Support Groups Speak out on Church Abuse, by Jennifer Cahill, WEHT, September 2, 2007

Support Groups Speak out on Church Abuse

By Jennifer Cahill
WEHT
September 2, 2007

http://www.abc25.com/dsp_story.cfm?storyid=3007&RequestTimeout=500

EVANSVILLE - A story gathering steam is the recent admission of Evansville Catholic Bishop Gerald Gettlefinger, that he withheld information of reports of sexual abuse by a deceased priest. Two groups supporting victims, and speaking out againsta abuse, handed out flyers at St. Benedict's Cathedral in Evansville Sunday morning.

The two groups were 'Silent Lambs' out of Paducah, KY and SNAP, the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests, from St. Louis, MO. They say their goal is to encourage victims to come forward and seek help.

The members of the groups are all victims themselves and they say it's through speaking out about the abuse that they've come to heal. They passed out flyers sunday in hopes more victims will seek help, and to let them know there are confidential support groups available.

SNAP's National Director, David Clohessy, told us Sunday, "Child sex abuse is like a cancer that just eats away at you quietly.. internally. The best way to deal with cancer or an infection is to deal with it head-on and expose it, and get it out into the light where healing is possible."

Bishop Gettlefinger came forward with the information of past sexual abuse around two weeks ago, and since then, several more victims have surfaced, making it the largest sexual abuse scandal the Evansville Diocese has seen.

Clohessy and other group members believe there are more victims out there, and they hope their actions Sunday will give victims the strength to come forward and seek help.

Clohessy also said he has problems with the way Bishop Gettlefinger handled the recent announcement about sexual abuse by Monsignor Othmar Schroeder.