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	Bishops Say Claims of Sex Abuse Decline Survey: Reports Tailing off for 2 Years By Lori Van Ingen Intelligencer Journal [Pennsylvania] April 25, 2007 http://local.lancasteronline.com/4/203299 Lancaster County, Pa. — The number of clergy sexual-abuse allegations has declined for the second straight year, according to a survey of U.S. Roman Catholic bishops released earlier this month. According to data collected by Georgetown University-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, the number of "credible" allegations has decreased from 1,092 in 2004 to 783 in 2005 and 714 in 2006. More than 99 percent of the dioceses/eparchies responded to the voluntary survey. According to the report, 60 percent of those accused in 2006 had been named previously in other abuse cases. About 10 percent of the allegations were listed as unsubstantiated. Seventy percent of offenders identified in 2006 were deceased, had already been removed from ministry or had left the priesthood or their religious order when the allegations against them were reported. Locally, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg — which includes Lancaster and 14 other central Pennsylvania counties — reported it has had no new credible allegations of sexual abuse by clerics for the second straight year. The local diocese, however, continues to serve six victims of past sexual abuse — and their family members — by providing counseling or other assistance, according to Mark Totaro, the diocese's victim assistance coordinator. The victims say they were abused during the late 1960s to 1970s, Joe Aponick, diocesan communications director, said Thursday. ••• The last credible allegation received by the Harrisburg diocese against one of its priests came Aug. 30, 2004. The priest in question, however, was deceased when the allegation was made, Aponick said. A credible allegation was received Nov. 10, 2005, against a religious-order priest — not a diocesan priest — who was stationed in the diocese, Aponick said. That priest was removed by his superior after the religious community received the allegation, he said. The Harrisburg diocese continues to encourage anyone who has experienced sexual abuse by priests or lay people employed by the diocese to report the abuse, Aponick said. According to published reports, there have been no local cases involving clergy, with the exception of a priest who was assigned to a Lancaster County parish for less than a year in 1991. That priest, who was accused of abusing a teenage boy in Maryland in the 1980s, left Lancaster to take another assignment in Lebanon County. No criminal or civil charges were filed against him, although he was placed on administrative leave. ••• In 2006, the Harrisburg diocese paid $6,865 to cover the cost of therapy for the six victims, but no money was paid to settle lawsuits. The diocese would not release any personal information about the victims but said the victims are given a choice of where to go for counseling. "Catholic Charities therapists are available, or, if (victims) prefer, they can choose a private practice as long as the credentials of the therapist are appropriate," Aponick said. The Most Rev. Kevin C. Rhoades, bishop of the Harrisburg diocese, said in a statement Friday he believes the reports of clergy sexual abuse of minors are "down dramatically nationwide because the implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People — adopted by the U.S. bishops in 2002 — has been largely successful in guaranteeing an effective response by the Church to allegations of sexual abuse of minors, in ensuring the accountability of our procedures and in protecting our children and young people through the establishment of 'safe environment' programs and other steps." ••• The Harrisburg diocese's youth-protection program has implemented each of the directives in the bishops' charter, Rhoades said. "I think our own zero-tolerance policy, our educational efforts and our total compliance with the charter are important and essential for the protection of our children and young people," Rhoades said. "At the same time, we regularly review our efforts to ensure that we are doing the best job we can in this area." Rhoades said sexual abuse of minors also has become a serious societal problem, citing estimates that one in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before the age of 18. "The Church's efforts to combat this evil internally will hopefully shine a light on this dark corner also in the wider society," Rhoades said. He said the bishops have launched an effort to educate parishioners about Internet child pornography. He called it a problem that is "growing exponentially" in society, estimating one in five children are solicited sexually while on the Internet. The Harrisburg diocese paid $117,984 last year for all child-protection efforts — such as background checks and training programs for prospective and current employees and volunteers — Aponick said. ••• Since 2002, the diocese has required criminal background checks on all people — including clergy and members of religious orders, employees and volunteers — who are likely to have regular contact with children, Aponick said. Approximately 2,700 people a year are screened as part of the diocesan youth-protection effort, he said. "Some background checks do come back to us indicating offenses that would disqualify the applicant from either employment or volunteer activities," Aponick said. "Last year at least two persons were flagged, and in 2005 the background checks of at least four persons indicated past undesirable actions." The diocesan "safe environment" educational programs have been used to train employees, volunteers, students and parents in methods of preventing and recognizing signs of sexual abuse in a minor. The training programs also emphasize what should be done when abuse is suspected. The training program is mandatory in the diocesan parishes and schools, Aponick said. Materials are available for three grade levels — primary, intermediate and high school. The diocese also has prepared a parent letter, a "Know the Rule" sheet and a question-and-answer sheet on child safety. Aponick said employees and volunteers working with youths each year view a half-hour video presentation on the topics of what constitutes sexual abuse of a minor, recognizing the warning signs, taking the proper actions and pertinent laws and policies. ••• David Clohessy, the national director of the support group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said in a statement about the annual review, "Bishops will 'spin' these numbers to claim they've 'turned the corner,' ignoring the fact that the overwhelming majority of victims still haven't and probably won't ever speak up, but will instead continue to suffer in shame, secrecy and self-blame." Clohessy said if the number of allegations truly is decreasing, "it may be because more victims are now reporting child sex crimes to police officials, not church officials." But, he said, it's "crucial" that victims and witnesses report the crime because then there is "at least a chance for healing, prevention, justice and truth telling. When they stay silent, kids stay at risk, and sex crimes stay hidden." ••• Patricia Cahill, founder of Lancaster's SNAP chapter, said in an interview Friday she, too, doesn't believe the number of abuse cases is declining. "They're just a lot better about keeping things quiet," Cahill said. "Survivors are still out there, but they are being brushed under the carpet. They have a sincere desire for us to disappear." Since the issue has not been in the public eye for a while, she said, "people assume it's over. But it's not. I wish it were." Cahill believes more people would report abuse if they didn't have to "pay a dear price to go public." Those who have done so, she said, have lost connection with their family and friends once they've blown the whistle "on the good priests and nuns." The shame is put onto the survivors instead of the perpetrators, where it belongs, Cahill said. The priests and nuns just get moved around and promoted, she said. The Lancaster chapter of SNAP meets every other month with fewer than 20 people attending regularly, Cahill said, but the survivors also stay in contact with each other by e-mail, phone and informal meetings. E-mail: lvaningen@lnpnews.com
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