LOUISVILLE (KY)
Courier Journal
October 19, 2018
By Michael Norris, Opinion contributor
I was sexually abused by a Catholic priest at the age of 10 at a summer camp. At that age, I knew nothing about sex, so I did not fully comprehend what this man was doing to me.
On top of that, the fact that I was taught that a Catholic priest is an extension of God, it was as if God was molesting me.
Because my mother was a devout Catholic, I knew she revered priests and their status in the community. I felt it was easier for me to not talk about the abuse than to tell my mother, thinking she wouldn’t believe me anyway.
My teenage years were very difficult as a result of the abuse. I lacked constructive coping mechanisms, which led to drug and alcohol abuse, culminating with a suicide attempt. At the age of 17, after dropping out of high school, I joined the Navy. I held the story internally for 15 years, not telling anyone.
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