Click here to read: “2012 a year of unparalleled justice for child sex abuse victims,” by Barbara Goldberg, Reuters, Dec. 24, 2012
Excerpt: “The year’s headlines heralded the criminal convictions of former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky, Monsignor William Lynn of the Catholic Church’s Philadelphia Archdiocese and ultra-Orthodox Jewish therapist Nechemya Weberman, a prominent figure in New York’s Satmar Hasidic sect.”
Editor’s note: Let’s make 2013 the year the statute of limitations on child sex abuse is lifted in Pennsylvania.
The article said: “One development encouraging victims to come forward today is more women in law enforcement and criminal justice who may seem more approachable, experts say. Another is a growing acceptance of homosexuality, which could help ease the victims’ humiliation, and the idea that survivors with calamitous lives may nevertheless be telling the truth, experts say.”
The last sentence re: “acceptance of homosexuality” is nonsensical and even silly IMO. I contend that more knowledge of the contributing factors , and the effects on children whom are abused can lead to “help ease the victim’s humiliation.” Common sense attitudes about children being placed in compromising situations, e.g., alone with possible abusers will help protect children.
The Lynn conviction was critical. While SOL reform is good, it only helps a small percentage of actual survivors and their well compensated lawyers and advocates like SNAP, whose interests at times seem to me overly represented here too often.
Settling abuse law suits has become a routine cost of business for bishops to be passed on to docile Catholics, so long as bishops’ smoking gun documents remain sealed as part of legal settlements, which survivors’ lawyers too often agree to, in my view.
To end this abuse epidemic and to protect more children and help more survivors sooner , Federal law enforcement is clearly the best available option in light of my over 40 years as a lawyer. Survivors’ lawyers appear not very interested in the Federal option. Why? Think about it, please.
For more on the Federal option, please read my statement at
http://wp.me/P2YEZ3-7o
Thanks, and Happy New Year. C4C did much to be proud of this past year!
Jerry as a parent living in Pennsylvania,I have a vested interest in having previously non prosecuted unidentified predators identified through civil lawsuits. Any of these individuals at present could sign up to be a soccer coach, teacher,scout leader..a clear background check. Three hundred individuals were identified in California when the window was lifted…three hundred abusers that are now known to the public. I am very clear on why I am interested in this legislation and it has nothing to do with attorneys..the best info I have received is from those in law enforcement who I believe have the best info about safety of children.
Kathy, I have said SOL reform is “good”, just not good enough.
Prosecution, Federal prosecution, is the key to solving this mess.
I don’t ever question your motives, which are very pure and most admirable. The tilt, excessive in my view, on C4C towards accepting too often what (1) some survivors’ lawyers, and their cheerleaders (especially SNAP), who make big bucks via SOL reforms say, and (2) Philly law enforcement people who have failed Philly citizens for over a half century say, is what I was referring to.
I only mention it because I care what you and Susan do and what happens to you and your children, as well as to many others I have grown to respect on this site..
Otherwise, I could just hold my tongue and forgo some of the insults I have taken on this site.
I’m not sure that readers understand Nichols1 remarks above, since he received four thumbs down. The point he was making is that most sexual abuse of children comes from Straight, not homosexual predators – fathers, grandfathers, brothers, priests, sports coaches who are equal opportunity abusers – little boys or little girls, as long as the abuser gets “satisfied”.
Reid
Reid,
While your point “most sexual abuse of children comes from Straight, not homosexual predators – fathers, grandfathers, brothers, priests, sports coaches who are equal opportunity abusers – little boys or little girls, as long as the abuser gets “satisfied” may be accurate, it is not what I intended to say.
I thought the statement in the subject article —“a growing acceptance of homosexuality, which could help ease the victims’ humiliation, and the idea that survivors with calamitous lives may nevertheless be telling the truth, experts say.”—- Made no sense whatever, and I still feel the same way.
It would help clear up this whole question if the author could somehow explain just what was intended with the statement. IMO.
Slevin does not get Pell. More research needed.