In the wake of the scandal at Penn State University, the public dialogue has suggested that Americans are both shocked by the incidents of sexual abuse and appalled by the extensive cover-up perpetrated by top officials at the University. There is now increased awareness that predators will utilize the very institutions designed to help protect and save vulnerable children to gain access to and abuse children.This week that violation of trust has shifted to Minnesota.
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News outlets and commentators have been quick to remark on the story out of Penn State. Many have yet to address the most critical issue- the children who were abused by Sandusky. While we certainly agree that the recent scandal exposes gaps in accountability and demonstrates institutional failure, the focus now must be on the kids. Survivors of abuse by Sandusky must know that what happened to them was not their fault. They should not have to suffer in secrecy, silence and shame. Joe Paterno and those at Penn State who did not report despite suspicions about Sandusky’s relationships
The High Court in the United Kingdom ruled yesterday that the Catholic Church can be liable for sexual abuse committed by its priests. This ruling, for which we are very grateful, will give great hope to survivors of sexual abuse by clergy in the United Kingdom. The High Court’s decision allows the case against the Diocese of Portsmouth that we wrote about this summer to move to trial. The case involves a woman known as “Miss E” who says she was sexually abused by Father Wilfred Baldwin at The Firs, a children’s home in Waterlooville.
The parallels between the cover-up of an authority figure sexually abusing children at Penn State University and the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church are clear and disturbing.This weekend, Jerry Sandusky, former defensive coordinator of Penn State’s storied and successful football team, was arrested following a grand jury investigation into Sandusky’s sexual abuse of young boys. The grand jury indictment includes over 40 criminal counts involving the sexual abuse of eight boys between 1994 and 2009. According to the grand jury report, the University’s athletic director, Tim Curl…
Today a young survivor takes a courageous stand for herself and on behalf of other kids as she again confronts her abuser and holds him accountable in court. Jane Doe 134’s case, which was originally filed in Federal Court, was re-filed today in Minnesota State Court in Becker County in order to add a new defendant. Jane Doe 134 was 11 years old in 2007 when Gerald Derstine groomed and began to sexually abuse her when she was a camper at a retreat center in Northern Minnesota. Derstine continued to abuse her every summer in his office on the retreat property until 2009. The camp, Strawberry La…
When I first met Megan Peterson in 2007 she was a scared child on a path toward destruction. Life had left her so scarred that she couldn’t even meet my gaze. She was self-loathing and in a deep depression; she now admits that she had no intention of living. Recognizing the potential for further trauma to Megan if litigation ensued, we approached legal action cautiously. We also knew it couldn’t get much worse for Megan, so with hope of a positive outcome, we filed a lawsuit using the pseudonym Jane Doe 121.
Aug 18, 2011: Ireland Prime Minister calls on Vatican to come up with $2 billion for abuse survivors
Ireland has been abuzz with news in the last few weeks. First, after sharply denouncing the Vatican’s response to clergy sexual abuse in Ireland, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny is now calling on the Vatican for money. In support of a compensation bill that would create a fund to compensate victims of child sexual abuse, many of whom were abused in Catholic schools or homes, Kenny is asking the Vatican to contribute close to $2 billion.
The UK’s high court heard the case of a woman this month, “JGE,” who was six years old when she was sexually abused by a priest at a children’s home in Portsmouth, England. “JGE” was abused by Father Wilfred Baldwin, a priest in the Diocese of Portsmouth, who visited Firs children’s home regularly. In addition to her negligence claim against the nuns who ran Firs, “JGE” and her attorneys say that Fr. Baldwin was working as a priest in the Diocese, so the Diocese is also responsible.
News headlines resounded last week as Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny attacked the Vatican over its response to clergy sexual abuse. Reacting to the Cloyne report, which exposed the Vatican’s cover-up, failures and astounding mishandling of child abuse by Irish clergy, Ireland’s Prime Minister expressed unprecedented public fury. Kenny’s harsh words for the Vatican and top church officials revealed sentiments that are rarely, if ever, heard from civil leaders. It’s about time.
This morning Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Philadelphia Archbishop Cardinal Justin Rigali. This news comes only five months after a grand jury condemned Cardinal Rigali, Monsignor Lynn, and other top officials in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for not only failing to address the child sex abuse crisis but for their roles in concealing predator priests. While people have called for Rigali’s resignation since the issuance of the grand jury report, his departure is nevertheless abrupt and sooner than expected.