They march into their dens willingly every week as they obediently give up their financial offerings - and their children. For more than thirty years the victims of sexual abuse have been coming forth and are being ignored by not only the church but also by law enforcement.
Church hierarchy all the way to the Vatican have compared the church with the secular world, arguing that media coverage of the issue has been excessive given that abuse occurs in other institutions. The difference being that “other institutions” found guilty of sexual abuse have been dealt with in the criminal courts. For some reason, the Catholics think of themselves as above the law. Case after case of child molestation by priests has been covered up – literally for centuries.
As Pope Benedict begs for forgiveness, he offers an empty promise of “better screening” of church volunteers and low level workers but again avoids actually punishing any pedophile priest.
Why is it that we are allowing this?
When does the abuser get to decide their fate?
The 2004 John Jay Report was based on a study of 10,667 allegations against 4,392 priests accused of engaging in sexual abuse of a minor between 1950 and 2002. The number 4,392 represents four percent of the 109,694 priests in active ministry during that time. Approximately:- 56 percent had one reported allegation against them; 27 percent had two or three allegations against them; nearly 14 percent had four to nine allegations against them; 3 percent (149 priests) had 10 or more allegations against them. These 149 priests were responsible for almost 3,000 victims, or 27 percent of the allegations.
- The allegations were substantiated for 1,872 priests and unsubstantiated for 824 priests. They were thought to be credible for 1,671 priests and not credible for 345 priests. 298 priests and deacons who had been completely exonerated are not included in the study.
- 50 percent were 35 years of age or younger at the time of the first instance of alleged abuse.
- Almost 70 percent were ordained before 1970.
- Fewer than 7 percent were reported to have themselves been victims of physical, sexual or emotional abuse as children. Although 19 percent had alcohol or substance abuse problems, only 9 percent were reported to have been using drugs or alcohol during the instances of abuse.
There were approximately 10,667 reported minor victims of clergy sexual abuse during this period:
- Around 81 percent of these victims were male.
- 22.6% were age 10 or younger, 51% were between the ages of 11 and 14, and 27% were between the ages to 15 to 17 years.
- A substantial number (almost 2000) of very young children were victimized by priests during this time period.
- 9,281 victim surveys had information about an investigation. In 6,696 (72%) cases, an investigation of the allegation was carried out. Of these, 4,570 (80%) were substantiated; 1,028 (18%) were unsubstantiated; 83 (1.5%) were found to be false. In 56 cases, priests were reported to deny the allegations.
- More than 10 percent of these allegations were characterized as not substantiated. (This does not mean that the allegation was false; it means only that the diocese or order could not determine whether the alleged abuse actually took place.)
- For approximately 20 percent of the allegations, the priest was deceased or inactive at the time of the receipt of the allegation and typically no investigation was conducted in these circumstances.
- In 38.4% of allegations, the abuse is alleged to have occurred within a single year, in 21.8% the alleged abuse lasted more than a year but less than 2 years, in 28% between 2 and 4 years, in 10.2% between 5 and 9 years and, in under 1%, 10 or more years.
Many of the reported acts of sexual abuse involved fondling or unspecified abuse. There were also a large number of allegations of more grave abuse, including acts of oral sex and intercourse. Detailed information on the nature of the abuse was not reported for 26.6% of the reported allegations. 27.3% of the allegations involved the cleric performing oral sex on the victim. 25.1% of the allegations involved penile penetration or attempted penetration.
It's easy to think that amid the all of the allegations of sexual abuse currently scarring the Catholic Church, the cover-ups that have followed have been locally driven. But as the current Pope Benedict scandal suggests, the church cover-ups appear to implicate its highest ranks including Ratzinger himself.
Revelations that the Vatican halted the investigation of a Wisconsin priest accused of molesting some 200 deaf boys where 67 deaf men and women accused two dozen priests of raping and molesting children for years.
Church documents, official testimony, and victim interviews gathered over the past year paint an extraordinary picture of secrecy and deception in the Boston Archdiocese; a culture in which top church officials coddled abusive priests and permitted them to molest again, while stonewalling or paying off the victims of that abuse.
And this goes on ad on every day. When are people going to stop supporting these crimes?
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