OREGON
Statesman Journal
Written by
Dan Lucas
Commentary
Kelly Clark, an Oregon attorney who brought lawsuits against some large organizations on behalf of the victims of sexual abuse, died recently. As well as being a champion for victims of sexual abuse, he also was a self-acknowledged sexual victimizer several decades ago.
He worked to bring justice to victims of abuse within “institutions of trust” such as “the Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts of America, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and school districts.”
I’m writing this to recognize all of the other victims — of all forms of sexual abuse and sex crimes — who are still awaiting justice. The victims whom no one has stood up for yet. The victims who tried to get help from those who are supposed to help and were let down. The victims whose painful stories have not been told yet. The victims who’ve blocked out the painful memories and the victims who’ve succumbed to drugs, alcohol and even suicide because they couldn’t see hope through the pain and hopelessness.
My own brief experience researching and dealing with sexual predators in Oregon politics has shown me that for every known victim, there are many more unknown victims. Unknown to the public anyway.
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