CANADA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Statement by Melanie Jula Sakoda of Moraga, California, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), SNAP Orthodox Director ( 925-708-6175, melanie.sakoda@gmail.com )
A Canadian archbishop, who was found guilty of child sexual abuse in criminal court in January, was sentenced today to eight months in jail.
[CBC News]
We are glad that Archbishop Seraphim Storheim will spend time in jail, although we are disappointed that it is not for a longer period of time. While incarcerated, he will be unable to hurt any more children.
Now that the criminal process is complete, we urge the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) to go beyond announcing this sentence on their website, given the small group of vocal supporters who persist in clamoring that the archbishop is “innocent.” Church official must insist that every parish bulletin in Canada post a prominent notice urging anyone who might have suffered, seen, or suspected Storheim’s crimes to call police.
OCA officials must also re-examine the decisions made by the archbishop in all cases of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct, to insure that other predators were not protected and that whistle-blowers were not punished.
Moreover, the Church must not wash their hands of this predator. Not only must they move forward to remove Storheim from the clergy, they must also do what they can to ensure that the archbishop is sent to a secure, remote facility far away from children after he completes his time in jail.
Finally, the OCA should post the names, photos, current whereabouts and work histories of every proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting cleric, whether living or deceased on their website.
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