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Child Abuse in Churches - Human Rights

This is a very sad case.

An article by the Christian Science Monitor related that insurance companies of Protestant churches file claims to compensate victims an average of 7 per week.

We would be na�ve and dishonest were we to say this is a Roman Catholic problem and has nothing to do with us because we have married and female priests in our church. Sin and abusive behavior know no ecclesial or other boundaries.
Rt. Rev. William Persell, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, Good Friday Sermon, 2002.

Excellent post, Paula.

I remember back when the Catholic Church scandals were being focused on, I was appalled at the media slant that appeared to make abuse a strictly Catholic problem and the reason for the problem was the Church's celibacy rules and/or an issue related to homosexuality. It upset me because again, this leads the public back to the erroneous conclusion that pedophilia = homosexuality and that abuse is something that always happens in somebody else's church. And that kind of stereotyping is precisely what allows child abusers to thrive. Sadly, I know this from the personal experience of being abused by a heterosexual, South Baptist Minister who fit not a single one of the criteria that people associate with child abusers.

I had not read the Christian Science Monitor article. But I am curious to know why there was/is no focus on abuse in other denominations--especially at that high a rate. I am pleased to read Bishop Persell's comments as I am an Episcopalian--I'm happy to see leaders who acknowledge that this can happen anywhere, even in our own doors.

The Tennessean had a cover story on this issue last year. I saw the same story buried in the back pages of other newspapers.

I think you're right. People focus on the wrong things and allow pediphiles to slip by us. It's less about Stranger Danger than the danger hiding in plain sight.

I'm totally with you Aisling. Coverage on the UK media really targeted the Catholic Church. However, looking back at the time when the abuse happened it was actually fairly normal for abuse to take place in any kind of institution whether religious or not. Unfortunately there was a time when abuse was considered okay, in that it wasn't actually seen as abuse (not the way it is today anyway). It happened in children's homes around the world, it happened in Buddhist monasteries, in youth detention centres etc, basically it happened everywhere and was endemic to the view society held about children at that time.

Still the focus on the Catholic Church just allows parents to ignore the greatest threat to their children and that is:

1) THEM!
2) a male sibling
3) an uncle
4) a family friend or other person with regular contact

I'm so sorry you had that experience, Aisling, but it makes the point oh-so-clearly. It's about people in positions of power believing they are somehow exempt from the rules of humanity, or as Tiger Woods put it, ENTITLED. The way I see it, the more powerful you are, the greater is your responsibility toward your fellow human beings.

--Maria