Don't be distracted in the Catholic sex-abuse scandals

[metapunditedgy]

Regarding the sex abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic church.

A few years ago, I remember reading a talking point that molestation was also found in public schools, and the percentage of abusive priests was about the same as for public school teachers.

Fair enough, in the narrowest sense that bad apples will be found in any large batch.

But how many school teachers (or pick any other profession) abuse tens or hundreds of children? How many are then protected by their school districts? Moved to different schools where they can continue their abuse over decades? Any administrators moved out-of-country so they don't have to testify in US courts?

Bottom line: the Catholic sex-abuse scandals are an institutional failure of vast proportions, not a random collection of "errant priests."

This is important because conservative Catholicism is all about the institution. If it weren't for message control and short memories, the world would be laughing in the bishop's faces over such claims.

[I Have A Dream]

1. Good point. Deserves a K&R. nt

[Iggo]

2. Ooooooh. "In." I thought you said "by".

Now it makes sense...duh.

[metapunditedgy]

4. Good point... title easily misread. Oops. n/t

[metapunditedgy]

3. While I'm thinking about it, let me add that even going after the Pope

(which is a great thing to do... show his involvement and make him accountable) can be a distraction. The Catholic church has been doing this above-the-law crap for a very long time. Address the institution, not just the priests or even the Pope himself.

[Morning Dew]

5. Institutional failure? not so much.

Institutional conspiracy moreso.

[MichiganVote]

6. Sure..and while we're at it, forget about all those suffering people in Haiti.

Not to mention all the people in Chile. Matter of fact let's just censure the news completely so that all we see and hear is what we want to see and hear.

Oh wait. That's been done and people here have complained about it.

But it doesn't matter. Better we should ignore a world wide problem like priests who prey on unsuspecting children and their parents over decades to focus on the unnamed number of alleged without a supportive article school teacher(s) who diddle little kids.

[frebrd]

7. I think you may have misread the subject line. eom

[metapunditedgy]

8. Seems that way. I guess title wording is important. n/t

[malaise]

9. Excellent post

Rec

[Minnesota Raindog]

10. The Pope should be in jail for these crimes and cover-ups

Along with the rest of his cardinal, bishop and priest accomplices. Dismantle this corrupt institution.

[kanrok]

11. I don't think "distraction" is the issue

No one is arguing that the Catholic sex abuse scandal isn't horrible.

But it is interesting that there is so much focus on them and next to none on educator abuse.

One researcher (the ironically named Charol Shakeshaft) studied this phenomenon back in 1995 (or thereabouts) and said that children are 100 times more likely to be sexually abused at school than by a priest.

I looked and looked on the internet and could only find one story about educator sexual abuse.

Back in 2007 the AP did an investigation and they reported, among other things:

"One report mandated by Congress estimated that as many as 4.5 million students, out of roughly 50 million in American schools, are subject to sexual misconduct by an employee of a school sometime between kindergarten and 12th grade. That figure includes verbal harassment that’s sexual in nature."

and:

“From my own experience—this could get me in trouble—I think every single school district in the nation has at least one perpetrator. At least one,” says Mary Jo McGrath, a California lawyer who has spent 30 years investigating abuse and misconduct in schools. “It dozen’t matter if it’s urban or rural or suburban.”

and:

"An Associated Press investigation found more than 2,500 cases over five years in which educators were punished for actions from bizarre to sadistic."

see: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21392345/

But where is the outrage about this?

Are we truly interested in seeing this problem addressed, or is it only a Catholic problem?

So let's not blind ourselves to this being solely about Catholic priests.

It's not.

Not by a long shot.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. Because the educators were punished, as you say, and

held to account under the law, while the RCC harbors fugitives and sends wolves to sheep fill pastures again and again. Also, the RCC makes wild claims of some moral high standing, and it sends their silk draped pope out into the world to slander gay people and pro choice people as if he himself were not party to horrors. It is revolting for so many reasons.

[kanrok]

13. I understand your perspective

But I think you inadvertently made my point for me.

Is the reason the press is so interested in the Catholic priest scandal because they are interested in addressing the issue of sexual abuse of minors, or is it because they have a different agenda?

i.e., the Church's stance on homosexuality and abortion?

If it's the latter, than let's be honest and say this is what they are interested in.

And with all due respect to your point that the educators were punished, I think you are interpreting only one of the data points.

As the story indicated, "One report mandated by Congress estimated that as many as 4.5 million students, out of roughly 50 million in American schools, are subject to sexual misconduct by an employee of a school sometime between kindergarten and 12th grade. That figure includes verbal harassment that’s sexual in nature."

The AP investigation uncovered only 2500 cases of educator punishment in five year's time.

That's a far cry from 4.5 million.

If the point is to underscore the hypocrisy of some in the Catholic Church, I totally agree.

I also totally agree that it is proper to report each and every instance of priest on child sexual abuse, and any conspiracy by the RCC to cover these cases up.

I think all priests who commit these crimes should be prosecuted criminally and civilly.

I think those who conspire to hide the crimes should also be held to account.

Let's do the same for anyone who commits these crimes.

Let's not just focus our attention on one group.

Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

[metapunditedgy]

14. So are you claiming that administrators in the public schools

have conspired to cover up thousands of cases of physical molestation (not just "verbal abuse"), while knowingly protecting abusive teachers and enabling them to molest hundreds more children?

Show me the evidence that this happens in large numbers... because I think it would be front-page news if this happened regularly. I certainly hope it would be.

[kanrok]

15. I don't know

I will research that.

In my research on this issue I have come across evidence that teachers, coaches and other employees were "re-assigned" when allegations arose, but I cannot quantify it.

The one problem with a one-to one relationship between educators and priests is that the Catholic Church is one big monolith.

School districts, on the other hand, are independent, even within states.

But if the statistics hold up, it would seem that sexual abuse is hidden at a much higher rate amongst schools than in the Catholic Church (again, I go back to the 4.5 million students being affected in schools and only 2500 being prosecuted).

[metapunditedgy]

16. But the 4.5M number, even if accurate, includes "verbal abuse."

If we included everyone who has been verbally abused by the Catholic church, the number would be in the billions. :-)

[kanrok]

17. LOL

Yes, and I would be among those billions.

[SidDithers]

18. I'm beginning to think that the Catholic Church needs to be put out of business...

through civil lawsuits and criminal prosecution.

Sid

[metapunditedgy]

19. They just pull criminals out of the country. Hard to reach them for legal purposes

when they're in Italy/Vatican.

We'll probably start hearing about similar stuff from multi-national corporations in the near future. (Although the Catholic church has a bit of a jump on them....)