Tag: usa

When the last Catholic sex-abuse scandal was beginning to make headlines in 2002, a Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll found that 64 percent of those polled thought Catholic priests "frequently" abused children.

It's important such scandals come to light, but in our focus on Catholics we miss other important things and put our children at higher risk than necessary.

THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT STATUTORY WARNING

Know and recognize the symptoms of a priest �grooming� or molesting children:

http://sexual-abuse.suite101.com/arti...om_victims

Report suspicious behavior by priests to the FBI, the US Attorney or the National Child Abuse Hotline:

http://www.childhelp.org/pages/hotline

1-800-4-A-CHILD

DO NOT report the problem to the diocese, Catholic DAs or police departments with Catholic lieutenants, captains and/or chiefs.

Obama said �It�s time we put this church on notice that their pervert molesters and their criminal accomplices will now be reported to and investigated and prosecuted by US Justice. It�s time to take a stand and say enough�

By: Debra Haffner, Darkness to Light

It can happen in your congregation, too.

The crisis in the Roman Catholic Church is a stark reminder that people we love and admire may turn out to be sex offenders, capable of causing irreparable damage to young lives. Various studies indicate that a not-insignificant minority of adults (perhaps 3 to 20%) may experience some sexual arousal toward children or teenagers. Most do not act on their attractions, but some do - and they could well be some of the "nicest" people you know.

GENEVA - A LEADING Swiss priest on Sunday called on the Vatican to set up an international register of Roman Catholic clergy who have been reported for sex abuse.

Martin Werlen, a member of the Swiss Bishops Conference, said he fears that the Catholic hierarchy has failed to take the impact of the latest child sex abuse scandals in Ireland and elsewhere seriously enough.

Sex abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church are proof that that "the Devil is at work inside the Vatican", according to the Holy See's chief exorcist.

Father Gabriele Amorth, 85, who has been the Vatican's chief exorcist for 25 years and says he has dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession, said that the consequences of satanic infiltration included power struggles at the Vatican as well as "cardinals who do not believe in Jesus, and bishops who are linked to the Demon".

ORANGE PARK - In the same church where 7-year-old Somer Thompson was memorialized after her October abduction and murder, about 300 parents came together Saturday night to learn how to protect their children.

Child protection expert Ken Wooden didn't disappoint, providing parents with a list of the most common lures that predators use to attract and seduce their victims.

This fact sheet highlights key issues related to sex offenses and the management of sex offenders who are under the control of the justice system. It is prepared for members of the public who want to know more about sexual assault, sex offenders, and the role that citizens can play in keeping their communities safe.

By Erika Stutzman (Contact)

Making the term apply to non-sex-offenders a scary proposition

The term "sex offender" has the tendency to, quite rightfully, strike fear in parents' hearts, cause countless Web sites to track registries (complete with searchable maps), and inspire the citizenry to distribute fliers and call public meetings. And we're not making light of any of it -- the Child Molestation Research and Prevention Institute estimates that two of every 10 girls and one of every 10 boys will be abused by the end of their 13th year.

Be wary, but not paranoid, of adults who have one or several of these behaviors.

Quoted in full from www.clergyabuseaustralia.org and used with permission.

In September 1999, the Dept of Justice in Wisconsin, USA, published the following profile of a typical paedophile:


*Most often an adult male
*Usually married
*Wide range of occupations from unskilled to executive
*Usually is non-violent, has few problems with the law, often is a well respected member of the community.
*Relates better to children than adults
*Socializes with few adults unless they also are pedophiles
*Prefers children in a specific age group
*Prefers males or females but may be bisexual
*May seek employment or volunteer for programs involving children of the age of his preference
*Pursues children for sexual purposes
*May take or collect photos of his victims (either dressed, nude or in sexually explicit acts)
*Collects child erotica and child-adult pornography
*May furnish narcotics to victims to lower inhibitions
*Usually is intelligent enough to recognize he has a problem and that it is severe
*May go to great lengths to conceal illegal activity
*Often rationalizes his activities by saying they have a positive impact on the victim -- minimizes or denies that any harm was done
*Often portrays the child as the aggressor
*Talks about children in the same manner one would talk about an adult lover or spouse
*May correspond with other pedophiles and/or exchange child pornography
*May seek out organizations/publications that support his sexual beliefs
*Often was molested as a child and frequently seeks out children at the age he was molested.

http://www.clergyabuseaustralia.org/stats.htm