November 14, 2013 Philadelphia Tribune – The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office may have been legally unable to pursue further prosecution of a Catholic priest accused of sexual abuse, but that won’t stop a wrongful death civil suit from being leveled against him.
On Wednesday, Philadelphia attorneys Marci Hamilton, Daniel Monahan and Jeff Anderson announced they were taking civil action against former Catholic priest Robert Brennan, Monsignor William Lynn and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The civil suit is on behalf of Sean McIlmail, who died of an accidental drug overdose on Oct. 13, 2013 at age 26 and accused Brennan of sexually abusing him when he was a child. McIlmail claimed Brennan abused him for years, beginning at age 11 in 1998. The District Attorney’s Office had planned to prosecute Brennan, but had to drop the charges against Brennan after McIllmail’s death.
The complaint alleges that the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, and Msgr. William Lynn knew of numerous child sexual abuse allegations against Brennan at least ten years before Brennan sexually abused McIlmail. Brennan was sent for evaluation several times after which the Archdiocese and its representatives allegedly covered-up the accusations about Brennan’s extreme risk to children and placed him back in ministry.
According to attorneys, whistleblowers came forward complaining about Brennan’s inappropriate behavior with children going back as far as 1988 but the complaints were ignored. Over time Brennan was reassigned to several parishes including St. Mary’s Parish in Schwenksville, Pa., St. Ignatius Parish in Yardley, and Resurrection Parish in Rhawnhurst, among others.
“Sean suffered debilitating shame and humiliation as a result of Brennan’s abuse of him and struggled for years to deal with the abuse,” said attorney Marci Hamilton. “His family did everything they possibly could to support him and he made dramatic strides over the last year. They are devastated that he lost his battle with drug addiction, which was caused by the extreme stress of dealing with the abuse and the callous cover-up by his home archdiocese. Sean’s story is the horrific story of too many child sex abuse victims. It is time to bring the institutions that create the conditions for abuse to justice and to force out the full truth so that we can turn the tide on America’s epidemic of child sex abuse and the institutions that let it happen. Legal justice is what Sean wanted and what he deserves.”
According to the original 2005 Grand Jury report in which Brennan was named, sexually abusive priests were either left quietly where they were assigned or transferred to unsuspecting parishes. When Brennan was removed from an assignment in 1992 because of the allegations against him, a parishioner remembered being told to pray for Brennan, who was supposedly being treated for Lyme disease. No mention of the accusations was ever mentioned.
“As with all of the other cases we have filed against the Philadelphia Archdiocese, the abuse in this case should never have happened,” said attorney Daniel Monahan. “Sean was only 2-years-old when the Archdiocese first learned about Brennan’s inappropriate acts with children. Had they done the right thing then, Sean would be with us here today and he might have had the family he dreamed about. Instead the McIllmail family has had to suffer the worst tragedy and parent can suffer the loss of a child because of the callous failures of the Archdiocese.”
Despite continuing accusations against Brennan wherever the Church reassigned him, no restrictions on his access to children was ever implemented, the grand jury report said. Not only that, none of his associates at the various parishes was ever informed of the sexual abuse allegations. In fact, those who complained about him were removed. The report went on to say that Cardinal Bevilacqua allowed Brennan to remain at Resurrection of Our Lord Parish with no restrictions on his ministry or his access to children. Father Thomas C. Scanlon and Marie McGuirl, who complained to the Archdiocese about Brennan’s misconduct with boys, however, were removed. The pastor appointed by Cardinal Bevilacqua to replace Fr. Scanlon, Fr. Michael J. Ryan, told the Grand Jury that he was told nothing about Fr. Brennan’s history. The new pastor further said as a result, he permitted Fr. Brennan full access to the parish youth.
“Sean courageously came forward and started the journey to hold Brennan and top Archdiocesan officials accountable and to help protect other children by reporting Brennan to law enforcement. This lawsuit is a continuation of those efforts and from the unspeakable horror we will continue to fight for truth and justice in Sean’s memory,” said attorney Jeff Anderson.
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2013-11-18 14:11:042013-11-18 14:11:04Family of only survivor in statute so far against Fr. Brennan files suit. They are praying more come forward.
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2013-11-17 16:46:492013-11-17 16:47:56Great analysis of PA situation
The state government’s eagerly awaited report on clergy child sex abuse recommends sweeping changes to laws behind which the Catholic Church has sheltered, and accused its leaders of trivialising the problem as a ‘‘short-term embarrassment’’.
Launching the report in State Parliament, inquiry chairwoman Georgie Crozier spoke of ‘‘a betrayal beyond comprehension’’ and children suffering ‘‘unimaginable harm’’.
A sliding morality has emerged in the Catholic Church.
She said the inquiry had referred 135 previously unreported claims of child sex abuse to the police.
The report into how the churches handled clergy sexual abuse wants to establish a new crime for people in authority knowingly to put a child a risk, and to make it a crime not to report suspected child abuse or to leave a child at risk. The recommendation does not extend to what priests hear in the confessional.
Grooming a child or parents should be a crime, child abuse should be excluded from the statute of limitations, and the present church systems of dealing with victims in-house should be replaced by an independent government-monitored authority, suggests the report, Betrayal of Trust.
Committee member Andrea Coote said the Catholic Church had minimised and trivialised the problem, kept the community in ignorance, and ensured that perpetrators were not held accountable, so that children continued to be abused.
‘‘With the notable exception of Father Kevin Dillon [the Geelong priest who gave evidence], we found that today’s church leaders view the current question of abuse of children as a ‘short-term embarrassment’ which should be handled as quickly as possible to cause the least damage to the church’s standing. They do not see the problems as raising questions about the church’s own culture,’’ she said.
The betrayal of trust at a number of levels of the church hierarchy was in such contrast to the religion’s stated values that many Catholics found the betrayal almost impossible to acknowledge, Ms Coote said.
The church had developed a ‘‘sliding morality’’, compartmentalising the issues to avoid the ‘‘obvious moral conflicts’’. The church’s own submission barely mentioned past church policies, and was expressed mainly in the present tense, she said.
Ms Crozier said the inquiry had been significant and historic, begun last year at a time when no other government within Australia was prepared to take on these confronting issues.
Besides recommending new criminal laws, the report suggests way to make it easier for victims to seek justice. These include ensuring organisations are held accountable and vicariously liable, and that any organisation receiving government funding or tax exemptions are incorporated and insured. This would eliminate the so-called Ellis defence, by which the church successfully argued it was not an entity that could be sued.
It recommends strengthening prevention systems such as the working with children checks, and increasing scrutiny and monitoring of organisations.
Ms Crozier said children were betrayed by trusted figures in organisations of high standing, and suffered unimaginable harm. ‘‘Parents experienced a betrayal beyond comprehension, and the community was betrayed by the failure of organisations to protect children in their care.’’
Premier Denis Napthine said the abuse detailed in the report was “absolutely appalling” and said religious involved should hang their heads in shame.
Dr Napthine said the government would immediately begin drafting legislation that reflected the committee’s recommendations including:
– A new criminal offence for “grooming” a child
– a new child endangerment offence
– removing statute of limitations on offences
– making it a crime to conceal child abuse offences
Dr Napthine was raised in a Catholic household and attended a Catholic school.
“I can’t claim to be a practising Catholic at the moment, but let me say I’m ashamed and embarrassed by the actions of the Catholic Church,’’ Dr Napthine said,
“The leaders of the Catholic Church who were involved some of these actions ought to absolutely hang their heads in shame, and that’s the least of what they should do.’’
He called on all institutions and organisations to accept the recommendations and urged them to “read every word of this report.”
On establishing a victim’s of crime fund for abuse victims, Dr Napthine said the government would thoroughly investigate all recommendations.
Dr Napthine praised the man he replaced, Ted Baillieu, for putting systemic child abuse on the national agenda, saying the Victorian inquiry helped set up the Royal Commission.
Catholic Archbishop Denis Hart said child abuse was not a short-term embarrassment, and although it could still do better the church had made good progress.
He supported the key recommendations, but declined to endorse any in particular, saying they were complex legal matters. He said the report gave an opportunity for the church and other groups to ‘‘move forward together’’.
Archbishop Hart said the church had cooperated with the inquiry, with more than 20 Catholic representatives giving evidence. Next would come a time of exploration as the government considered its response, and the church would contribute constructively.
Committee members were greeted warmly when they left the chamber.
Chrissie and Anthony Foster, whose daughters were serially abused at primary school by paedophile priest Kevin O’Donnell, hugged Ms Crozier and David O’Brien simultaneously.
Stephen Woods, who was sexually assaulted by convicted paedophile Christian Brother Robert Best said: ‘‘It’s just the start, another step in the change in society… so that parliamentarians and victims will now be able to potentially change one corner of society.’’
Mr Woods, who was abused when he was a student at a Christian Brothers school, said that the report gave victims and the community ‘‘power and impetus to change’’.
He said he was not surprised by the strong recommendations Ms Crozier had earlier flagged, saying that there was a ‘‘palpable change in the mood and tone’’ of the committee members during the inquiry when victims began to give evidence.
Mr Woods gave Andrea Coote a kiss on the cheek when she entered the lobby area and smiled: “Thank you, darling Andrea.”
Many of the victims and victim advocates who gave evidence and sat in Parliament throughout the state inquiry stayed till the end, including Good Faith & Associates’ Helen Last, lawyers Judy Courtin and Angela Sdrinis and Care Leavers Australia Network executive director Leonie Sheedy.
In Parliament’s lower house MPs from all sides showed raw emotion when discussing the inquiry, with sympathetic handshakes and hugs crossing party lines.
Inquiry members, including Liberal Nick Wakeling and Labor’s Bronwyn Halfpenny, choked back tears as they detailed the work of the committee and the harrowing stories they heard.
Mr Wakeling said hearing the evidence had taken its toll on some and paid tribute to all those who participated.
MPs wiped back tears as the listened to their colleagues talk about the inquiry.
Nationals MP Tim Bull said the greatest betrayal of trust was the rape of children.
Labor’s Sharon Knight said the inquiry was “beyond politics” and praised the bipartisan work of the committee.
It’s not hard to imagine there are possibly more victims locally of Sean Vickers, who is facing multiple felony counts of alleged child sexual abuse in Genesee and Niagara counties, said Det. Kevin Czora.
Vickers was indicted Friday on 10 more felony counts stemming for the alleged abuse of four victims from the 1990s to the 2000s in Batavia. The 44-year-old Geneva resident was originally arrested in May following an investigation by Batavia PD that started when Niagara County investigators brought information to local detectives about potential victims in the city.
Since Vickers lived in more than one residence in the county over the years, Czora said, it’s possible — if Vickers is the kind of monster the charges against him suggest — that there are victims out there whom local investigators know nothing about.
“Currently, just by the numbers we’re aware of, he’s a serial abuser,” Czora said.
That’s why local investigators are asking anybody who knows anything about Vickers and possible victims to contact law enforcement.
To contact Batavia PD, call (585) 345-6350 or outside the city, contact your local law enforcement agency.
Vickers is accused of sexually molesting three boys in the Barker and Middleport areas last year. Last month he was indicated in Niagara County on six counts of predatory sexual assault against a child. He faces from 25 years to life in prison on the Genesee and Niagara counties charges.
At the time of his arrest, Vickers was already a registered Level 3 sex offender. He had a misdemeanor conviction for a sexual act in Monroe County and in 2009 he was convicted of a felony in New Hampshire for victimizing an underage boy there.
Last May, David A. Vickers, the 49-year-old brother of Sean, was arrested on a federal charge of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity. The charge carries a maximum possible sentence of life in federal prison.
David Vickers is accused of molesting a boy from Buffalo over a 10-year period and a Batavia boy over a five-year period, according to the Buffalo News. The first case allegedly began in 1989 and the second in 1999.
Sean Vickers allegedly introduced his brother to the Batavia boy.
When news broke of Vicker’s arrest in May, the media reports prompted some people who are now adults to come forward and report they were allegedly abused by Vickers.
In the cases of those adults, however, the alleged crimes happened at a time when the state’s statute of limitations on child sexual abuse was five years.
That doesn’t mean, however, knowing about those alleged acts and gathering that evidence is a waste in the Vicker’s case, Czora said. The more evidence gathered, the more it will help in the prosecution of the alleged crimes that aren’t covered by the statute of limitations.
“We’ve reached out as best we can and now it’s a matter of them reaching out to us to let us know what they’re aware of and if they’ve been abused,” Czora said. “Some of them, depending on the time frame, we may not be able to do anything criminally, however, there’s always counseling, which every victim is entitled to even if the case is prosecuted or not.”
For the adults who did come forward after the news came out, there was a sense of closure, Czora said.
“Each case makes the other cases that much stronger and it shows the seriousness and how far Sean Vickers has gone and how he damaged so many different lives,” Czora said. “All that can be used later through the courts.”
VIckers is currently being held in the Genesee County Jail on $500,000 bail or $500,000 bond. The judge in Niagara County ordered Vickers held without bail.
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2013-11-11 14:51:222013-11-11 14:51:22Best argument there is for SOL reform!
SALT LAKE CITY — An upcoming parole date for a convicted child sex offender has been revoked after a number of victims came forward to testify against him.
The Board of Pardons and Parole opted Tuesday to cancel this month’s release date for Michael Doporto, who has served 20 years for raping a child. Doporto must again complete an 18-month sex offender treatment program and will not be eligible for a parole hearing again until May 2016.
Doporto was convicted of one count of sexual abuse of a child and sodomy on a child in 1998. The sex abuse conviction carried a sentence of up to 15 years, which he has served. The sodomy conviction carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
Five women who say they were victims of abuse or rape at Doporto’s hands delivered comments during a hearing Oct. 10, pleading with parole board officer Jim Hatch to keep Doporto in prison for life.
Their efforts included an online petition and a demonstration by members of the group Bikers Against Child Abuse, which attended the packed hearing to support the victims.
Although Doporto was only convicted of raping one of the women because the statute of limitations prevented the other cases from being brought to trial, he has admitted in post-conviction documents that he did assault the others.
All of the women spoke of how they continue to struggle in their personal lives today, many saying they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and battle depression, panic attacks and anxiety daily. One of the women said she has had suicidal thoughts and has cut herself in the past as a way to deal with it.
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2013-11-08 21:18:382013-11-08 21:18:38Thanks to these brave survivors! And UT needs to revisit its SOLs.
Churchgoers in Minnesota may not have realized that their tithings would be used to help protect sex offenders, but the Minneapolis StarTribune reports that the Catholic church “spent heavily” to stop legal changes that would lengthen the time during which victims could file suits for childhood sex abuse.
According to the StarTribune, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis was the primary lobbyist opposing the Child Victims Act, spending more than $800,000 over a period of seven years.
The bill, which removed the statute of limitations for child sex crimes, ultimately passed; despite the church’s lobbying attempts, the state Senate granted unanimous approval. It was enacted in May, and at least 18 suits have arisen since then.
Bill proponent Joel Juers, who claims he was a victim of sexual abuse while attending Shattuck-St. Mary’s boarding school more than 30 years ago, spoke with Minnesota Public Radio News after the Senate voted.
“From the beginning, there was one ‘yes’ vote, and zero ‘nays,’ and then two and then 15, and then 20, and then 30, and still zero ‘nays,'” he said. “It was like the entire Senate was standing next to me saying, ‘We understand your plight. We understand your story, and we stand behind you.”
State Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, who authored the bill, explained his rationale, saying, “We need the courthouse to be open to them when they are able to come forward. Those legally responsible — perpetrators and those that protect them — can escape justice just because of the passage of time.”
Latz also addressed the church’s lobbying efforts: “They want the public to believe they are very caring about something, but behind the scenes they are very actively opposing the kind of steps or remedies or legislation that would hold them accountable for their conduct.”
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2013-11-06 22:30:012014-01-07 23:26:47More on MN Window
Family of only survivor in statute so far against Fr. Brennan files suit. They are praying more come forward.
/in Pennsylvania /by SOL ReformMARCI HAMILTON TAKES CIVIL ACTION AGAINST FORMER CATHOLIC PRIEST
November 14, 2013 Philadelphia Tribune – The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office may have been legally unable to pursue further prosecution of a Catholic priest accused of sexual abuse, but that won’t stop a wrongful death civil suit from being leveled against him.
On Wednesday, Philadelphia attorneys Marci Hamilton, Daniel Monahan and Jeff Anderson announced they were taking civil action against former Catholic priest Robert Brennan, Monsignor William Lynn and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The civil suit is on behalf of Sean McIlmail, who died of an accidental drug overdose on Oct. 13, 2013 at age 26 and accused Brennan of sexually abusing him when he was a child. McIlmail claimed Brennan abused him for years, beginning at age 11 in 1998. The District Attorney’s Office had planned to prosecute Brennan, but had to drop the charges against Brennan after McIllmail’s death.
The complaint alleges that the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, and Msgr. William Lynn knew of numerous child sexual abuse allegations against Brennan at least ten years before Brennan sexually abused McIlmail. Brennan was sent for evaluation several times after which the Archdiocese and its representatives allegedly covered-up the accusations about Brennan’s extreme risk to children and placed him back in ministry.
According to attorneys, whistleblowers came forward complaining about Brennan’s inappropriate behavior with children going back as far as 1988 but the complaints were ignored. Over time Brennan was reassigned to several parishes including St. Mary’s Parish in Schwenksville, Pa., St. Ignatius Parish in Yardley, and Resurrection Parish in Rhawnhurst, among others.
“Sean suffered debilitating shame and humiliation as a result of Brennan’s abuse of him and struggled for years to deal with the abuse,” said attorney Marci Hamilton. “His family did everything they possibly could to support him and he made dramatic strides over the last year. They are devastated that he lost his battle with drug addiction, which was caused by the extreme stress of dealing with the abuse and the callous cover-up by his home archdiocese. Sean’s story is the horrific story of too many child sex abuse victims. It is time to bring the institutions that create the conditions for abuse to justice and to force out the full truth so that we can turn the tide on America’s epidemic of child sex abuse and the institutions that let it happen. Legal justice is what Sean wanted and what he deserves.”
According to the original 2005 Grand Jury report in which Brennan was named, sexually abusive priests were either left quietly where they were assigned or transferred to unsuspecting parishes. When Brennan was removed from an assignment in 1992 because of the allegations against him, a parishioner remembered being told to pray for Brennan, who was supposedly being treated for Lyme disease. No mention of the accusations was ever mentioned.
“As with all of the other cases we have filed against the Philadelphia Archdiocese, the abuse in this case should never have happened,” said attorney Daniel Monahan. “Sean was only 2-years-old when the Archdiocese first learned about Brennan’s inappropriate acts with children. Had they done the right thing then, Sean would be with us here today and he might have had the family he dreamed about. Instead the McIllmail family has had to suffer the worst tragedy and parent can suffer the loss of a child because of the callous failures of the Archdiocese.”
Despite continuing accusations against Brennan wherever the Church reassigned him, no restrictions on his access to children was ever implemented, the grand jury report said. Not only that, none of his associates at the various parishes was ever informed of the sexual abuse allegations. In fact, those who complained about him were removed. The report went on to say that Cardinal Bevilacqua allowed Brennan to remain at Resurrection of Our Lord Parish with no restrictions on his ministry or his access to children. Father Thomas C. Scanlon and Marie McGuirl, who complained to the Archdiocese about Brennan’s misconduct with boys, however, were removed. The pastor appointed by Cardinal Bevilacqua to replace Fr. Scanlon, Fr. Michael J. Ryan, told the Grand Jury that he was told nothing about Fr. Brennan’s history. The new pastor further said as a result, he permitted Fr. Brennan full access to the parish youth.
“Sean courageously came forward and started the journey to hold Brennan and top Archdiocesan officials accountable and to help protect other children by reporting Brennan to law enforcement. This lawsuit is a continuation of those efforts and from the unspeakable horror we will continue to fight for truth and justice in Sean’s memory,” said attorney Jeff Anderson.
Contact Staff Writer Larry Miller at (215) 893-5782 or lmiller@phillytrib.com.
http://www.cardozo.yu.edu/news/marci-hamilton-takes-civil-action-against-former-catholic-priest
Great analysis of PA situation
/in Pennsylvania /by SOL Reformhttp://catholics4change.com/
Inquiry into child sex abuse slams Catholics, recommends sweeping change
/in Uncategorized /by SOL ReformInquiry into child sex abuse slams Catholics, recommends sweeping change
By Barney Zwartz and Jane Lee
The state government’s eagerly awaited report on clergy child sex abuse recommends sweeping changes to laws behind which the Catholic Church has sheltered, and accused its leaders of trivialising the problem as a ‘‘short-term embarrassment’’.
Launching the report in State Parliament, inquiry chairwoman Georgie Crozier spoke of ‘‘a betrayal beyond comprehension’’ and children suffering ‘‘unimaginable harm’’.
She said the inquiry had referred 135 previously unreported claims of child sex abuse to the police.
The report into how the churches handled clergy sexual abuse wants to establish a new crime for people in authority knowingly to put a child a risk, and to make it a crime not to report suspected child abuse or to leave a child at risk. The recommendation does not extend to what priests hear in the confessional.
Grooming a child or parents should be a crime, child abuse should be excluded from the statute of limitations, and the present church systems of dealing with victims in-house should be replaced by an independent government-monitored authority, suggests the report, Betrayal of Trust.
Committee member Andrea Coote said the Catholic Church had minimised and trivialised the problem, kept the community in ignorance, and ensured that perpetrators were not held accountable, so that children continued to be abused.
‘‘With the notable exception of Father Kevin Dillon [the Geelong priest who gave evidence], we found that today’s church leaders view the current question of abuse of children as a ‘short-term embarrassment’ which should be handled as quickly as possible to cause the least damage to the church’s standing. They do not see the problems as raising questions about the church’s own culture,’’ she said.
The betrayal of trust at a number of levels of the church hierarchy was in such contrast to the religion’s stated values that many Catholics found the betrayal almost impossible to acknowledge, Ms Coote said.
The church had developed a ‘‘sliding morality’’, compartmentalising the issues to avoid the ‘‘obvious moral conflicts’’. The church’s own submission barely mentioned past church policies, and was expressed mainly in the present tense, she said.
Ms Crozier said the inquiry had been significant and historic, begun last year at a time when no other government within Australia was prepared to take on these confronting issues.
Besides recommending new criminal laws, the report suggests way to make it easier for victims to seek justice. These include ensuring organisations are held accountable and vicariously liable, and that any organisation receiving government funding or tax exemptions are incorporated and insured. This would eliminate the so-called Ellis defence, by which the church successfully argued it was not an entity that could be sued.
It recommends strengthening prevention systems such as the working with children checks, and increasing scrutiny and monitoring of organisations.
Ms Crozier said children were betrayed by trusted figures in organisations of high standing, and suffered unimaginable harm. ‘‘Parents experienced a betrayal beyond comprehension, and the community was betrayed by the failure of organisations to protect children in their care.’’
Premier Denis Napthine said the abuse detailed in the report was “absolutely appalling” and said religious involved should hang their heads in shame.
Dr Napthine said the government would immediately begin drafting legislation that reflected the committee’s recommendations including:
– A new criminal offence for “grooming” a child
– a new child endangerment offence
– removing statute of limitations on offences
– making it a crime to conceal child abuse offences
Dr Napthine was raised in a Catholic household and attended a Catholic school.
“I can’t claim to be a practising Catholic at the moment, but let me say I’m ashamed and embarrassed by the actions of the Catholic Church,’’ Dr Napthine said,
“The leaders of the Catholic Church who were involved some of these actions ought to absolutely hang their heads in shame, and that’s the least of what they should do.’’
He called on all institutions and organisations to accept the recommendations and urged them to “read every word of this report.”
On establishing a victim’s of crime fund for abuse victims, Dr Napthine said the government would thoroughly investigate all recommendations.
Dr Napthine praised the man he replaced, Ted Baillieu, for putting systemic child abuse on the national agenda, saying the Victorian inquiry helped set up the Royal Commission.
Catholic Archbishop Denis Hart said child abuse was not a short-term embarrassment, and although it could still do better the church had made good progress.
He supported the key recommendations, but declined to endorse any in particular, saying they were complex legal matters. He said the report gave an opportunity for the church and other groups to ‘‘move forward together’’.
Archbishop Hart said the church had cooperated with the inquiry, with more than 20 Catholic representatives giving evidence. Next would come a time of exploration as the government considered its response, and the church would contribute constructively.
Committee members were greeted warmly when they left the chamber.
Chrissie and Anthony Foster, whose daughters were serially abused at primary school by paedophile priest Kevin O’Donnell, hugged Ms Crozier and David O’Brien simultaneously.
Stephen Woods, who was sexually assaulted by convicted paedophile Christian Brother Robert Best said: ‘‘It’s just the start, another step in the change in society… so that parliamentarians and victims will now be able to potentially change one corner of society.’’
Mr Woods, who was abused when he was a student at a Christian Brothers school, said that the report gave victims and the community ‘‘power and impetus to change’’.
He said he was not surprised by the strong recommendations Ms Crozier had earlier flagged, saying that there was a ‘‘palpable change in the mood and tone’’ of the committee members during the inquiry when victims began to give evidence.
Mr Woods gave Andrea Coote a kiss on the cheek when she entered the lobby area and smiled: “Thank you, darling Andrea.”
Many of the victims and victim advocates who gave evidence and sat in Parliament throughout the state inquiry stayed till the end, including Good Faith & Associates’ Helen Last, lawyers Judy Courtin and Angela Sdrinis and Care Leavers Australia Network executive director Leonie Sheedy.
In Parliament’s lower house MPs from all sides showed raw emotion when discussing the inquiry, with sympathetic handshakes and hugs crossing party lines.
Inquiry members, including Liberal Nick Wakeling and Labor’s Bronwyn Halfpenny, choked back tears as they detailed the work of the committee and the harrowing stories they heard.
Mr Wakeling said hearing the evidence had taken its toll on some and paid tribute to all those who participated.
MPs wiped back tears as the listened to their colleagues talk about the inquiry.
Nationals MP Tim Bull said the greatest betrayal of trust was the rape of children.
Labor’s Sharon Knight said the inquiry was “beyond politics” and praised the bipartisan work of the committee.
With Richard Willingham
http://www.smh.com.au/national/inquiry-into-child-sex-abuse-slams-catholics-recommends-sweeping-change-20131113-2xfdg.html
Best argument there is for SOL reform!
/in Illinois /by SOL ReformDetective worries there may be more victims locally of alleged child molester
Submitted by Howard Owens on November 10, 2013 – 1:52pm
It’s not hard to imagine there are possibly more victims locally of Sean Vickers, who is facing multiple felony counts of alleged child sexual abuse in Genesee and Niagara counties, said Det. Kevin Czora.
Vickers was indicted Friday on 10 more felony counts stemming for the alleged abuse of four victims from the 1990s to the 2000s in Batavia. The 44-year-old Geneva resident was originally arrested in May following an investigation by Batavia PD that started when Niagara County investigators brought information to local detectives about potential victims in the city.
Since Vickers lived in more than one residence in the county over the years, Czora said, it’s possible — if Vickers is the kind of monster the charges against him suggest — that there are victims out there whom local investigators know nothing about.
“Currently, just by the numbers we’re aware of, he’s a serial abuser,” Czora said.
That’s why local investigators are asking anybody who knows anything about Vickers and possible victims to contact law enforcement.
To contact Batavia PD, call (585) 345-6350 or outside the city, contact your local law enforcement agency.
Vickers is accused of sexually molesting three boys in the Barker and Middleport areas last year. Last month he was indicated in Niagara County on six counts of predatory sexual assault against a child. He faces from 25 years to life in prison on the Genesee and Niagara counties charges.
At the time of his arrest, Vickers was already a registered Level 3 sex offender. He had a misdemeanor conviction for a sexual act in Monroe County and in 2009 he was convicted of a felony in New Hampshire for victimizing an underage boy there.
Last May, David A. Vickers, the 49-year-old brother of Sean, was arrested on a federal charge of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity. The charge carries a maximum possible sentence of life in federal prison.
David Vickers is accused of molesting a boy from Buffalo over a 10-year period and a Batavia boy over a five-year period, according to the Buffalo News. The first case allegedly began in 1989 and the second in 1999.
Sean Vickers allegedly introduced his brother to the Batavia boy.
When news broke of Vicker’s arrest in May, the media reports prompted some people who are now adults to come forward and report they were allegedly abused by Vickers.
In the cases of those adults, however, the alleged crimes happened at a time when the state’s statute of limitations on child sexual abuse was five years.
That doesn’t mean, however, knowing about those alleged acts and gathering that evidence is a waste in the Vicker’s case, Czora said. The more evidence gathered, the more it will help in the prosecution of the alleged crimes that aren’t covered by the statute of limitations.
“We’ve reached out as best we can and now it’s a matter of them reaching out to us to let us know what they’re aware of and if they’ve been abused,” Czora said. “Some of them, depending on the time frame, we may not be able to do anything criminally, however, there’s always counseling, which every victim is entitled to even if the case is prosecuted or not.”
For the adults who did come forward after the news came out, there was a sense of closure, Czora said.
“Each case makes the other cases that much stronger and it shows the seriousness and how far Sean Vickers has gone and how he damaged so many different lives,” Czora said. “All that can be used later through the courts.”
VIckers is currently being held in the Genesee County Jail on $500,000 bail or $500,000 bond. The judge in Niagara County ordered Vickers held without bail.
Thanks to these brave survivors! And UT needs to revisit its SOLs.
/in Utah /by SOL ReformVictim testimony delays parole date for convicted sex offender
More on MN Window
/in Minnesota, MN Post Window /by SOL ReformMinnesota Church Lobbied Against New Sex-Abuse Bill
Churchgoers in Minnesota may not have realized that their tithings would be used to help protect sex offenders, but the Minneapolis StarTribune reports that the Catholic church “spent heavily” to stop legal changes that would lengthen the time during which victims could file suits for childhood sex abuse.
According to the StarTribune, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis was the primary lobbyist opposing the Child Victims Act, spending more than $800,000 over a period of seven years.
The bill, which removed the statute of limitations for child sex crimes, ultimately passed; despite the church’s lobbying attempts, the state Senate granted unanimous approval. It was enacted in May, and at least 18 suits have arisen since then.
Bill proponent Joel Juers, who claims he was a victim of sexual abuse while attending Shattuck-St. Mary’s boarding school more than 30 years ago, spoke with Minnesota Public Radio News after the Senate voted.
“From the beginning, there was one ‘yes’ vote, and zero ‘nays,’ and then two and then 15, and then 20, and then 30, and still zero ‘nays,'” he said. “It was like the entire Senate was standing next to me saying, ‘We understand your plight. We understand your story, and we stand behind you.”
State Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, who authored the bill, explained his rationale, saying, “We need the courthouse to be open to them when they are able to come forward. Those legally responsible — perpetrators and those that protect them — can escape justice just because of the passage of time.”
Latz also addressed the church’s lobbying efforts: “They want the public to believe they are very caring about something, but behind the scenes they are very actively opposing the kind of steps or remedies or legislation that would hold them accountable for their conduct.”