychiatric consultant.

The payment — part of an $80 million settlement of a 2016 lawsuit the men filed against Kamehameha, St. Francis Medical Center and the estate of Dr. Robert Browne, whom the plaintiffs accused of sexually abusing them from the late 1950s to the early 1980s when they were boys — represents progress. It signifies that if a victim of sexual abuse comes forward, some measure of justice is attainable.

It also underscores that to move forward in the aftermath of such abuse, victims and institutions tasked with safeguarding them must excavate the past and heed some heartbreaking lessons. The line defining appropriate boundaries between minors and adults is all too often a blurry one.

In all minor-adult interactions — whether in a school classroom, on an athletic field, a church, workplace or home setting — children and teens should be treated with dignity and respect. Their sense of self-worth and the trajectory of their future successes depend upon it. Adults are responsible for establishing and maintaining appropriate verbal, physical, emotional and social boundaries. Those boundaries should be painted as an unmistakable bright line.

The lawsuit accused Kamehameha Schools and the other defendants of negligence and other charges, saying they knew or should have known that Browne was sexually abusing the plaintiffs. The defendants denied the charges, and the settlement does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing on Kamehameha’s part.

However, in 2017 the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that sworn testimony from former Kamehameha officials, taken during depositions the prior year, included admissions that they did not report allegations from the 1990s to law enforcement. Moving forward, the behavior-guiding bright line should make clear that when confronted with allegations of sexual abuse, inaction is not an option.

In this case, predatory abuse occurred decades ago, but that doesn’t diminish the troubles still besetting victims. One told the Star-Advertiser that Browne abused him as a 13-year-old student in the 1970s. Subsequently, he struggled with depression, alcohol addiction, drug abuse and attempted suicide several times. Sadly, he’s still trying to let go of anger ignited by the abuse. And we all know that equally appalling narratives routinely turn up in news headlines here and elsewhere.

On Hawaii island, a recently released investigation found that two years ago a female supervisor at Hawaii Preparatory Academy boy’s dormitory was having sex with a 17-year-old male student and officials initially did nothing to stop her — even though they knew or should have known about the misconduct.

In this case, it’s apparent that the school refrained from taking swift action when the supervisor was suspected of breaking rules, such as allowing students to sleep in faculty housing, because she had a track record as a trusted employee. Essentially looking the other way was a mistake. Enforcing sensible rules that shield minors from potential abuse should always trump impulse to make an exception.

Rules informing minor-adult boundaries should stress transparency and interactions in appropriate settings. Further, in school settings, teachers and others should get training on how to help prevent child grooming from occurring.

There are warning signs, such as an adult lavishing attention on one student. And it’s important to understand that a student’s tolerance, or even encouragement, of a teacher’s behavior is not a reason or a reasonable explanation for a teacher to continue unacceptable behavior.

Also in the HPA case — and countless others in recent years — social media has figured into the blurring of boundaries.

Many adults interacting with minors as teachers, coaches and counselors, among other roles, view social media as an essential communication tool to relay everything from homework assignments to kudos for achievements. Adults in these roles should think twice about requests on social media from students to be a “friend” on their personal accounts as there needs to be a clear distinction between professional and private use of social media.

Inherent in minor-adult interactions is a power imbalance. Bright-line boundaries must be maintained to protect the minor, who may feel powerless or be vulnerable. As more cases of abuse surface, though, it’s encouraging that more victims are being believed.

Also heartening is the state Legislature’s move to this year extend a law so that a victim of child sexual abuse now has until April 2020 to file civil lawsuits in connection with decades-old abuse allegations.

The Kamehameha Schools’ $80 million settlement represents what is thought to be the largest personal injury settlement in Hawaii history. It should prod all schools and child-centered organizations to draft or update thoughtful protocols and reporting procedures pertaining to abuse.