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	Authorities: Coverage of Sex-abuse Scandals Could Impact Survivors By Steve Kobak The Hour December 6, 2009 http://www.thehour.com/story/479013 Recent media coverage of sexual abuse scandals involving a Norwalk minister and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport may impact survivors of abuse who had been making progress in the healing process. A flurry of news about sexual abuse involving area clergy members, including New Light Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Phillip Joubert, could trigger traumatic flashbacks for survivors, according to two experts who work closely with victims. "It starts them thinking about the abuse again," said Kathy Malloy, executive director of the Sexual Assault Crisis Center in Stamford. "For survivors of clergy abuse who are somehow able to get on with their lives, it sort of opens up old wounds." Joubert, 48, of 21 Lexington Ave., was charged with multiple rape-related crimes by police from the 112th Precinct of the New York City Police Department on Nov. 24. No bond has been set for the Rikers Island inmate, and he is scheduled to appear in Queens Criminal Court on Dec. 21. The Hour broke the story about Joubert's arrest on Tuesday -- the same day that the Bridgeport diocese released more than 12,000 pages from 23 lawsuits against six priests settled by the diocese in 2001 after being ordered to do so by the courts. Malloy said predicting the way in which survivors will react to the unsettling news is impossible. "People want to try to move on," she said. "Everybody deals with trauma and these issues differently." Beth McCabe, co-leader of the Connecticut branch of Survivor Network of those abused by priests, said the number of people at SNAP's support group meetings tends to ebb and flow, often spiking at times when clergy abuse stories flood the news. "Every time there's some type of event with a lot of publicity like this, it will tend to make people more in touch with their feelings," she said. McCabe said the news can help somewhat with the healing process by showing that the aggressor in these cases can be held accountable for their actions. "It's a journey to deal with sexual abuse," she said. "At some point, there's a feeling that there needs to be justice here. If someone is brought to justice, it can be enormously helpful in terms of healing." Malloy urges survivors to "look at the person, not the professional," as one person's transgressions shouldn't determine a survivors opinion of an entire race, gender or profession. Larry Johnson, founder of the community group Character Under Construction, hopes that the allegations against church leaders don't impact the spiritual lives of youths in the community. Quoting from a passage in the Bible, Johnson encourages youths to "stay connected to the true vine." Johnson said the church cannot perpetuate its existance without youths, and he is brainstorming ways to draw them back into the church. "Our churches need them," he said. "They must understand the church has been shaken for a reason -- so that they can come in and there can be more eyes, and they can help each other."
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