"Priest molested 200 boys in Wisconsin" "Irish Priest was not charged for molestions reported by victims" "Church apologizes but not take action in preventing future molestions." So many articles throughout the recent years.
Mind you, I am not writing to attack the church. I am questioning on how this could happen.
Let's look at the education system. Despite the criminal records, referrals, background checks and policies set up to protect students, there are teachers still arrested for inappropriate touching, sextexting, having sex with students. The latest report is of a middle school teacher arrested for molesting a student in a closet, according to this article on June 2, 2010: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/former_denville_teacher_admits.html.
Now, let's eye the Correctional system. We all know that there is a rate of criminals in jails: rapists, child molestors, guys who take pictures of naked children in sexual poses and sell pictures, or in the worst case, children. What is disturbing is that police has to ensure that there is no loophole for the lawyers defending the predators to avoid going to jail. Even if they end up in the jail for, let's say, 20-25 years, so many could get out with "good behavior" or agreeing to be monitored with an electronic ankle bracelet tracking his movements. (And I do wonder, how much are monitors paid for doing that?) Sex Offender Registration with cities\counties\state is good, but that still is a question mark on whether it really works. After all, recall Chelsea of California, recently, who was killed by a registered sex offender. (http://www.livesecure.org/san-diego-teen-chelsea-king-murdered-registered-sex-offender-held-for-her-death-update/)
And unfortunately, we see too many monsters that hadn't been in jail or even in psychiatric hospitals, like that Garrido who had kidnapped a young girl and kept her as a sex slave over fifteen years, who gave birth to two daughters (and forbid the thought on whether THEY experienced sex abuse too). And not even police could get away with "protect and serve;" after all a Scarmento Sheriff's deputy was recently arrested for kidnapping and molesting a 13 years old girl, on March 2, 2010. (http://auburnjournal.com/detail/143638.html)
Not even Europe or other counties are spared. Too many girls, women and babies are raped in some areas of Africa, being the claim that taking a virgin is a cure for HIV\AIDS. Let's not forget the Austrian father, Fritzl had hidden his own daughter in a basement and fathering several children on her for 24 years.
We TRY to keep track of sex offenders; we take action to make sure, at LEAST to prevent molestors from doing it again, although it is not fool-proof. Education and prevention is especially important in protecting children and adults alike- not even seniors are spared the terror of rape and sexual abuse. An excellent example: a parent or two reports to a school about a PE teacher touching male students under 13 years old, and taking them out in his car, the school and\or parents takes action and report to the police who then comes arresting the teacher and taking him\her to court (jail is potential, among with fines, losing teaching licensure, put on probation and sex offender registration.) THEN the school and parents work on getting crisis counseling for students, providing psycho-educational workshops for fellow parents and teaching kids how to protect themselves. Furthermore, the school strengthens their policies and procedures to ensure that it won't happen; being more strict with background checks, monitoring teachers and students, and systematically review teachers and staff that work at schools (bus-drivers, nurses, principals, janitors, etc). The city where the school is based in, then reviews their own laws and see how they'd reduce the risks for potential harm in the future; perhaps increasing decrees for molestors such as jail for life, death penalty (Louisiana wanted to do that) or banning absolutely from all schools. The bottom line is: the school and city TAKES *responsibility* of ensuring the children's safety and PUT on themselves the responsibility to prevent potential harm of children.
Now, what does it have to do with the Church and the molesting priests? Nothing, really. Well, but for one thing. A powerful religious organization tries to sweep it under the rug, and refuse to deflock priests that have a history of molestion but for very FEW individuals?. Do you know that only 3% get deflocked? The church apologizes, ask us to pray and forgive them, and hope that it'd not happen again. Very, very few takes action in preventation. That's the difference.
As according to this article, they are getting away, so far. (http://abovethelaw.com/2010/05/u-s-government-weighs-in-on-vatican-sex-abuse-siding-with-the-vatican/)
No comments:
Post a Comment