From Hidden Harm to Hidden Meanings: Journalist Roundtable and The Dark History of Nursery Rhymes

The Spark · Jan 17, 2026 · 44m

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First, Mi Xian and Mark Fazollah of Spotlight PA join us to discuss their reporting on undercounted and misreported rapes in the State College area. Their investigation reveals how gaps in data, institutional practices, and reporting systems can obscure the reality of sexual violence. They walk us through what they uncovered, why these discrepancies matter, and how communities are affected when the numbers meant to protect them fall short.

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Then, we shift from modern reporting failures to the deep past with Chrissie Senecal, historian at Shippensburg University, for a…