We're all aware of the epidemic of child molesting priests. The statistics are staggering:
US clerics accused of abuse from 1950-2002: 4,392.
Individuals making accusations: 10,667.
Victims' ages: 5.8% under 7; 16% ages 8-10; 50.9% ages 11-14; 27.3% ages 15-17.
Victims' gender: 81% male, 19% female
Duration of abuse: Among victims, 38.4% said all incidents occurred within one year; 21.8% said one to two years; 28%, two to four years; 11.8% longer.
Victims' ages: 5.8% under 7; 16% ages 8-10; 50.9% ages 11-14; 27.3% ages 15-17.
Victims' gender: 81% male, 19% female
Duration of abuse: Among victims, 38.4% said all incidents occurred within one year; 21.8% said one to two years; 28%, two to four years; 11.8% longer.
Victims per priest: 55.7% with one victim; 26.9% with two or three; 13.9% with four to nine; 3.5% with 10 or more (these 149 priests caused 27% of allegations).
Abuse locations: 40.9% at priest's residence; 16.3% in church; 42.8% elsewhere.
Known cost to dioceses and religious orders: $572,507,094 (does not include the $85 million Boston settlement and other expenses after research was concluded).
Abuse locations: 40.9% at priest's residence; 16.3% in church; 42.8% elsewhere.
Known cost to dioceses and religious orders: $572,507,094 (does not include the $85 million Boston settlement and other expenses after research was concluded).
(Hartford Courant, 2/27/04)
"It should be noted that 30% of all accusations were not investigated as they were deemed unsubstantiated or because the accused priest is dead.
In any case, these figures are widely suspected to be grossly underestimated."
I just watched the documentary "Deliver Us From Evil" about the devastation caused by one priest serial rapist over a lifetime of a family. It's really eye opening.
What prompted me to watch this award winning film was that a pastor from one of our local churches in Gig Harbor ( a virtually crimeless, older aged wealthy conservative community where I grew up) admitted to repeatedly raping his 7 year old relative. Of course, the church members were shocked. I'm not. This is rampant and it has touched every community, even though it is estimated that 80% of those abused never speak out. Sad thing is, statistically, over a given number of churches you see driving down the road, you can rest assured that some poor boy is getting shishkabobbed by someone and will probably live a life of internal devastation without telling anyone.
1 comment:
Ya know...
Movies are strictly rated to keep children away from any hint of eroticism, starting with PG-13. Violence too, of course, but the real reasons behind the rating system is belied by the fact that there is no XXX rating for violence. The NC-17 rating wasn't prompted by violence, but by sex.
Pornographic internet sites are required to put up age related "barriers". In short, all sex related industries have been and are carefully censored and attempts to shut down these industries are periodically made...
...which brings me to the Catholic priesthood. If there were any other "sex related" profession where child predation and abuse were *so* rampant, you can believe that society would be shutting it down or severely regulating it. And yet, because it's "religion", they practically get a "get out of jail free card".
Put a reverend before your name... wear a white collar... and you can get away with such stuff as bigots and child rapists could only dream of.
If it weren't for the breathtaking hypocrisy which seems to shield religion from any normal ethical standards, we would be treating the Catholic Church like any other porn oriented business. Little old ladies would be standing in the street, demanding that it be banned from society or that, at the very least, that we protect children from this organization... preventing their exposure to it by any means necessary.
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