Buffalo Man Says New Diocese Program Isn’t Enough to Help Sexual Abuse Victims

By Shannon Smith
WIVB
March 4, 2018

http://wivb.com/2018/03/04/buffalo-man-says-new-diocese-program-isnt-enough-to-help-sexual-abuse-victims/

A South Buffalo man says victims of sexual abuse deserve more from the Buffalo Catholic Diocese. It established a voluntary program Thursday to help people who’ve made abuse claims against a clergy member. But one of the victims says who’s come forward says the program doesn’t help all people.

“The people who have called me this week are not going to be included in that and that’s not fair,” said Michael Whalen, who shared his story the first time Tuesday.

Days after Michael Whalen shared his story of being sexually abused by a priest, he’s voicing concern other victims won’t be helped. He says he wants all sexual abuse victims to be included in the Buffalo Catholic Diocese Independent Reconciliation and Compensation program. It was just launched Thursday, two days after Whalen came forward.

The program allows anyone who’s made sexual abuse claims against a clergy member before Thursday to have their case heard and get a settlement.

“This program should include all of them, not just putting a date on it of March 1st of this year. I think they should all be heard,” said Whalen.

The diocese says the program is designed for anyone who made claims before March 1st, but that any claims after that would be still be investigated.

“We pray that this monetary compensation together with the acknowledgement that they were hurt can be a significant step in helping them to heal,” said Bishop Richard Malone of the Buffalo Diocese.

Robert Hoatson is standing with Whalen. Hoatson is a former priest and survivor of sexual abuse.

“I would expand it beyond clergy. Any personnel, in the diocese of buffalo that abused a child if that victim comes forward we’re going to help restore their lives. That’s what a shepherd does,” said Hoatson, former priest and advocate for ‘Road to Recovery.’

He says he questions the timing of this program, especially since it comes nearly a year after Whalen reported his abuse to the church.

“There wasn’t a word of this and yet coincidentally two days after he speaks, the bishop announces a compensation program. Why? They realize the tsunami perhaps Michael was going to create and now they’re blocking those victims from participating in the program,” said Hoatson.

The diocese says it’s been working on the program for months after studying similar programs by other dioceses.

Whalen says this program may be a good first step, but it’s not enough. Now he wants the names of every accused abuser to be released to the public.

“I think the priests should be held accountable, like nobody knew,” said Whalen.

“You can make the argument that it’s good for people in the area, the neighborhood to know that they person is, could be a risk.so we are right now engaged in a reconsideration of a policy,” said Bishop Malone.

Whalen says he’ll continue to fight for the Child Victim’s Act, which would give victims a longer time frame to bring criminal and civil cases. It’s on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s agenda. Whalen says passing the act would be one of the best ways to help victims move forward.