POLAND
Political Critique
AGATA DIDUSZKO-ZYGLEWSKA
Government agencies, independent from the Catholic Church, in many countries have begun up to investigate claims of sexual abuse of children in the Church. Unfortunately, the influence the Church in Polish politics means that children in Poland cannot count on such protection from paedophiles in cassocks. Two facts from the last year may attest to the difficult situation facing child victims of sexual abuse by priests. Firstly, the new head of the Parliamentary Commission of Justice and Human Rights is a prosecutor who, in 2001, decided to dismiss the charges against a priest accused of molesting young girls. As prosecutor he decided that the defendant had, in fact, been using his skills in bioenergy therapy. Secondly, In 2002, during another pedophilia scandal, the newly appointed Archbishop of Kraków, and the head of Polish Church, failed to support the victims, despite the insight he had into the particulars of the case. ‘Have No Fear’ (Nie lękajcie się), founded in 2015, is the first Polish organization that brings together victims of paedophile priests. It is supported internationally by the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
Agata Diduszko-Zyglewska: What is your reason for being active in Poland?
Barbara Blaine: The survivors of sexual abuse within the Church have come to Warsaw in support of the ‘Have No Fear’ Foundation in Poland, which is celebrating its third anniversary. It is an inspiring organisation and we are trying to help it achieve its goals. Our help is necessary, I believe, because Church officials in Poland have left children at risk. They are more interested in protecting perpetrators, enablers and the reputation of the Church than children.
As a child, were you a victim of abuse by a priest?
Yes, I am one of the victims. The priest in my parish began to sexually violate me in the summer between seventh and eighth grade. I was twelve or thirteen. The first time he assaulted me I thought that my body had completely frozen. My mind kept saying: ‘No, stop, don’t touch me there’. I remember him saying, ‘Stop shaking, I won’t hurt you’. I could not understand how a priest could commit such a crime, so I assumed immediately that something must have been wrong with me, that I had made the good priest do this bad thing. I felt very dirty, ashamed and confused. He promised me that it would never happen again, but it did, many times.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.