Rape in the News

"Reporters viewing rape from the point of view of the rapists is a longstanding problem in corporate media." ~FAIR

It's been a persistent problem at the NYT.

Then there's the internal sexism at CNN in its reporting of the guilty verdict at the trial of the Steubenville, Pennsylvania high school football players.

The Men's Club

From Religion Dispatches, a thoughtful analysis: "An Unholy Holy Week: Is the All-Male Rule of the Roman Catholic Church
Self-Destructing?"

'In fact, the all-male rule of the Roman Catholic Church is self-destructing. Ordained men from priests to the Pope are proving that it wasn’t a good idea to leave church governance to an old boys’ network. They have been focused on forgiving each other and covering up crimes “to avoid scandal”—that is, to protect each other, their power, and the church’s wealth.'

Oh yes, hiding behind that clerical collar. My ex, who's a PK, always complained about that! This also happens to a certain extent within some Protestant denominations and certainly within the Anglican Communion (with a smattering of women clergy, it's still a white men's club), whose leaderships remain unaccountable and self-protecting!

Just Plain Pathetic

DutchNews.nl

Church abuse: 'Wir haben es nicht gewusst'

The Catholic church in the Netherlands was simply unaware about the abuse of children in its care, cardinal Ad Simonis told a tv show on Tuesday night.

'Wir haben es nicht gewusst, (we did not know)' the cardinal said. 'It is a loaded term, but it is true.'

The phrase was used by Germans after the Second World War as the horror of the death camps unfolded.

Many bishops in the 1950s, 60s and 70s did not know about the abuse, Simonis said. He himself was a bishop in various places for 38 years.

The number of abuse claims made to the church organisation Hulp & Recht has now reached over 1,100.

'A bishop does not have direct say over religious orders and congregations, so a lot remains hidden from him,' the cardinal told tv talk show Pauw & Witteman.

The cardinal said there is no direct link between the abuse and celibacy laws for Catholic priests. 'It can be connected to poor preparation for celibacy and poor choice of candidates,' he said.

Simonis is lying, of course.

More details on Dutch victims of abuse within the church.

Sullivan: "When will this Pope step down?"

Andrew Sullivan, via The Lead,

"...
The current moral authority for all Catholics personally put the interests of the hierarchy above the welfare of vulnerable children. He heard a case of a priest forcing an eleven-year-old to perform oral sex on him, and he did not take that priest to the police, as he should have, or removed him from his duties immediately. He sent him to therapy and allowed him to continue molesting children in future parishes, and never informed the parents of the priest's past. Would you have done that? Would anyone you know have done that? Would anyone you know who had done that be able to sleep at night?
...
"When will this Pope step down?"

What goes around, comes around

BURLINGTON FREE PRESS

The former St. Joseph’s Orphanage on North Avenue in Burlington, now headquarters of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington, will be sold as part of a settlement with victims of priest sexual abuse going back decades.

The abuse was by parish priests throughout the state. I wonder what happened inside the building when it was an orphanage. It's a huge property, prime real estate for developers, overlooking Lake Champlain. There have been rumours in the past that some conservative (Republican) residents in the new north end of town want to secede from Burlington to create a separate town, making this property their town hall. Who knows what will happen.

ELECTION FEARMONGERING IN VERMONT

With all of this year's local media attention given to Brooke Bennett the Burlington Free Press links Ms Bennett's accused murderer to Larkin Forney, a candidate for state senator in Chittenden County who's

running to bring public attention to flaws in the criminal justice system -- and to let the world know he's no pedophile.

He knows his background may scare off some voters, but he figures honesty might win him some votes in the race for one of six at-large seats representing Vermont's most populous county.

"All my skeletons are out in the open, while other people continue to deny theirs," he said.
---
His name appears with 13 others on Tuesday's ballot, under the Justice for Vermonters party label. In his campaign literature, he says diagnosed sexual predators and pedophiles should be sent to prison for life; marijuana should be legalized; and U.S troops should be withdrawn from Iraq.

For the Free Press, sensationalism sells. I've met Larkin Forney and plan to vote for him. He's a long-shot, for sure, but he's dedicated to democracy and his message is one which should be heard.

After the Offense

Fascinating, moving, and insightful program today on THE STORY about life for sex offenders after they've left jail. Listen here.

A portion of the description-

Tom Coles, who lives in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, has invited sex offenders into his own home. Unlike many, Tom believes in the possibility of redemption. Guest host Scott Jagow talks with Tom about how he got into his work helping to rehabilitate sex offenders, and what he has gained from it.

One of Tom's residents is Khris Page. Khris served 10 years in prison for criminal sexual conduct with children. He talks to Scott about how this living arrangement, combined with the rehabilitative programs he's in, help ensure that he will never offend again.

COMMENT: It's one story of many like it that go unheard. People are connected by the stories they tell. This is a very human story - the two men give the story heart - and I'm glad it's being told.