Campaigners furious after pope's 'defensive' speech on child abuse

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Campaigners furious after pope's 'defensive' speech on child abuse

Pontiff accused of ‘undoing tiny bit of progress’ achieved at high-profile Vatican summit

Angela Giuffrida in Rome
Sun 24 Feb 2019 11.19 GMT

Activists for survivors of clerical sexual abuse have reacted furiously after Pope Francis failed to promise a “zero tolerance” approach to paedophile priests and the bishops who cover up their crimes as he closed a landmark summit at the Vatican.

Francis vowed that the Roman Catholic church would “spare no effort” to bring abusers to justice and would not cover up or underestimate abuse, but a significant part of the pontiff’s closing speech focused on the prevalence of child abuse across society.

Citing data, he said that the majority of cases arose within families and that the perpetrators of abuse were “primarily parents, relatives, husbands of child brides and teachers”. He also said that online pornography and sex tourism amplified the issue.

“Our work has made us realise once again that the gravity of the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors is, and historically has been, a widespread phenomenon in all cultures and societies,” he said. “I am reminded of the cruel religious practice, once widespread in certain cultures, of sacrificing human beings – frequently children – in pagan rites.”

While the pope acknowledged that the occurrence of the sexual abuse of children within the Catholic church was even more “scandalous” due to its incompatibility “with her moral authority and ethical credibility”, his speech failed to reflect the concrete action that survivors of sex abuse were hoping for.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/24/pope-francis-calls-for-all-out-battle-against-abuse-of-children

[marylandblue]

1. Can't face the music because every bishop in the world is guilty of coverup, including himself.

[guillaumeb]

2. From the article:

Citing data, he said that the majority of cases arose within families and that the perpetrators of abuse were “primarily parents, relatives, husbands of child brides and teachers”. He also said that online pornography and sex tourism amplified the issue.

Does anyone expect that the RCC can change behavior that is literally found everywhere?

Yes, there should be zero tolerance in every institution, and in every family.

[marylandblue]

3. That argument won't get you out of a speeding ticket, let alone a major criminal scandal.

[guillaumeb]

7. No, but in addressing a serious problem,

we must recognize how deeply rooted the problem is.

[marylandblue]

8. Nobody ever absurdly stated that child abuse doesn't occur outside the Catholic Church

Last edited Sun Feb 24, 2019, 11:29 PM - Edit history (1)

But neither has any institution caught protecting child abusers defended itself by whataboutism. Once it became public knowledge and it was followed by public outrage, they all knew they were caught and instituted policies designed to minimize future abusers among their own ranks and to quickly respond to any incident done by their employees or occurring on their property.

School districts have policies that require suspected abusers to be suspended immediately and the police contacted. If a crime is confirmed, the suspect is arrested and the public is informed. The district then reviews the incident to determine if other staff violated any rules and if any policy changes are required to prevent similar incidents in the future.

I've never heard of a school superintendent saying that abuse also occurs in families and other places or "we must first recognize how deeply rooted the problem," before we can actually do anything about it. If a superintendent in my area said something like that, I suspect a mob of parents would descend on him with torches and pitchforks.

But the Pope (and for some reason, you) just make believe that no institutional response is required right now because the same problem happens elsewhere. Even though many institutions have made significant and effective changes to protect children in their care. Nobody can prevent 100% of incidents, but the Church can certainly do better and there is no shortage of examples they can follow.

[trotsky]

12. We do.

When is your pope (and I call him your pope because despite you claiming not to be an active Catholic, you unceasingly defend him and the RCC) going to do something about the features of his church that enable abuse, and protect abusers?

No one is asking your pope to solve all child abuse everywhere.

But he should at least take action to keep his church from covering it up.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1218308714

[Voltaire2]

5. Like a moth to a flame.

[trotsky]

11. "Does anyone expect that the RCC can change behavior that is literally found everywhere?"

Nope, but then again, NO ONE IS ASKING THEM TO. This is whataboutism to the extreme.

Jesus fucking Christ, gil. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[edhopper]

13. Any secular organization with this decades long history

of enabling child rape, would not be allowed to correct itself. It would be disbanded.

[Lordquinton]

4. Why does this sound so familiar?

I feel like I've heard it before...

Maybe the pope reads DU too?

[MineralMan]

6. Whataboutism from the Pope?

I guess it's contagious.

[Act_of_Reparation]

9. What is with this "pagan" shit?

"This reminds of the stuff those people we eradicated used to do."

That's our "progressive" pope, folks.

[trotsky]

10. "a significant part of the pontiff's closing speech focused on the prevalence of child abuse"

Fucking weasel. Same tactic some in this very forum use to defend the church, and it's even more despicable when the one person who could change things is saying it.

No one is asking you to solve child abuse everywhere and for all time, wonderpope frank. People are just asking YOU to address it in YOUR organization.

What an asshole.

[Voltaire2]

14. Besides they burned the evidence.

So there is nothing they can do.