Sex Abuse IS NOT Exclusive To The Catholic Chruch

As a Roman Catholic, I am very conscious of the shame that the sex abuse scandal has brought to the Catholic Church.  In this recent article from the NY Times dated March 12, 2011, the reporter brings to the written page a "REVELATION" of UNTHINKABLE proportions.  This is an extensive article (more than 6 typed pages long) and was well researched and presented.  I know there will be those who say that as a Catholic I am trying to divert attention from the Church's major scandal to the much bigger scandal in the public sector.  However, they must also realize that no matter where this kind of behavior is found it MUST be rooted out and dealt with.  While the Church has brought shame upon herself because of the sex abuse scandal, I am also very aware of the extensive steps the church has done to prevent such abuse in the Future.  Unfortunately the public sector and our government has done absolutely nothing for the past 12 years about the extensive abuses found  in these group homes, by counselors, hospitals, and especially in our public schools where the problem is worse than any other sector of society.

Charol Shakeshaft Ph.D., a scholar from Hofstra University completed a report  commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education, in compliance with the 2002 "No Child Left Behind Act" signed into law by President Bush. Between 6 and 10 percent of public school children across the country have been sexually abused or harassed by school employees and teachers.  It is estimated that roughly 290,000 students experienced some sort of physical sexual abuse by a school employee from a single decade—1991-2000.  That compares with about five decades of  cases of abuses found in the church by clergy and religious.  The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in a report on the nature and scope of their abuse problem, found almost 14,000 cases of abuse by  about 4,000 priests and deacons since 1950 -2000.  That is 290,000 over a NINE-YEAR period in the public schools vs. 14,000 over a FIFTY-YEAR period in the Catholic Church. Shakeshaft commented that such figures led her to  contend: “…the physical sexual abuse of students in the schools is likely more than 100 times the abuse by priests.”  (To learn more Google: Charol Shakeshaft PhD. or go to the links at the end of this article.) 

I am also just as outraged by the level of media coverage that these articles have had -- or should I say - LACK of coverage.  The media coverage of the Catholic priest abuse scandal is nearly COAST TO COAST and on every major network.  Yet, whether they just want to turn a blind eye, or they are just anti-Catholic, or are maybe they are just too afraid of the Public worker/teacher Labor Unions …. There is NOTHING but DEAD SILENCE when it comes to the problem in our public schools.   Even though I am Catholic, I am still an AMERICAN CITIZEN!  WHERE is the public OUTCRY!?  WHERE is the OUTRAGE!?!?  AS a parent, I DO NOT have a problem if a priest who is guilty of sex abuse is removed and or jailed.  I am also VERY concerned when there is NOTHING being done to protect the VICTIMS of these  CRIMES by these public sector Perpetrators!

I hope you read the articles linked to this post.  Look for yourself and learn the facts.  Then write your state and federal representatives to insist on action.  Thank you for listening.  We must all be a part of the solution or we must confess to being a part of the problem.

Abused and Used At State-Run Homes

Sex Abuse by Teachers Said Worse Than Catholic Church

Until next time,
May God Bless and Keep You