What Took So Long to Address Child Abuse? (column)

By Mark Rozz
York Daily Record
October 14, 2016

http://www.ydr.com/story/opinion/columnists/2016/10/14/what-took-so-long-address-child-abuse-column/92070656/

The Academy Award-winning movie “Spotlight” showcases what is now recognized as the global tragedy of childhood sexual abuse. The opening scene captures the central conflict as it played out in the Archdiocese of Boston.

The film begins with a late-night scene at a neighborhood police station. A local priest has been brought in for questioning as a distressed single mother and a livid uncle are in the back room complaining that a priest has molested the family's children. They are there to press criminal charges.

But, with help from the assistant district attorney, the bishop is summoned to the station to quietly assure the family that the priest will be taken out of the parish, and they’re told, “This will never happen again.”

A rookie cop asks a veteran cop what the press will do when the charges are read at the arraignment. He’s told, “What arraignment?” The older cop has seen this before. He knows the priest will walk.

The bishop and priest then quietly slip out of the station, into the back seat of a black sedan and into the dark night.

The priest being portrayed is the notorious Father John Geoghan. With over 150 victims, he is one of the worst serial molesters in the history of the Catholic Church.

Geoghan was murdered in prison by his cellmate in 2003. Most predators, however, having never been even arrested for their crimes, are still out there. And they could be your neighbor.

Pennsylvania may well be considered the national epicenter of sexual abuse scandals. While the Penn State/Sandusky nightmare continues to garner national headlines and the ongoing Bill Cosby trial continues, the attorney general recently announced a statewide investigation into the remaining six catholic dioceses.

This was generated following the flood of hotline calls received in the wake of the scathing Altoona-Johnstown grand jury report that was released in March.

I did not, however, realize the magnitude of this epidemic until, as a state representative, my office received letters, emails, phone calls and personal visits from victims from every corner of the state and beyond.

I heard heartfelt pleas from grown men and women whose lives had been destroyed by ministers of every denomination, Scout leaders, public and private school teachers, coaches, missionaries and worst of all, family members.

Obviously, childhood sexual abuse in not just a Catholic clergy problem, it’s a societal problem.

Back to “Spotlight.” The Boston police, public officials and the church hierarchy turned a blind eye for years to the pattern of collusion and systematic cover-up of the sexual abuse of children in order to protect that institution’s reputation and coffers. Are things any different in Pennsylvania since Phil Saviano first brought his case as a victim of childhood sexual abuse to The Boston Globe, 25 years ago?

In April, H.B. 1947 overwhelmingly passed the House 180-15. My colleagues showed they had the political courage to do the right thing. But the key retroactive component was gutted in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Senate then passed a version of H.B. 1947 that would clearly benefit the Insurance Federation and the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference over victims.

To date, these lobbyists have spent millions to block statute of limitations reform here in Pennsylvania. I often wonder how they sleep at night.

We legislators should have a second chance to vote an amended H.B. 1947 before the session ends, which will help all victims of childhood sexual abuse, past, present and future.

It’s been 12 years since that first grand jury in Philadelphia recommended affording past victims, who had aged out of their arbitrary statute of limitations, the opportunity to bring civil suit, if they have the evidence to do so.

Attorney General Bruce Beemer, State Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm, many district attorneys and others across the state defend the constitutionality of H.B. 1947 with its revival provision.

The excuses that existed with the first votes are gone.

We legislators should insist that our leaders let the process take place so we can demonstrate to our constituents that we support victims over predators.

We legislators don’t want to be asked, as was asked in “Spotlight,” “What took you so long?”

State Rep. Mark Rozzi is a Democrat from Berks County.