Priest Sex Abuse Victims Respond to Documents

WGN
January 21, 2014

http://wgntv.com/2014/01/21/priest-sex-abuse-victims-respond-to-documents/

Victims of sexual abuse at the hands of priests within the Archdiocese of Chicago responded on Tuesday to the release of thousands of documents that show problematic priests were moved to different parishes, and church officials didn’t tell police about the accusations.

Several victims and sexual abuse attorneys Jeff Anderson and Marc Pearlman talked about the documents at a news conference at the Allerton Hotel.

They said the release was in the works for nine years, but more still needs to be done.

They said the Archdiocese performed systematic abuses and cover-ups.

“Time and time again, each of the cardinals and top officials made conscience choices to keep that knowledge secret within the circle of the cardinal or bishops or the officials and only there. And as a result of that, hundreds and hundreds of children and families were in peril by those conscience choices,” said Anderson.

“When are they gonna learn? There was a massive cover up. The priest that abused me moved seven times and abused others. If they would have stopped him like they would have stopped the others at the time of the abuses, there would be significantly less victims,” said victim Joe Iacona.