AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin-area community is still reacting to the news that Travis County Senior Deputy Kyle Sass was booked in jail and released on bond on an indecency with a child charge. Sass' arrest warrant and affidavit alleges that he groomed a child and sexually abused him over a number of years.
This month, one of the child's parents reported the abuse. The Travis County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) has since placed Sass on administrative leave. Employment data shows that Sass had been with the TCSO since 2006.
According to a statistic from the nonprofit Darkness to Light, about 90% of children who are victims of sexual abuse know their abuser. But when that trust is violated by an abuser who happens to be an authority figure, experts say it's that much more damaging.
"It's not just something [that] has happened that was very harmful to them, but the relationships in what we consider societal norms with the people we can trust and the people we can go to," said Amanda Van Hoozer, chief program officer for the Center for Child Protection.
Andy Miller, the executive director of the Austin Child Guidance Center, said many abusers are adept at grooming a child or manipulating them to stay quiet.
"I would always be wary if someone is wanting to get your child alone, is interacting with them outside of your knowledge, asking them to keep secrets ... giving them a lot of gifts that seem inappropriate," Miller said.
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Van Hoozer warned parents to look out for these signs.
"The No. 1 is that a child tells you something that doesn't seem to fit or doesn't make sense," Van Hoozer said. "Look for changes in behavior, and sometimes, that means a child who's very well behaved ... acting out, maybe hitting, maybe having bad dreams, maybe doing some different things."
If a child becomes a victim, Van Hoozer urges parents to seek a therapist who understands child sexual abuse and trauma to guide them through how to rebuild relationships and trust.
"You really have to go back and repair something that's very basic to our nature. We are not, as human beings, born as untrusting or suspicious, and so you're going to have to build that back," Van Hoozer said.
Van Hoozer also said it is important to let your child lead those hard conversations about abuse; some kids will want to do it immediately while others might take more time.
Here are a few resources: