Catholic Group Hopes to Find Sex Abuse Victims

By Johanna Salinas
Guam Daily Post
May 12, 2016

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/catholic-group-hopes-to-find-sex-abuse-victims/article_8a12039a-1753-11e6-ac12-5721b97af66f.html


The Concerned Catholics of Guam (CCOG) hope to find victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy with their full-page ad in local print media. The ad has two phone numbers to contact the organization confidentially, but does not provide information on the kind of help the organization will provide.

When asked about the services they plan to have, CCOG supporter Tim Rohr said, “(The CCOG) will provide an attorney for protection (so the victims) can be able to go public with their stories without fear of their perpetrator. Most people don’t want to talk about (their experiences) because it was a powerful person that had hurt them.” Rohr said the CCOG has been in contact with Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. The SNAP organization helps heal those who have been sexually victimized by clergy.

Because of the ad, an undisclosed number of people have come forward and some have also led other victims to the group. “More than one victim (knows) of others and some don’t want to go public. They still are suffering from the damage,” Rohr said.

The CCOG wants to help end the suffering by giving the victims a voice, Rohr said. Although the group is “not equipped” to offer counseling or therapy, it hopes that the victims will heal by sharing their stories with the public. “In the case of the people that (CCOG) has talked to, (the victims) just want to tell their story, because for many it’s too late to file a lawsuit,” Rohr said.

The CCOG ad is soliciting victims of incidents that occurred during specific dates from 1974 to 1984, so filing a class action would be impossible because the statute of limitations has expired. A Guam high school teacher, Joseph Santos, started the “Silent No More” petition asking members of the Guam Legislature to lift the statute of limitations for sex crimes on island.

Concerned Catholics of Guam is a group of Catholic lay people formed in 2014 that has been critical of Archbishop Anthony Apuron, even calling for him to step down as archbishop. The group has been critical of what it claims is the excessive influence of the Neocatechumenal Way on the church in Guam, and on the archbishop.

The Archdiocese of Agana has yet to respond to requests for comment from the Post.

To contact the CCOG with information about clergy sex abuse call 777-6836 or 997-6969.