June 16, 2005

Rewards suggested to uncover abuse by U.S. priests

CHICAGO (IL)
Reuters

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A group representing victims of the sexual abuse scandal in the U.S. Catholic church said on Wednesday that church leaders should set up a reward fund to flush out priests who have so far escaped detection.

A "blind loyalty to the church" has kept many victims and others with knowledge of abuse from coming forward, said Barbara Blaine, president of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests.

A reward fund, even starting with something as modest as $5,000, would "encourage whistle blowers," she told reporters at a sidewalk news conference outside a Chicago hotel where the U.S. Catholic bishops were gathering for three days of meetings.

There was no immediate response from the bishops, who at their sessions will re-examine the policies they set up three years ago in response to the scandal that has cost the church heavily in both money to settle suits and in its public image.

A prime component of those policies, one providing that priests who are found to have committed even a single act of sexual abuse should be removed from the priesthood, is likely to be retained.

Posted by kshaw at June 16, 2005 07:36 AM