BishopAccountability.org

Sex Abuse Must Be Reported By Clergy, Senate Bill Contends

By Sue Wood
Patch
March 18, 2019

https://bit.ly/2TVbIzP

The clergy will join physicians, teachers and social workers as mandated reporters if the bill passes.

The California Senate bill introduced by Jerry Hill mandates with no exception sex abuse to be reported by the clergy.

California Sen. Jerry Hill, (D-San Mateo), has introduced legislation to require clergy of all faiths to report suspected child abuse or neglect to law enforcement without regard to the circumstances.

Although current law includes clergy members in the list of 46 professionals with social workers and teachers as mandated reporters, the law also exempts clergy from such reporting if they gain their knowledge or suspicion of the crimes during "a penitential communication."

Senate Bill 360 would remove that exemption.

"SB 360 is about the safety and protection of children," said Hill, who represents San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. "Individuals who harm children or are suspected of harming children must be reported so a timely investigation by law enforcement can occur. The law should apply equally to all professionals who have been designated as mandated reporters of these crimes – with no exceptions, period. The exemption for clergy only protects the abuser and places children at further risk."

Judy Klapperich-Larson, vice president of Survivor Network of those Abused by Priests' Board of Directors, expressed strong support of the legislation on behalf of SNAP, which was founded 31 years ago and now has supporters throughout the world.

"Children cannot make sense of the trauma they are suffering," Klapperich-Larson said. "They have been told to go to a trusted adult when something bad has been done to them. We grownups must be the voices of the traumatized children every time a child confides in us, no exceptions. If a child believes no one will help them, they hold the secret and shame inside and question their perception of reality. Those children grow up to be broken adults, coping however they can with what was done to them, distrusting people in authority, self-medicating, acting out against others. If it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to abuse a child. Don't let our abused children feel alone and helpless in their trauma filled worlds."

The call for transparency and greater accountability is gaining momentum. A report by a Pennsylvania grand jury in August 2018 on sexual abuse by Catholic priests spurred investigations by attorneys general in more than a dozen states. California Attorney General Javier Becerra announced in November that his office would be collecting reports from state residents about incidents of clergy sex abuse, although the office has not confirmed or denied whether it is pursuing an investigation.

Several Catholic dioceses in California have publicly released the names of priests who have been "credibly accused" of sexually abusing children; the most recent was the Diocese of Oakland, which issued its list on Monday.




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