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	Church and Survivors Must Unite against Sexual Abuse Vatican Radio November 1, 2010 http://www.oecumene.radiovaticana.org/EN2/Articolo.asp?c=435521 The organisers of a demonstration here in Rome by survivors of clerical sex abuse met on Sunday evening with papal spokesman, Fr Federico Lombardi. Following standard Vatican practise, demonstrators were denied permission to march in St Peter's Square but were able to leave letters from abuse victims at the bottom of the staircase leading into the apostolic palace…. At the end of the candlelit protest, two organisers of the Survivors' Voice group accompanied several other victims to meet with Fr Lombardi and recount their personal stories of suffering as a result of childhood abuse and rape by priests in countries around the world. Noting that he was speaking in a personal rather than an official capacity, Fr Lombardi acknowledged the Church can and must do more to support survivors of abuse and guarantee the protection of all children in its care. But he also urged the survivors to unite with the Church in the fight to stamp out this scourge which he said remains "an intense one in today's world". "We know very well," he continued, "that what has happened in the Church is but a small part of what has happened and continues to happen in the world at large. Many are indeed very happy," he added, "that all the attention is focused on the Church" so that others can continue their abuse of children undisturbed. In particular he pointed to the scourge of internet pornography, sexual tourism and trafficking which exploits the poverty of people in various continents. Fr Lombardi said he's encouraged by the attitude of Pope Benedict who has repeatedly tried to listen to survivors and committed himself to doing all that is necessary to prevent such terrible crimes from happening again. "Not only the Pope," he said, "but many Church communities in various parts of the world have done and are doing a lot, by way of listening to victims, as well as in the areas of prevention and formation." It is true, he said, that procedures of investigation and intervention by both the Church and civil authorities must be made swifter and more effective and there must be good collaboration between the two in conformity with national legislation in countries concerned. But what the Church is learning from victims' organisations about child protection, he said, must be put at the service of everyone. "Your cry today," Fr Lombardi concluded, "is an encouragement to do more. Let us help one another to journey together in the right direction."
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