Let's Set the Record Straight: A defense of Pope Benedict Pt. 2
In my previous blog in this issue, "Let's Set the Record Straight: A defense of Pope Benedict Pt. 1" I spoke about the particulars of Crimen Sollicitationis. Crimen Sollicitationis was the official policy instituted by the Congregation for the Defense of the Faith (CDF) in 1962 on how to report and deal with sex abuse and other criminal allegations. I also explained how the CDF divided the jurisdictional responsibilities of handling alleged claims into two specific areas: with the Vatican taking care of sex abuse cases directly while the local bishops would take care of other types of criminal behaviors within their respective dioceses. I also highlighted that Cardinal Ratzinger (Now Pope Benedict) in 2001 who was in charge of the CDF convinced Pope John Paul II to allow the CDF to handle all of the claims. This decision by Ratzinger was made because of the gross ineptitude's of the American Bishops in handling the cases. Unfortunately this welcome change of policy, did little to stop the tide of the media back lash that was just beginning in 2001 and would reach its zenith in 2002.
In June 2002, the Catholic the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) met in Dallas to deal specifically with this problem. The Bishops, at the conference decided upon forming two entities, a lay and a ecclesiastical one. Out of this meeting The National Review Board and the Office of Child and Youth Protection (OCYP) were formed. The USCCB also decided that two studies would be conducted to help explain the social trends of the abuse allegations.
In December of 2002 Kathleen McChesney the head of the OCYP contacted The John Jay school of criminal justice to conduct the first study. John Jay was chosen because it was a secular organization, and it had an excellent reputation as a first rate, criminal research school. The overall purpose of the study as it was stated was,
"...to provide the first-ever, complete accounting, or census, of the number of priests against whom allegations of child sexual abuse were made and of the incidents alleged to have occurred between 1950 and 2002. (pg. 2) The research was funded entirely by the USCCB.
Here are some of the highlights that were listed in the study: (Refer to figure 2.3.1 http://www.usccb.org/nrb/johnjaystudy/prev3.pdf)
The important thing to note in these findings is that I am not trying to rationalize the sexual abuse at the hands of priests as being less traumatizing because of the lower number of incidents. I am simply just trying to show that sexual abuse was a tragic phenomena that stretched across our entire society, not just within the church
To provide more context check out this article from the national catholic register. http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/12_things_every_catholic_should_know_about_the_u.s._scandals/
In my next installment I will speak about how sexual abuse has infiltrated different areas in our society.
In June 2002, the Catholic the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) met in Dallas to deal specifically with this problem. The Bishops, at the conference decided upon forming two entities, a lay and a ecclesiastical one. Out of this meeting The National Review Board and the Office of Child and Youth Protection (OCYP) were formed. The USCCB also decided that two studies would be conducted to help explain the social trends of the abuse allegations.
In December of 2002 Kathleen McChesney the head of the OCYP contacted The John Jay school of criminal justice to conduct the first study. John Jay was chosen because it was a secular organization, and it had an excellent reputation as a first rate, criminal research school. The overall purpose of the study as it was stated was,
"...to provide the first-ever, complete accounting, or census, of the number of priests against whom allegations of child sexual abuse were made and of the incidents alleged to have occurred between 1950 and 2002. (pg. 2) The research was funded entirely by the USCCB.
Here are some of the highlights that were listed in the study: (Refer to figure 2.3.1 http://www.usccb.org/nrb/johnjaystudy/prev3.pdf)
- From 1950 to 2002 Out of roughly 75, 000 diocesan and 34,000 religious priests the percentages of total accused priests was roughly 4.27 % diocesan (3,282/76,694) and 2.7% (929/34,000) for religious priests
- The data also measured the national trends of reported sex abuse cases (not just for priests)
- the Data also shows a consistent increase of incidents nationally and within priests from 1950 until reaching a the climax at around 1982. In 1982 the amount of reported cases among priests was about 500
- From 1982 till 2002 there is a steep and steady decline in reported incidents all across the board among priests and society
- This downward trend is also consistent with all reported incidents not just in priest reported cases
- The reported incidents of priests (500) even at it's height around 1982 was still significantly lower than the national average of other reported abuses which was about 800
- This downward trend continues to this very day.
The important thing to note in these findings is that I am not trying to rationalize the sexual abuse at the hands of priests as being less traumatizing because of the lower number of incidents. I am simply just trying to show that sexual abuse was a tragic phenomena that stretched across our entire society, not just within the church
To provide more context check out this article from the national catholic register. http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/12_things_every_catholic_should_know_about_the_u.s._scandals/
In my next installment I will speak about how sexual abuse has infiltrated different areas in our society.
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