Don’t Silence Abuse Survivors

To the Editor:

What I read in the Letter Hive Friday, cried out for response. Joseph Borst wrote against HB5473: eliminating the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims against the Catholic Church and others [“Unwise Legislation,” Letter Hive, 4/23/10].

Anyone who has taken a basic psychology class knows that victims of abuse suffer many issues. Often, it is hard to even bring charges against an abuser. If people feel empowered when they hear others are filing claims and winning against priests who abused them, then they should have every opportunity to share their own stories. Most survivors of abuse have self-esteem issues which make it hard to speak out and affect them throughout their lives.

When the perpetrators of abuse are priests, people these children have been taught to trust and respect, it can be very difficult to find one’s voice. Unfortunately, many people refuse to believe their priests would do such things. The reality, as we have seen over and over, is that this has happened. These priests, and their superiors all the way up to the current pope, have swept the abuse under the proverbial rug. Move the priest to a different parish. Tell the child they have remembered events incorrectly. Convince the child that God will punish their family if they tell — whatever it takes to shut them up.

Survivors of abuse deserve to be heard. They need to find their voices. They need to speak out. If, after decades of obfuscation, people are finally being listened to, finally being believed, we should not shut the door on that.

How many people committed suicide over the years because of the abuse and the contradictory messages they received? These priests who preyed on the young are no better than those bullies up in Massachusetts (search online for Phoebe Prince). We will never know the numbers affected.

Joe [Borst] is worried that “the Catholic and nonpublic educational entities are live bait for the unscrupulous, money-hungry lawyers. Where is the justice in this?” Where is the justice for the survivors of these piggish pedophiles? This sounds more like an indictment of lawyers and should not be the reason that justice has an expiration date!

Lastly, the 800–pound gorilla in the room? Possibly closing St Rose School and the ensuing effect on taxes? Really? That’s the concern? We are all paying the price for the avarice of automobile manufacturers and Wall Street bankers even though the average American had no part in those fiascos. Perhaps the Catholic Church ought to put aside a bunch of the tithes they reap from their parishioners to pay for the fallout from their sin and cover-up.

The papacy has put itself out there as the “moral compass” of the Western world for nearly two millennia. Maybe I missed a memo, but I thought they had issued pretty strict edicts regarding sex outside of marriage and homosexuality (altar boys do seem to be the preferred victims for priests). Do the rules not apply to the rulers?

Please, support HB5473 — support justice! Do not silence the survivors!

Peace,

Laurie Borst

8 Beechwood Drive, Sandy Hook                                    April 27, 2010