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	The Catholic Hierarchy Still Doesn't Get It Irish Times December 13, 2011 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2011/1213/1224308996934.html SECOND OPINION: Calling it ‘wrongdoing’ mutes the effects of sexual abuse, writes JACKY JONES WHAT GOES around comes around, even if it takes 22 years. The Review of Safeguarding Practice – Archdiocese of Tuam, published last week by the National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC), notes that before 1995 “the cases showed a lack of awareness of the suffering caused to victims by abusers”. I am amazed by this statement because the effects of abuse on children were explained in no uncertain terms to the Archbishop of Tuam in the late 1980s. This came about because of a child protection project initiated by managers in the old Western Health Board (WHB) who were worried about the growing numbers of children disclosing sexual abuse. A colleague and I spent six months exploring best practice in the UK and the US, and meeting social workers, parents, teachers and school inspectors. We developed an eight-lesson programme for primary schools with children’s worksheets. These were illustrated in comic-book style, with drawings of how people in their lives might sexually assault them and who they could tell, depending on the situation. The lessons listed the people who are most likely to sexually abuse children, in this order, fathers, uncles, grandfathers, priests and babysitters. “Stranger danger” was only briefly referred to, as there was, and still is, very little danger of a child being sexually assaulted by a stranger. The teachers’ manual had information on the prevalence of child sexual abuse, its effects on children, and what to do if a child disclosed abuse. When we were ready to pilot the programme, two schools were recruited – one urban, one rural – and boards of management, teachers and parents gave their approval. Managers of the WHB were behind it. Bishop Casey of Galway was consulted. He referred us to the Archbishop of Tuam, who had the final say in any programme for primary schools in his area. A colleague and I met the archbishop in 1989. We explained the programme and why it was necessary. After reading the classroom materials, his first words were, “This is dynamite.” His second words were, “No, I am not going to approve the programme. Things like this didn’t happen.” The NBSC reviewed Tuam cases going back to 1975, so the Archbishop knew that these things did happen. We felt powerless and angry because children in the west were going to be denied the chance of being protected from sexual predators. Parents and teachers who had put so much effort into the development of the programme were angry. Even the health board, which had a duty to protect children when parents didn’t, could do nothing. Shortly after this episode, the Stay Safe Programme was introduced into primary schools. While this is a good programme, it is not explicit enough about sexual assaults by people well known to the child. Stay Safe puts the onus on the child to recognise when they feel safe and to anticipate potentially dangerous situations. This is too much responsibility for a small child. The WHB’s programme was explicit and put the onus on adults to take responsibility for children’s safety. More than 20 years on, the problem of children being sexually assaulted by people they know is still not being debated openly. Children are not learning about this in schools. Had the WHB programme been approved by the Catholic Church, the Roscommon child abuse case, and others, might have been prevented. The language used in Ireland to describe sexual crimes against children minimises and denies the reality, particularly the language used by the Catholic hierarchy and the media. Following the publication of the reviews last week, the newspapers were full of “sincere apologies”. Bishop Boyce offered “humble apologies”. Bishop Daly is “profoundly ashamed” of the wrong done to children. Bishop O’Reilly spoke about “wrongdoing by church personnel” and the NBSC noted he is now “aware of and sensitive to these issues”. Really! After several decades we must be thankful for small mercies. The words crime, sexual predators and criminals are seldom used by either the media or the hierarchy. Language directs our thinking, and human freedom begins when things that happen to people are described accurately. Calling something “wrongdoing” mutes and denies the effects of these terrible crimes. The Catholic hierarchy still doesn’t get it, which is why we need to remove their power to decide what will be taught in primary schools. After 22 years, I am delighted to add my experience to the record.
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