BishopAccountability.org

Victim Services sees increase in client numbers

By Dave Sutor
Tribune-Democrat
March 14, 2017

http://www.tribdem.com/news/victim-services-sees-increase-in-client-numbers/article_8c9d23d6-085e-11e7-8136-0b6eba24c698.html


Victim Services Inc. has experienced approximately a 200 percent increase in the number of adult male survivors of childhood sexual assault seeking help within the past year.

That time period roughly coincides with how long has passed since the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General released a grand jury report, on March 1, 2016, in which it provided details about an alleged decades-long coverup of child sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown.

Mike Oliver, executive director of Victim Services, said there is “no way to gauge” if the report led directly to the increase because “that’s not a question that we ask (clients).”

But the publicity might have led to victims – both those abused by priests and other individuals not affiliated with the church – coming forward.

“I think it’s important to note that with all of the media attention on the case with the diocese, a survivor who maybe was not dealing with that specific situation – even a survivor who might have been abused by a family member – has been triggered by the constant attention to it, so we’ve had a lot of people coming in for that reason, too,” Erika Brosig, Victim Services’ clinical supervisor, said.

“Maybe they weren’t victims of the church abuse, but they were triggered by it.”

Founders of the new local Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests chapter recently reached out to Victim Services to discuss what can be done to help individuals assaulted by church authority figures. “While we don’t have anything official on paper or any type of official linkage whatsoever (with SNAP), we would be able to help those individuals the same as we would be able to provide service to any victim of sexual assault within Cambria or Somerset County,” Oliver said.

Victim Services, located in Ferndale, provides free and confidential counseling to victims and those closest to them, including spouses, significant others, and parents.

“I think that, especially in this case (of the diocese allegations), a lot of family members were impacted, even the community at large was impacted,” Brosig said.

Brosig added: “The aspect of having the spirituality impacted by it I think is a struggle for the people who are abused in the situation. Not only did it break trust with the abuser, but it also then jeopardizes their faith in some cases. And that can be a really strong component in healing is to use your faith as part of that. I think that would be the really difficult aspect just for those victims.”

Hundreds of individuals receive assistance, ranging from therapy to comfort during the legal process and more, every year from Victim Services. Victims seeking help can call the organization at 288-4961.

“I would just encourage not only these individuals that may be involved with the local SNAP group but any individual who’s out there and they’re suffering and they don’t know where they can turn to please reach out to us,” Oliver said.

 

Contact: dsutor@tribdem.com




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