The Trial of Oprah's Staff in South Africa

The trial of the former matron of Oprah's flagship school for girls in South Africa and other staff members pleaded innocent to the charges of sexually assaulting some of the students at the school according to USA Today article by Celean Jacobson of Associated Press.

It's a wake up call for African sisters to take notice of woman on woman abuse. Not so long ago, many Black women saw lesbianism and sexual abuse of children by women as a white people phenomenon but this revelation at Oprah's school has left many with their mouths open "what is wrong with her?" "How could a woman do that to little girls?"

How Oprah could have been so wrong? I am sure she conducted rigorous screening for just the right person but this woman, who is alleged of doing all those horrible things to girls, was too slick for even the mighty Oprah. Or perhaps Oprah like the rest of women with our heads in the sand sees women as benign beings.

It is always sad when young children suffer the kind of trauma that happened at Oprah's school. The girls who were chosen to attend the school probably had many strikes against them already - impoverished, exploited, orphaned and now another burden to add to their little lives. I believe that sexual trauma can sometimes be more life altering than physical punishment. My cousin Orson, who was a risk-taking child who used to deliberately disobey his parents and prepare himself for the "lickin'" he would get. He used to say "it burns and stop." There is an end to physical pain, that is, when it stops hurting but sexual pain is there all the time until intervention by psychologist or counselor. In most cases it is a life time burden to carry.

When something like this could happen at an international school whose benefactor is one of the most powerful and well known women in the world, it's only a stretch of the imagination to imagine what must be going on in schools, churches and other public institutions where poor girls and boys attend and where the scrutiny is not that intense.

In the past we looked at men as the perpetrators of sexual misconduct and rarely considered women in such roles but the time has come for us to raise awareness of sexual predators of every gender because I am sure they are represented in every combination of sex and gender out there because there is an increase in sexual exploitation of young girls and boys in the world and we must protect them from women, men and other children who might want to exploit them.

Oprah Winfrey is naturally embarrassed, heart broken and guilt ridden for not being able to protect the girls because she herself as she has shared many times on her popular talk show, how she has experienced sexual assault from members of her own family. This must be devastating for her.

Maybe it is time that the world opens its eyes to sexual orientation and accept people to be who they are. Frustrations at not being able to publicly express one's sexuality without repercussion may push people in the direction that society does not want which is to exploit the most vulnerable among us, our children under the cloak of secrecy.