Dottie Sandusky, the wife of disgraced Penn State Assistant Football Coach Jerry Sandusky, is finally telling her side of the story as she testified yesterday in her husband's trial. For months, we have all speculated about what she knew and now we know. She claims to have not seen any evidence of abuse. True or not, my heart breaks for her.
The fact is, Jerry Sandusky stands accused of doing some of the most horrific things to young boys that some of us can even imagine. But his wife is not accused of anything. She was with this man for 45 years, raised six children with him, and supported his career. And whether it's because she is in massive denial or whether it's because she is telling the truth, I do believe she believes what she says.
His face on my television and computer makes me want to throw up, but poor Dottie Sandusky has to feel that times infinity as she was married to him.
Denial can be very powerful for some. There are those who use it in mild ways -- they pretend their marriages are good when they are really awful, they tell themselves they are happy when their lives are a mess, and they claim to love their jobs when you know they don't. But Dottie Sandusky takes that to a whole different level.
Could she have known and stayed with him? My gut says no. I am not basing it on anything scientific but I have to believe that any normal, functioning human being would leave a man she knew was committing these acts.
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My guess is she used a powerful psychological tool to push all those feelings way, way down. One of Sandusky's accusers said she walked in while Sandusky was forcing him to perform oral sex.
Dottie's side of the story was that the two were arguing about tickets to a dinner they had paid $50 for (the child did not want to attend) and she heard Sandusky say: "We did this for you, and you've got to do this for us." Was her mind playing tricks? Did she force herself not to listen to the true meaning behind that line because it was too awful?
We may never know the truth of what she knew, but I say the mind of a powerful thing and if someone does not want to know something, it can protect us. Dottie Sandusky may be messed up, she may have enabled him in her own awful way, but I don't think she knew on a conscious level and the poor woman's world has crumbled. My heart does go out to her. She is a victim, too.
Do you think his wife knew what was happening?
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Comments 104
she knew, but what do you want her to say "yeah, I knew all along I was married to a sicko pervert" cause I dont think anyone on trial would say that. Im so sick of people feeling sorry for people who are involved with molesting little kids, especially Michael Jackson, anyone who thinks hes innocent needs their head examed, I hope they all rot in hell, especially Dottie, she had kids but she never did anything to stop him from doing these things to these poor kids, how would she have felt if her kids were the victims
I'm disgusted by any sympathy for this woman. She had an obligation to protect those children from in the very least was an obvious inappropriate obsession with these young boys. She failed and as a result, countless lives were forever changed. She's just as guilty as are the other witnesses in my opinion.
I think she didn't want to know the truth. To know the truth you are asking her to believe that the husband that she love ,and the man she knows and trust is a monster. So even if she suspected something, she likely push the thought out of her mind. They also have kids together, so I sure she figure if he was like that, that her kids would have said something to her. So she likely put her head in the sand, and chose to ignore the warning signs. If she had confronted him, and it wasn't true, her relationship with her husband would be forever change. If she confronted him and it was true, than she would have to examine her roles as a mother, and question rather or not his own kids was molested, along with the children he had already molested.
We also must consider that she is a elderly women, from a different era. A Era where you didn't question certain things,or think evil thoughts about someone who you believe is great. Jerry 's charity work hide his true nature, so people who might have suspect thing, didn't want to be the first to point the finger,and a lot of them likely dismiss notion that he could do something so horrible like molest a child.
I agree with the other comments; it reminds me of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. She was not in denial, but chose to turn her head.
My mother was molested by her stepfather. Long story short she married him at age 19 after he broke up with my grandmother. They went on to have my sisters and then me.
My grandmother swears she never knew a single thing about his molestation of her during her common law marriage to my father.
Sexual predators are often very good at what they do. Why would anyone really know? Pedophiles are sneaky and smart. They have to maintain secrets for years and years, often keeping secrets and their own shame from themselves.
The thing is, they typically marry people whoa re easy to manipulate. People who have extremely low self esteem, despite appearing outgoing, strong and friendly in public. People are damn complicated.
I think deep down she knows the truth, but wants to base her decision on logic alone: If she didn't really see it, it didn't really happen. There is a reason why her brain works this way and it isn't Jerry Sandusky's fault. She was broken to begin with. Her value system and beliefs are deeply rooted in her family of origin. There are some things about Mrs. Sandusky she will take to her grave.
I don't believe she is culpable, but this ain't as simple as being black or white. I just hope Jerry goes to prison soon. She is just too old to change now. Sad.
unless she is just the dumbest wife living, she knew it and prefered to ignore it and keep the marriage to
wa "respected man of the respected college - no big deal - sho
wering with little boys -no bid deal - no moral fibre shown by any of those "respected men" and their wives.
He's 100% guilty...as is she. She had to know what was going on. I read somewhere that she found boys underwear in his dresser? Lady, are you blind?