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	Where Are the Reforms on Sex Abuse? Six Months after the Grand Jury's Report, Priests' Victims Still Wait for Harrisburg to Act By John Salveson Philadelphia Inquirer April 6, 2006 http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/editorial/14273541.htm On Sept. 21, District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham released a stunning grand jury report detailing decades of horrific sexual abuse of children in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It described both the activities of sexually abusive priests and the systematic cover-up perpetrated by the church hierarchy that protected those priests and enabled them to continue to abuse children without consequence. The outrage and disgust felt by Catholics in the Philadelphia region were palpable. They wondered: How could this happen? How could children be put in harm's way so consistently, leading to more and more abuse and wrecked lives? Church leaders' response to the report did nothing to answer their questions or quell their fears. The report was characterized by one attorney for the archdiocese as "anti-Catholic." Cardinal Justin Rigali said he didn't think the report was "of value to families." Yet the bottom line was simple: Kids were abused and priests were protected largely because Pennsylvania law is inadequate to address this criminal behavior. And the report outlined seven legislative reforms that are needed. Six months later is a good time to ask a simple question: Is significant progress being made to close the legal loopholes that enabled the archdiocese hierarchy to put its priests' welfare before the welfare of children? Sadly, the answer is no. In fact, very little progress has been made. Why? One reason is that the leaders of the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania are standing against one of the most critical of these reforms. Of the seven grand jury recommendations, two are absolutely critical. The first is the removal of the criminal statute of limitations for the sexual abuse of children. This would allow the criminal prosecution of those who sexually abuse children no matter when the victim comes forward. This is important because most victims take years to acknowledge what happened and seek help. Today, with a short statute of limitations, sexually abusive priests can escape criminal prosecution. My own perpetrator ended up as a guidance counselor in a Catholic high school - 20 years after he was exposed as a sexual predator. The second critical recommendation is to open a one-year "window" during which sex-abuse victims can bring civil suits against the church regardless of when their abuse and its cover-up occurred. This will help protect children in three important ways. One, in civil suits, the documents and details that emerge help the public learn the truth and the identities of abusers. Two, the prospect of civil litigation and financial penalties might encourage the archdiocese to think twice about protecting sexually abusive priests. Finally, victims get their day in court and a chance to receive compensation. Church leaders claim that a one-year window for civil litigation will mean financial doom (http://go.philly.com/ideas). I guess we are supposed to trust them on this as they only release cursory financial information. But anyone who has read the grand jury report will have a hard time finding this institution worthy of any trust. I don't think the church hierarchy is worried about the financial impact of civil litigation. I think it is worried about the moral impact. Church leaders know what will come out during civil trials. And they know how badly these documents will make them look, as the full extent of their complicity and moral bankruptcy is revealed. Church leaders are desperate to stop any effort that will make the truth behind this reality any clearer to the public. The outrage and disgust that were so prevalent six months ago will prove meaningless unless Philadelphia Catholics and non-Catholics alike take action. What can they do? Call and write their state legislators and tell them to pass every one of the laws being proposed to address the problem of clergy sex abuse. Send the message that something has to be done to protect children from abuse. Legislators react to their constituencies and we shouldn't let the loudest voice be the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. For years, church leaders counted on the silence of people like me who have been abused by priests to protect them and their criminal behavior. That silence has ended. They are now counting on the silence of the people who fill the pews of the churches across the state. Will you be silent? John Salveson (snapphila@yahoo.com) is a spokesman for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests in Philadelphia. On April 24, SNAP is sponsoring a symposium to educate state legislators on these issues. For more information, visit www.snapphila.org.
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