November 05, 2005

Victims Of The Times

SOUTH DAKOTA
Keloland

Good evening. It's hard to believe anyone could sexually abuse 30 children without being reported to police.

But the 1950s and 60s were a different time.

When sex offenders like Father Bruce MacArthur committed those crimes, it was often kept quiet.

Judy DeLonga kept quiet about the abuse she suffered from MacArthur for 40 years. But her abuse came before the days of social work and rape crisis centers. It was time when a child sexually abused by someone close to them - especially a priest - might not have been believed.

"In the old days, you kept stuff behind closed doors.' That was kind of the mantra," says psychologist Scott Pribyl.

This week, the door opened on Father Bruce MacArthur. He has admitted to sexual crimes against children committed in the 1950s..60s..and 70s.

"People are more likely to believe a child or an adult these days that would report something as outrageous-sounding as a priest," Pribyl says.

Posted by kshaw at November 5, 2005 07:21 AM