By Anne Jungen
LaCrosse Tribune
February 12, 2010
http://www.lacrossetribune.com/news/local/article_13905286-1795-11df-a320-001cc4c002e0.html
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| The Rev. Edmund Donkor-Baine, a visiting Catholic priest from Ghana, leaves a La Crosse County courtroom Thursday with attorney Cheryl Gill after he was charged with sexually assaulting a female parishioner. Erik Daily |
The woman involved in a sexual assault case against a visiting Catholic priest isn’t opposed to the Diocese of La Crosse policing itself.
“But they better have the bar really high,” the woman testified at a state Senate committee hearing in Madison.
Critics, however, have decried a diocese policy that those with sexual abuse complaints against employees first should go to the bishop. They argue church leaders instead should encourage reporting these incidents to civil authorities.
“There is something terribly wrong when the first persons at a clergy crime scene are not the police or the district attorney, but a bishop, a monsignor and a corporate liability attorney,” said Peter Isely, the Midwest director for the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests.
The 48-year-old woman claimed the Rev. Edmund Donkor-Baine sexually assaulted her in August. She said she reported the incident to law enforcement after becoming frustrated with the diocese’s handling of her complaint.
Authorities by law must immediately be notified if the sexual abuse report to the bishop involves a child, La Crosse diocesan attorney Jim Birnbaum said. But the diocese has no such obligation in complaints by adults — nor does any other organization or employer, Birnbaum said.
“There’s nothing in there (the policy) that says people can’t inform the authorities,” he added.
But reporting complaints to the bishop first doesn’t allow objectivity, said Eau Claire police Chief Jerry Matysik, who calls the policy flawed.
“There is a temptation for organizations, such as the church, to protect its own assets and reputation,” he said.
Birnbaum said he doesn’t see that conflict, arguing “when someone comes to the diocese with a complaint, it’s not we and them.”
Adopting a mandatory reporting policy also could discourage adults who don’t want their cases handled in public from coming forward, Birnbaum said.
The Milwaukee Archdiocese encourages adults to contact civil authorities, though the church will not automatically make that call, said Archdiocese Victim Assistance Coordinator Amy Peterson.
Matysik, a Catholic, also questioned whether the diocese is qualified to investigate sexual assaults.
“They don’t have the training or expertise ... They may actually harm the investigation,” he said.
Birnbaum disagreed, saying the church can hire professionals or private investigators.
Each investigation is handled on a case-by-case basis — “There’s no cookie-cutter approach here,” Birnbaum said — and the diocese could order the accused be suspended or banned from having contact with the complainant during the investigation.
If the investigation verifies the complaint, the victim is consulted before the bishop orders punishment, Birnbaum added.
Contact: ajungen@lacrossetribune.com
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