Sandusky Accusers Get Foundation's Help

    PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA, January 14, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Victims of the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky alleged sexual abuse scandal have been offered subsidized therapy assistance from the Let Go...Let Peace Come In Foundation. The foundation is supporting both young men from the grand jury indictment, as well as others who have come forward, with its pioneering efforts to help adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Let Go...Let Peace Come In helps and supports adult victims of childhood sexual abuse throughout the world. The foundation is committed to supporting the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and its research toward preventing child sexual abuse and improving treatment for survivors of abuse.

The organization was founded by Peter S. Pelullo, a former executive in the music industry and author of the new book "Betrayal and the Beast", which focuses on Mr. Pelullo's journey as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and sexual predation.

A frequent guest expert on the Dr. Drew show, Mr. Pelullo says when he first heard about the Penn State sex abuse scandal he was reminded of his own nightmarish experiences and felt more compelled than ever to make a difference through his philanthropic efforts. He believes trauma therapy is an important step in the healing process.

On the subject of victims of sexual abuse, Mr. Pelullo says: "Following my painful journey of recovery from sexual abuse, I decided to create the Let Go...Let Peace Come In Foundation. Everyone needs to know sexual abuse is a worldwide pandemic, and I want to reach out and bring to many other men and women the recovery process I experienced."

In his book Mr. Pelullo shares his own childhood sexual abuse story. While he was an executive in the music industry working with the Rolling Stones, Foreigner, Stevie Wonder, and other major artists, he kept hidden and refused to face his own debilitating issues as a survivor of sexual predation--the shame, rage, multiple addictions, depression, and other influences that directly impacted his life. Finally, at the age of fifty-five, Mr. Pelullo confronted the sexual abuse he endured as a child.

With one in three girls and one in four boys being sexually violated before the age of eighteen, it's estimated there are tens of millions of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse in the United States today and hundreds of millions more worldwide. Many experts believe these numbers can be higher since not every case is reported. Many victims stay silent and hide their own sexual abuse because they are afraid or ashamed.

"The astounding statistics show childhood sexual abuse is a bigger problem than many people realize," says Mr. Pelullo. "The Penn State/Jerry Sandusky scandal sheds light on a pandemic that has been in existence for centuries. Too many people and institutions don't take allegations of sexual abuse seriously enough. It's not only a criminal act but also extremely devastating to entire family systems. It is important that survivors and their families receive the help they so desperately deserve. As a society we need to remove the stigma surrounding adult survivors' talking about childhood sexual abuse and receiving the mental health care they need to recover."

Childhood sexual abuse can result in major, long-term psychological harm and can affect a person's whole life. Here are some of the common effects:

* Depression
* Personality disorders
* Eating disorders
* Problems with interpersonal relationships
* Inability to trust
* Drug or alcohol addiction
* Suicide
* Sexual compulsive disorder

"We don't talk about sexual crime as openly as we should, and it's time we do," says Mr. Pelullo. "I hope the Let Go... Let Peace Come In Foundation, in light of the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky scandal, will bring more awareness to the public and will help to save many children's lives in the future by helping adults today."

Peter S. Pelullo was the founder of Philly World Records and owner of a premiere recording studio in the '70s, where he worked with the Rolling Stones, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Cashmere, and Eugene Wild. He is now an entrepreneur and financier focusing on technology startups. Following his journey in recovery, he created the Let Go...Let Peace Come In Foundation, which supports adult victims of childhood sexual abuse throughout the world.

For more information contact Gretchen Paules at [email protected] or visit www.betrayalandthebeast.com.

"Betrayal and the Beast" is available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

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