"I will be cross-examined, up before the public again with efforts to confuse me, trick me and this sort of thing. It’s a mental battle and emotional battle all over again”– 70 year old retired professional, Mount Cashel Alleged Abuse Survivor previously
The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corp. of St.
John’s will be in court next week fighting 60 claimants of physical and sexual
abuse who claim they were abused by the Christian Brothers from the 1940’s to
the late 1960’s at the Mount Cashel Orphanage in St. John's.
Yea, I know, wasn’t this all settled in the
1990’s? Apparently not, the New
York-based Christian Brothers Institute Inc. went bankrupt in 2011, leaving the
Roman Catholic Episcopal Corp. of St. John’s to pay for the orders sins. The
corporation says it was not involved in the operation of the orphanage, however the survivors disagree.
The courts offer an adversarial remedy, the further pain inflicted on survivors seems not to be a real concern - there are bigger issues at play than 60 people's ruined lifes.
The result is a test case where four
alleged victims will be forced to go to court to be re-victimized by recalling,
reliving and enduring vigorous cross examinations by aggressive defense lawyers
determined to undermine and destroy their credibility - to create doubt.
While only four alleged victims will face
the brutality of the court system, hundreds of other victims of sexual and
physical abuse at the hands of Roman Catholic clergy will be forced to deal
with demons that did not go away.
They will be reminded of their suffering
through daily media accounts of the trial. Men will be dragged before the
cameras to rehash their anger with the church. They will accuse the church of
being only concerned about it’s financial well being as opposed to the needs of these poor lambs that
were slaughtered by the white collared Sheppard’s of God.
After the revelations of the 1990's can there be any doubt about the sadistic sexual and physical abuse that occurred at this institution that was covered-up by the Justice System for decades. Surely, there has to be another way.
Males, both as children and as adults, can be victims and survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault. Sexual abuse is not just a women’s issue.
The burden of coming forward to report
is not a women's issue. The impact of sexual abuse is not just a women’s issue.
It is a societal issue. It is estimated that the majority of sexual assaults against males and females (88%) are not reported to police.
These abused men suffered emotionally, suffered depression, suffered from Post traumatic Stress Disorder and many contemplated and attempted suicide.
They were extremely ashamed of what had happened, feeling guilty as if it were their fault and feeling unworthy of anyone’s love. Some turned to negative coping strategies like disassociation, alcohol and drug, and sexual promiscuity
Should a caring, loving church force these
alleged victims to walk the gauntlet, again?
Mount Cashel, The Presentation nuns –
they are all Roman Catholic entities, the public does not see the legally defined
differences.
All they see is the church protecting it’s perceived wealth at
the expense of those abused by clergy.
The church, not the Christian brothers is
on trial. The official church has been
shown to have been complicit in the past when it came to the abuse of boys in it’s
parishes. They cut deals, ignored the abuse and moved the perpetrators around
to abuse new victims.
Even if they are not “legally responsible”, the Church has
a moral imperative to settle with these men. Perhaps Rome itself needs to step
in.
This trial has the potential to undo decades of compassion and healing. Those that have
returned to the church will once again have their faith challenged.
This to me is about institutional abuse, the sick people who perverted justice, protected pedophiles from prosecution and a lack of
compassion for the child victims.
Why do we continue to support the Church with our time, talent and treasure?
I am so angry. So disillusioned. So confused. So hurt.
Will it ever end?
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