COMMENTARY

Changing the Rules: the Right Response
VOTF CA Robert Rowden

[America magazine, May 15, 2006: A religious institutions attorney, L. Martin Nussbaum, wrote “Changing the Rules – Selective Justice for Catholic institutions.” Subscribers may access it here.]

The sexual abuse of children is a worldwide problem of enormous magnitude, and L. Martin Nussbaum is correct in pointing out that it is not merely a Catholic problem. Perhaps the press's "obsession" with the scandal resulted from the discovery that an institution claiming ultimate moral authority is represented by more than a few leaders who were criminally negligent in repeatedly enabling child abuse, sometimes in clear violation of expert advice. Priest pedophiles have apparently been known since the early days of the Church. What is a newsworthy scandal is the response of some bishops and other church leaders to the victims who, instead of pastoral concern, apology and offers of necessary therapy were met with disbelief, denial, broken promises, and hardball legal tactics. Had it not been for a diligent press and aggressive prosecutors the extent of their perfidy would be yet unknown.

It does the Church no service to rail against the accepted concept of repressed memory following life-changing trauma. Some do not realize what has happened to them for many years In addition many victims have lived most of their lives believing as they were groomed, that the abuse was their own fault. The guilt and shame cultivated by the perpetrator is deeply imbedded. Victims are subject to alcohol and drug abuse, serious depression and multiple failed relationships. Many develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which requires ongoing therapy. Clearly, in the interest of justice the rules need to be changed and statutes of limitation eliminated or vastly expanded.

 

 



In the Vineyard
May 18, 2006
Volume 5, Issue 9
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