BishopAccountability.org

Hampden DA Anthony Gulluni 'dissatisfied' with clergy sex abuse reporting by Springfield Diocese

By Anne-Gerard Flynn
Springfield Republican
February 26, 2019

https://bit.ly/2Su9rai

Hampden Country District Attorney Anthony Gulluni answers reporters' questions about his office's newly-established clergy sexual abuse hotline during a Feb. 26 news conference at his Springfield office.
Photo by Anne-Gerard Flynn

Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said Tuesday he is "dissatisfied" with what he termed the "inconsistency in reporting" of clergy sexual abuse by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield.

The district attorney is urging victims and their families to call his office's newly established hotline to report sexual abuse by members of clergy in Hampden County.

"I direct them to contact a Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden County District Attorney's Office at 413 800-2958," said Gulluni during a press conference called in response to a recently released abuse report from the Springfield Diocese, whose data Gulluni says does not match what is in his files.

"This hotline is created to allow victims to report directly to law enforcement any allegations of any sexual crimes committed by a member of the clergy in Hampden County," Gulluni said. "I have established this hotline so the rights of victims are preserved and any allegations can be properly vetted and investigated by law enforcement where appropriate."

While stopping short of accusing the diocese of any wrongdoing and saying the hotline can be used even if someone also contacts the diocese, Gulluni said data on what the diocese said were the number of yearly abuse reports back to 1986 did not match referrals in his possession in recent reviews even given the fact that the diocese covers all four counties of Western Massachusetts.

"Given these reviews in the past several months I am dissatisfied with the system in place and in the inconsistency of reporting over the last many years," Gulluni said.

"This hotline is a step to rectify and improved the reporting system to ensure victims claims are heard, addressed and respected," he added.

Gulluni told reporters that a two-page report on the diocesan website and published in February's issue of The Catholic Mirror shows 15 reports of clergy sexual abuse made to the diocese in 2018.

He quoted a Republican news report in which the diocese said its outreach to all victims includes "the commitment to report all cases to the appropriate district attorneys' offices which we have done."

"Following a period of appropriate due diligence by my office in reviewing its files we have not received referrals of any kind from the diocese that comport with its own public statements," Gulluni said.

Springfield Diocese spokesperson Mark Dupont said that of the 15 cases reported in 2018 "nine were reported, the remainder were either anonymous or came to us via other attorneys directly to the offices of (diocesan) Attorney Jack Egan so there was no intake."

Dupont said difference in other referral numbers may be due to the fact that the diocese has followed a directive that he said predates Gulluni's tenure as district attorney here to not refer allegations against deceased priests, but will do so going forward.

He also said in response to one specific referral of a letter that Gulluni mentioned to not originally having in his possession in response to a reporter's question but now does from the diocese, that the diocese has "undertaken a new policy to send all future notifications via certified mail with return receipt."

Dupont showed a copy of the letter that appeared to be sent to another district attorney's office in 2011.

"We maintain this new hotline number should be promoted and made available for all victims of abuse, certainly including church abuse victims," said Dupont, reiterating the diocese's response when initially asked about the hotline.

"All victims of abuse are entitled to equal and fair treatment. The diocese will do its part in making this new number available on our website and through all parishes in Hampden County.

Gulluni, who said he was "disheartened" by Dupont's suggestion that the hotline should not be specifically for victims of clergy sex abuse as not recognizing "the severity and depth of this issue," said that the new hotline will be staffed by Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to his unit "all who are trained and experienced in dealing with complainants of sexual assault."

"Our goal is to answer these calls promptly and to initiate investigations where appropriate," Gulluni said.

"The detectives will make referrals to service providers, other law enforcement agencies and the Diocese of Springfield as needed."

Gulluni was joined at the conference by Jennifer Fitzgerald, first assistant district attorney, Dana Parsons, head of the domestic and sexual violence unit, Capt. Christopher Wilcox of the Massachusetts State Police, and commander of the unit attached to Gulluni's office.

In establishing the hotline and doing its own internal review to "find best practices for sexual assault complaints by this office appropriate to the victims, appropriate for law enforcement" prompted by "recent activity by the Springfield Diocese in other publications and communications with their congregants and news generated by the Vatican internationally," Gulluni said his office would continue to work collaboratively.

"We have and will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement in the Attorney General's Office of Massachusetts, the Northwest Attorney General's Office and the Berkshire District Attorney General's Office who all fall within the Springfield Diocese," Gulluni said.

"We well continue to assess our best efforts around this issue and work to ensure justice is being served most importantly for victims."

Contact: agflynn413@gmail.com




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