Scandal

So I am sure everyone has heard and is still hearing about the sex scandals in the Catholic Church. It is true that there were some pretty bad things that have happened, it is a reminder to all people that no matter the person in authority or what kind of position held by a man, they are still just that, a man...a human.

I think that what happened was horrible. The sexual abuse, and the covering up/protecting the offender. I think that that should never have happened and should never happen again. However, I am aware of some other cases of sexual abuse (not in the catholic church) where the offender is still free. Relieved of his duties, but not arrested and not under house arrest. I don't know if the people are waiting for the "right" time to prosecute or if the people who came forwarded requested that he not be turned in, in either case there is a person who committed the same type of crime and is yet being "protected" or hushed up. Again I don't think this is right, I just think it is an example that this whole hushing up thing is not unique to the Catholic Church's situation.

Additionally, I find it interesting that the media has put the Catholic Church in such a spotlight when in "2009, [only] six credible allegations of abuse concerning people who are minors were reported to the U.S. bishops -- in a church with 65 million members." While at the same time youth who are in detention centers are also sexually abused. "Nationwide about 12 percent of youths held in state-run, privately run, or local facilities reported some type of sexual victimization" One center is reported to have had over 34% of its youth sexually abused in the last year, and that is just ONE center in the last year! Why aren't these centers as well as others who have high sexual abuse rates being criticized and investigated as intensely as the Catholic Church is? In comparison the Catholic Church's rates are minute; 6 out of 65 million members versus 4 out of 11.

To read more and learn about the history of sexual abuse in the Catholic church, as well as read some statistics of sexual abuse (priests vs other religious leaders vs men in general) read this article by Dr. Thomas Plante is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Spirituality and Health Institute at Santa Clara University as well as an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine