This browser does not support the Video element.
Instructor charged, sex assault of student
A Milwaukee County martial arts instructor is accused of sexually assaulting a student for years.
RIVER HILLS, Wis. - Milwaukee County prosecutors charged a longtime martial arts instructor Tuesday with sexually assaulting a child for years during private lessons.
What we know:
David S.C. Kang, 66, is charged with repeated sexual assault of a child (three counts) and second-degree sexual assault of a child under age 16.
According to court filings, River Hills police met with a child and the child’s parents earlier this month. The child told police Kang sexually assaulted them for years during private taekwondo lessons and "could not go through another summer of abuse."
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
The filings say that while police were interviewing the victim, Kang showed up at the victim’s home and shot himself. Kang survived.
The backstory:
In 2009, FOX6 featured Kang in a story about him stopping a thief at his Fox Point studio.
State records show Kang incorporated a taekwondo studio in Wisconsin in 1991. For several years, the studio was located in a shopping center near Port Washington and Brown Deer roads in Fox Point.
State records show Kang dissolved the business in June 2023, around the same time court filings say he began giving private lessons to the victim.
What they're saying:
Dr. Melissa Bright, with the Center for Violence Prevention Research, studies child abuse in youth sports. Bright said abuse in sports is often underreported and can have lasting effects on victims.
"Even after coming forward, the trauma tends to continue on. It's not just sort of once you've disclosed and then it's all over, it goes on for a very long time," said Bright.
She said studies show child abuse in youth sports is not uncommon, though the exact scope is difficult to measure.
"But what we know is that it's somewhere between maybe 7 and 20%, which is a big range," Bright said.
Experts say abuse can happen when there is isolation, including one-on-one interactions in private, a power dynamic with a coach or authority figure, a culture of secrecy and an erosion of boundaries over time.
Bright said that while there is oversight through national governing bodies or voluntary participation in the U.S. Center for SafeSport, gaps in accountability remain.
Dig deeper:
State law requires people instructing children in martial arts to be permitted through the state. State records show Kang never held a permit.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Bright said parents should not assume someone is legitimate because of a slick website or reputation. She said parents should ask about safety policies, how those policies are enforced, educate children about what is appropriate and advocate for their children.
"And if the person isn't open to that, then you might just wash your hands and say, ‘This isn't for me,’" Bright said.
It is unclear whether Kang has an attorney in this case. He has not yet appeared in court.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Wisconsin Circuit Court.