IRELAND
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 28 2014
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com )
We applaud the European Court of Human Rights for siding with an Irish woman who was sexually abused as a youngster by her school principal. The Irish state, the court ruled, failed to protect her.
Being involved in the struggle for children’s safety for 25 years, we have learned two things. First, every individual and institution that endangered kids and protected predators must be exposed and punished, if ever child sex crimes and cover ups are to be stopped. And second, when one or two or three avenues for justice are closed to victims, we must be more persistent and creative about seeking help elsewhere, even if it means going to international bodies like the European Court of Human Rights.
When secular authorities, like religious figures, ignore or hide crimes against kids, they must be held responsible, no matter where or when the wrongdoing occurred. Long after World War II, law enforcement agencies track down and prosecute war crimes, because as civilized people, we want to send a strong signal that those who would torture others will be pursued forever.
The same persistence must be shown against those who would hurt kids and help others hurt kids.
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