I Am Appalled at the Response of the Church to Child Abuse, Says Peter Saunders

By Peter Saunders
Express
April 2, 2018

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/940515/Child-abuse-myths-female-perpetrators-church-abuse-comment-NAPAC

I am appalled at the response of the church to child abuse, says PETER SAUNDERS

Let’s nail that lie. I offer Myra Hindley, Rose West and the many men I have spoken to over the years who have suffered abuse at the hands of women. And that includes abuse by nuns.

Many people, victims of these crimes, find it very difficult to talk about it.

Men find it particularly difficult to talk about abuse at the hands of a woman.

As a member of the victims and survivors consultative panel to the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse and as a Roman Catholic, I am appalled at the response of the institutional church to these dreadful crimes.

Like most church organisations there is a lot of talk of remorse and action but there is little evidence of the latter.

Many men find it particularly difficult to talk about abuse at the hands of a woman

At NAPAC we still hear of too many people who are suffering at the hands of church institutions and the propensity to deny and cover up is still strong.

Abuse is always damaging. Abuse by clergy has an added element of evil as these people are supposed to be representing or giving their life to God.

And to those of us who are Christian, to perpetrate such an act that will potentially separate a person from faith adds an additional dimension of pain and hurt.

I was abused, among others, by two Catholic priests.

As a child I didn’t understand what was happening to me and considered them “men of God”. As an adult, I realise they were anything but.

During the first month of 2018, the NAPAC support line received almost 11,000 calls

And I didn’t lose my faith. Just my faith in man.

During the first month of this year, the NAPAC support line received almost 11,000 calls.

Our resources meant we were only able to answer 550. That’s a huge gap between demand and supply.

Most of those calls were not about clergy abuse but some were.

A lack of resources meant the NAPAC were only able to answer 550 of these calls

Of all the institutions that should be leading the fight against the evil of child abuse it is our churches – but they are not.

It’s actually organisations like NAPAC that spearhead the protection of our children.

A Catholic commentator remarked about the church: “It’s not just rotten apples, it’s a poisoned orchard.”

Sadly, I fear he is right.