MILWAUKEE (WI)
Fox 6
[with video]
July 4, 2013, by Mike Lowe
MILWAUKEE (WITI) — Over 6,000 pages revealing records of sexual misconduct by priests in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee were released on July 1st, blacking out all of the victim’s names to protect their identities.
“These files are showing people they were not mislead, they were directly lied to,” says John Pilmaier, one of the victims of the documented abuse.
Pilmaier made a decision to share his story in the hopes that other victims will know they’re not alone.
“One of the things survivors try to do is find out why this happened to them – what circumstances led to their abuse, what church officials knew about it, and what they did or didn’t do,” says Pilmaier.
Pilmaier recalls Associate Pastor David Hanser visiting his classroom when he was just eight-years-old.
“I was a second grade student at St. John Vianney grade school in Brookfield. Fr. David Hanser came to the door, knocked on it and asked for volunteers – if anyone would like to help him with some kind of project,” remembers Pilmaier. “Of course, all the kids raised their hands and, unfortunately, he picked mine.”
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