INDIA
DNA
Fri, 3 Mar 2017
The priest, Robin Vadakkumchery, was finally caught after the victim became pregnant and gave birth, which he tried to hush up, allegedly with the support of others in the church hierarchy.
The outburst of public anger against the Catholic Church in Kerala over the allegations of shielding a priest accused of raping a minor girl is reminiscent of similar events that have been happening in the United States for two decades. The priest, Robin Vadakkumchery, was finally caught after the victim became pregnant and gave birth, which he tried to hush up, allegedly with the support of others in the church hierarchy.
An anonymous call to a government child helpline led to the newborn being allegedly traced to a church-run orphanage. The immense social clout and spiritual influence of a Catholic priest among rural Christian communities is evident from the revelation that the priest was able to convince the victim’s father to assume the blame for her pregnancy. Further, the role of an array of church institutions, like the hospital where the victim gave birth, the orphanage where the newborn was taken, and functionaries who abetted the cover-up deserve to be probed and taken to task.
This is not the first time that cases of sexual abuse involving the clergy have come to light. In many instances, families of victims prefer to raise complaints with the church hierarchy rather than go to the police out of fear of social stigma or a desire to not embarrass the Church. Instead of reporting the crime to the police, which should be the first instinct for any law-abiding institution, the culprits are merely transferred to another parish or taken off active duties. This is a documented practice in Catholic dioceses across countries. Where the victims are children, many live with the burden of abuse, loss of faith, and destruction of their childhood, often without telling parents. Many a time, the victims hail from poor families, who look upon the Church and the priest as godly and benevolent figures who can do no wrong.
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