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	Sex Abuse Policy Released; Local Victim of Priest Praises Work of London Diocese of Catholic Church By Jack Poirier The Sarnia Observer [Canada] June 15, 2007 http://www.theobserver.ca/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=572925&catname=Local%20News&classif= A woman sexually assaulted as a child by a Catholic priest says she has faith in a draft sexual abuse policy made public by the London diocese Thursday. Sarnia's Irene Jeannette Williams, one of 47 women sexually abused as children at the hands of Father Charles Sylvestre, praised the report, which contains a 10-point code of conduct for priests. "I've been holding my breath for 45 years and this has finally allowed me to exhale," she said after reading the policy made public on the London diocese website. "I'm very pleased with this document." The report, entitled "A Safe Environmental Policy for the Diocese of London," notes a number of recommendations, including an end to closed-door confessionals for children and a policy forbidding priests from being alone in their homes and vehicles with children. It also suggests that one-on-one counselling be conducted in open spaces, establishes a victim assistance committee, a sexual misconduct committee and new screening requirements. It comes on the heels of Sylvestre's highly publicized court proceedings, in which he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting 47 girls over nearly four decades. The 84-year-old died in January while serving a three-year prison sentence. Sylvestre had been removed from St. Thomas Aquinas parish at one point, only to be placed in another parish a short time later. The assaults occurred while he served at parishes in Sarnia, Windsor, London, Chatham and Pain Court from 1952 to 1986. Many of the victims went public, including Williams, in the hope it might prevent further assaults. Williams said the incidents were kept hush-hush for too long. "Not a nun, not a priest, not a teacher ever took us aside to say, 'It's not your fault,'" Williams told The Observer. "I felt for years that I did something wrong. I was left with a feeling of shame for many years." Williams, molested from age nine to 11, credited Bishop Ronald Peter Fabbro for "following through on his word" to create this new policy. The policy also sets regulations on how the diocese deals with priests, church staff and volunteers facing allegations of sexual impropriety. The report states: every member of the clergy and staff must report any allegations of sexual misconduct; the bishop's decisions be based on the advice of two committees that include community members, mental health professionals and former sexual assault victims; funding be provided for victims' counselling services any accused be relieved from duty when a minor is involve. The diocese is inviting written suggestions and comments on the draft policy by July 31.
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