BishopAccountability.org
	Church Invites Response to Abuse By Trevor Maxwell Portland Press Herald [Maine] May 10, 2005 Survey on the Web The online questionnaire for victims of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church can be found at victim-outreach.com. It will be posted on the Web site through Wednesday. Bishop Richard Malone is urging victims of sexual abuse within Maine's Catholic Church to participate in a national online questionnaire. Church officials hope the confidential form, posted online until Wednesday, will help the clergy in Maine respond to past victims and prevent future abuse. The site was created by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and represents the first clearinghouse of its kind for survivors of sex abuse. "They are trying to figure out the scope and the context and what makes this happen," said Sue Bernard, spokeswoman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. "People can go into this site and be completely honest," Bernard said. "A lot of people have already told their stories, but a lot of people may not have." The chancellor's office at the diocese in Portland also is prepared to receive complaints, she added. On the Web site - www.victim-outreach.com - victims are asked several times not to identify themselves, their abusers or dioceses. They are directed instead to report abuse to law enforcement agencies and to seek help through their churches. The form has been online since March 30, and results are expected to be posted on the same site next month. The questionnaire asks 43 questions, including: n What was the reaction of your diocesan officials when told of the abuse? n If you have not reported the abuse, what has prevented you from doing so? n Did the sexual abuse cause you any spiritual wounds? n What can the church do now to bring healing? The survey is part of a larger effort by the church to be more open about sexual abuse. Abuse has been an explosive topic since early 2002, when charges surfaced against defrocked Boston priest John Geoghan, and then Paul Shanley. Claudette Dube Noonan of Greene is one of several victims of abuse who feel the church never responded appropriately to their complaints. "To me, it's just a ruse," Noonan said Monday, reacting to the Web site. "They don't care what happens to a survivor. It's just trying to make them look good." Noonan reported her abuse in 1993, after recalling an incident from her childhood. Church officials, she said, did nothing to help, even after she reported the abuse a second time. Bernard said the system in place today is ready to respond to any allegations. The church's office of professional responsibility, led by former police officer John Brennan, investigates all claims and stands ready to remove priests and aid civil investigators if necessary.