ANOTHER senior religious figure involved in child sex scandal

[BigGully]

I am a church-goer - not catholic - and have some sympathy with what you say. But I hope it is an exaggeration to talk about child abuse being endemic in the Churches and to say that it is "even encouraged."

Any decent thinking people inside or outside the Church would agree that the full weight of the law should come down on anyone found guilty of any such offence, and this all the more so because it is an absolutely foul abuse of a position of privilege and trust.

I would also opine (good word, that) that any individuals that can be proved to have turned a blind eyeto such practices, particularly if this included allowing things to continue, should be prosecuted as well. If this included in a Catholic or Anglican Diocese a systematic cover-up or tolerance of such things, then there should be corporate prosecutions as well, if the channels to prosecute are available - i.e. is there an equivalent to corporate manslaughter that could be used.

In terms of child abuse being encouraged, that possibility is just unthinkable. I realise that this does not mean it hasn't happened, but if it has, then some corporate action - and by that I mean action against the institutions must be taken. Apart from anything else, the institutions themselves should want to sort it out, and it would be in their interests as well as everybody else to have it all out in the open and being dealt with.

Agree with most of what you have said, but I am not sure if that has panned out in the many abuse cases within the church.

But if as me you accept that the churches didnt/doesnt turn priests into paedophiles, then there must have been a known pathway within the paedophile community where it recognised that this might be a favourable environment in which they can abuse.

 

[rool]

Agree with most of what you have said, but I am not sure if that has panned out in the many abuse cases within the church.

But if as me you accept that the churches didnt/doesnt turn priests into paedophiles, then there must have been a known pathway within the paedophile community where it recognised that this might be a favourable environment in which they can abuse.

There is a school of thought that the RC Church's code of mandatory celibacy might actually be responsible for turning some priests into paedophiles.
Many young men were sent into the priesthood because the parents could no longer support their large families and these men were surplus to requirements on the farm.
These men/boys would be sent from their families at 16/17, without any discussion or agreement on their part, and placed into training for priesthood and have to ignore or resist any natural sexual urges from that point on in their life.
Some, of course, were just sick, evil, bullying bastards who preyed with impunity on the children of their congregation.

 

[Neil]

Why aren't all clergy CRB checked ??

 

[rool]

Why aren't all clergy CRB checked ??

This is the weird thing. I was the treasurer for a cubs group once, with no contact whatsoever with the children, and I still had to be CRB checked.

 

[supaseagull]

Your faith in the CRB process, highlights its weakness.

The CRB checking process is quite a blunt tool, firstly it becomes outdated the moment it is issued, but I accept it should deter those already prosecuted which is a start.

However I think sometimes it offers a false security, where those charged to protect children will accept a clear CRB file and then give too much access to our children based on that check.

Its a tricky balancing act as undoubtedly there are so many well meaning and hard working adults that offer children opportunities and experiences that will enhance our children's childhoods, we need to be cautious but proportionate.

For what it's worth, I do agree with you on your point about it being outdated. I also think that the only way to resolve this is to have a database allowing the right people (ie welfare officers) involved in youth organisations access to a constantly updated database of offenders is the way forward. However, sadly this would never get off the ground because I'm sure that some human rights campaigners would complain that this would be an infringement of civil liberties.

Sorry - when I said effective, I probably meant the "only currently effective way"...

Totally agree with your sentiments in your last paragraph though...SO important NOT to have the Daily Hate attitude of everyone in the Catholic Church, or everyone in light entertainment in the 70's being labelled a paedophile...All this does is create undue suspicion and ultimately, will DETER the RIGHT people from getting involved in youth education / groups.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I would also opine (good word, that) that any individuals that can be proved to have turned a blind eyeto such practices, particularly if this included allowing things to continue, should be prosecuted as well. If this included in a Catholic or Anglican Diocese a systematic cover-up or tolerance of such things, then there should be corporate prosecutions as well, if the channels to prosecute are available - i.e. is there an equivalent to corporate manslaughter that could be used.

Why hasn't this happened then? Why has the Catholic Church barely even bought itself to the point of admitting there was even a problem. The cases are worldwide. Ireland, Australia, American, South Africa - thousands of cases where the church has consistently tried to cover up. In Ireland they even took out indemnity insurance against legal fees for court cases relating to child abuse decades before they came to light.

The same church is yet still able to preach to us the morality of contraception and gay marriage. You couldn't make it up, even Monty Python couldn't have sent up the Catholic church as much as they are doing to themselves.

 

[BigGully]

Why aren't all clergy CRB checked ??

Irrelevant, those that have come to light as abusers, would have had clear checks, maybe even using this as a tool for greater access to children without hindrance.