The Sexual Abuse of Children in the Catholic Church
This summer was a scandalous one for the Catholic church. In Pennsylvania, 300 clergymen were found to be involved in the abuse of well over 1,000 children. An archbishop resigned after it was revealed that he had concealed child sexual abuse by another priest. And in Chile, over 30 different Roman Catholic bishops resigned in the wake of child sexual abuse in their parishes ("Child Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church").
Though this issue gained a lot of traction this summer, this is not the first time the problem of sexual abuse in the Catholic church has come to light.
The first surge of allegations came in the 1950s, but gained no real attention from popular media. It wasn't until the 1980s and 1990s that these cases of sexual abuse caught the attention of media, and became global news. Stories of abuse by clergymen emerged in heavily Catholic countries such as Argentina, Chile, Australia, Austria, and Ireland.
Yet despite all of the attention these cases gained at the end of the 1900s, more are surfacing well into the 21st century. Why is it that people are still coming forward with allegations, even after the outrage that the original out pour of cases sparked? Because the abuse by clergymen was never actually dealt with. It was covered up. Priests were moved to parishes in different dioceses, countries even, and the cycle of sexual abuse continued on.
The majority of individual parishes never outwardly condemned the actions of priests, and sexual abuse quickly became an awkward, taboo topic in Catholic communities that parents avoided educating their children on: even if it might prevent them from encountering abuse. The problem was uncomfortable to talk about and deal with, so it was ignored.
I went to a Catholic school for 4 years, and attended church nearly every single Sunday for the duration of my life. Yet somehow, this summer was the first time ever I heard a priest talk about the issue of sexual assault in the Church in front of a congregation. The lack of dialogue surrounding the issue of rape allegations against priests is what prevents people from coming forward for years, decades, after the incidents.
If the Catholic church truly wants to end the culture of abuse by priests, then they'll open up to having that conversation, they'll speak on the subject even if it's awkward or uncomfortable. They'll open up to criticism, listen to the victims and encourage those who have experienced sexual abuse from priests to come forward. They'll condemn the priests who have abused children, prosecute them, and ensure that every child that experiences abuse by a clergy member is heard, believed, and respected.
Yet despite all of the attention these cases gained at the end of the 1900s, more are surfacing well into the 21st century. Why is it that people are still coming forward with allegations, even after the outrage that the original out pour of cases sparked? Because the abuse by clergymen was never actually dealt with. It was covered up. Priests were moved to parishes in different dioceses, countries even, and the cycle of sexual abuse continued on.
The majority of individual parishes never outwardly condemned the actions of priests, and sexual abuse quickly became an awkward, taboo topic in Catholic communities that parents avoided educating their children on: even if it might prevent them from encountering abuse. The problem was uncomfortable to talk about and deal with, so it was ignored.
I went to a Catholic school for 4 years, and attended church nearly every single Sunday for the duration of my life. Yet somehow, this summer was the first time ever I heard a priest talk about the issue of sexual assault in the Church in front of a congregation. The lack of dialogue surrounding the issue of rape allegations against priests is what prevents people from coming forward for years, decades, after the incidents.
If the Catholic church truly wants to end the culture of abuse by priests, then they'll open up to having that conversation, they'll speak on the subject even if it's awkward or uncomfortable. They'll open up to criticism, listen to the victims and encourage those who have experienced sexual abuse from priests to come forward. They'll condemn the priests who have abused children, prosecute them, and ensure that every child that experiences abuse by a clergy member is heard, believed, and respected.
Nice job bringing up a current, relevant topic, and discussing your experience with the lack of discussion about this topic, which is-- as you point out-- a huge part of the problem. You are clear and concise and build your way through your argument from establishing that their is a problem to a first possible solution.
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