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Sexual abuse
For years there have been widespread reports about sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy. We expect more from our clergy and do not intend to minimize the gravity of their actions. The ones that are guilty will be punished.
On the other hand singling them out is unfair and dangerous. Abuses by others are rarely reported and may never be stopped or punished.


August .9, 2010 -- William Oddie -- Catholic Herald
Now we have real evidence - sexual abuse is not a 'Catholic problem'
But we still have a fight ahead: the media are out to get us
..... actually, according to Dr Thomas Plante of Stanford University and Santa Clara University, "available research suggests that approximately two to five per cent of priests have had a sexual experience with a minor" which "is lower than the general adult male population" - in which the percentage of those who have interfered with minors "is best estimated to be closer to eight per cent". In other words, children who have anything to do with priests are between 1.6 and four times LESS likely to be abused by them than by anyone else. more

July 22, 2010 -- (CNA)
Abuse scandal rooted in homosexuality, not pedophilia, says Catholic League president
Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, spoke out in an article on the Washington Post's website on Thursday, defending his assertion that the widespread perception of a "pedophilia crisis in the Catholic Church" is not supported by data and research. The more significant problem, Donohue argued, is the incidence of homosexuality among priests. more

July 2, 2010 -- Standard Newswire
New York Times Tries to Tag Pope -- Again
Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on today's front-page article on Pope Benedict XVI:
The purpose of this story is to do what the Times failed to do in March: blame the pope for the sexual abuse scandal. It failed again. We are told that when Joseph Ratzinger (now the pope) was in charge of the Office of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he had authority over sex abuse cases, but never exercised it. It cites as evidence some old instructions dating back to 1922 that Australian Archbishop Philip Edward Wilson "stumbled across" when he was a student in the early 1990s. When he mentioned this 10 years ago at a Vatican meeting, "few people in the room had any idea what [he] was talking about." In other words, there is no proof that even Ratzinger knew of this alleged authority. more

May 7, 2010 -- Catholic News Agency
CBS / N.Y. Times poll shows increase in Catholics' approval of Pope Benedict
New York City, N.Y., May 6, 2010 / 08:43 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Most churchgoing Catholics say their feelings about the Church are unaffected by the Vatican's handling of recent child sex abuse reports. Among all Catholics, more have a favorable opinion of Pope Benedict XVI now than they did in March. They tend to believe the media reports are blown out of proportion and harder on the Church than others. more:

April 28, 2010
New York Times acknowledges: lawyer steered coverage of abuse story
In a profile of Jeffrey Anderson, the New York Times reveals that the lawyer who is attempting to bring suit against the Vatican was successful in steering the Times news coverage toward his case.
Referring to Anderson's involvement in the case of Father Lawrence Murphy, the Times story notes that the aggressive trial lawyer was a main source for a front-page report critical of Pope Benedict:
The New York Times was working on a different article last month when a reporter contacted Mr. Anderson. He provided documents about the Murphy case describing how efforts by Wisconsin church officials to subject Father Murphy to a canonical trial and remove him from the priesthood were halted after he wrote a letter to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, asking for a cessation of the trial.
The Times report also quoted Jeffrey Lena, an attorney representing the Vatican in American courts, who observed that Anderson had courted publicity to favor his lawsuits. "It shows how you can both create a media frenzy, and then capitalize on it," Lena said. more:

April 13, 2010
USA Swimming President Apologizes for Sex Molestation of Swimmers
Outrage over the relevation of 30 years of sexual abuse of swimmers by certain swim coaches around the country has prompted the head of USA Swimming to make a public apology to swimmers and parents nationwide. Chuck Wielgus, president of USA Swimming has given an interview with ABC News' Brian Ross, who has conducted the investigation of dozens of sexual molestation claims by swimmers. Wielgus has also posted a public letter on the USA Swimming website in which he promises to set up a sexual abuse hotline for swimmers , better background checks for potential coaches and a "blacklist" of all coaches who have been "banned for life" from USA Swimming for molestation of swimmers.
http://www.uncoverage.net/2010/04/sexual-abuse-by-coaches-in-usa-swim-program/

Apr. 9, 2010 -- Megan Chuchmach and Avni Patel
ABC News Investigation: 36 USA Swimming coaches banned for life
In a sex abuse scandal that some victims compare to what happened in the Catholic Church, at least 36 swimming coaches have been banned for life by the USA Swimming organization over the last 10 years because of sexual misconduct with teenagers they coached.
The coaches have molested, fondled and abused dozens of swimmers, according to court records and interviews conducted by ABC News for reports Friday on "World News with Diane Sawyer" and "20/20."
more:

March 19, 2010 -- Brooke Donald - AP
Olympic swimmer speaks out on sex abuse lawsuit
The governing body of U.S. competitive swimming hasn't done enough to address widespread sexual abuse against young girls at swim clubs across the country, an Olympic gold medalist said Friday.
Deena Deardurff Schmidt, a 1972 Olympic champion swimmer, said as she trained in the 1960s, she was repeatedly molested over a four year period by her coach. Despite telling officials at USA Swimming years later, she said, the coach - whom she wouldn't name - went on to train more young swimmers and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
more:

December 07, 2009 -- news.com
Swimming sex abuse allegations
A strike force set up to investigate allegations against the late coach Terry Buck was mysteriously wound up. Source: The Daily Telegraph
* Abuse 'spanned 12 Olympic Games'
* Investigation mysteriously closed down
* Allegations against late coach Terry Buck
AN OLYMPIC medallist has blown the lid on what he calls "child sex abuse cover-up" at the highest levels of Australian swimming which spanned 12 Olympic Games.
more:

October 21, 2007 Martha Irvine and Robert Tanner - AP
Sexual misconduct plagues U.S. schools during five year period
An Associated Press investigation found more than 2,500 cases over five years in which educators were punished for actions from bizarre to sadistic.
The seven-month investigation found 2,570 educators whose teaching credentials were revoked, denied, voluntarily surrendered or limited from 2001 through 2005 following allegations of sexual misconduct.
Young people were the victims in at least 1,801 of the cases, and more than 80 percent of those were students. More than half the educators who were punished by their states also were convicted of crimes related to the misconduct.
more:

March 24, 2006 -- Whistleblower Magazine
Is there a Debra LaFave in your child's school?
'PREDATORS' exposes today's hidden epidemic of teacher-student sex
The seemingly endless stream of reports of female school teachers having sex with their underage male students - most recently the stunning dismissal of charges against Debra LaFave who admitted having sex with a 14-year-old student - is one of today's most sensational news stories.
more:

June 2004 -- Charol Shakeshaft
The U.S. Department of Education commissioned an in-depth study of sexual misconduct by educators.
According to the study millions of children might be victims of sexual misconduct by teachers or other public school employees.
According to the author, Charol Shakeshaft the figures suggest "the physical sexual abuse of students in schools is likely more than 100 times the abuse by priests."
See:
Educator Sexual Misconduct: A Synthesis of Existing Literature
By Charol Shakeshaft
Prepared for the U.S. Department of Education
Office of the Under Secretary Policy and Program Studies Service
Hofstra University and Interactive, Inc. Huntington, N.Y.

Report
The author



Childhelp National Headquarters:
Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. Over 3 million reports of child abuse are made every year in the United States; however, those reports can include multiple children. In 2007, approximately 5.8 million children were involved in an estimated 3.2 million child abuse reports and allegations.

• A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds.
• Almost five children die everyday as a result of child abuse. More than three out of four are under the age of 4.
• It is estimated that between 60-85% of child fatalities due to maltreatment are not recorded as such on death certificates.
• 90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way; 68% are abused by family members.
• Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education.
• 31% percent of women in prison in the United States were abused as children.
• Over 60% of people in drug rehabilitation centers report being abused or neglected as a child.
• About 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse.
• About 80% of 21 year old that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder.
• The estimated annual cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States for 2007 is $104 billion.
• Abused children are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy.
• Abused teens are 3 times less likely to practice safe sex, putting them at greater risk for STDs.

Childhelp National Headquarters:
15757 N. 78th Street, Ste B
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
(480) 922-8212


Website

Manipulation of Marriage

February 23, 2011 -- csmonitor.com
US will no longer defend Defense of Marriage Act in court
In a major policy shift on gay rights, the Obama administration announced on Wednesday that it would no longer defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act in cases pending in federal court.
Attorney General Eric Holder made the announcement in a written statement and in a letter sent to House Speaker John Boehner.
It said both he and President Obama had concluded that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutionally discriminates against same-sex couples who are in marriages that are legally recognized by their state governments.
"The president has instructed the [Justice] Department not to defend the statute in such cases," Mr. Holder said in his statement. "I fully concur with the president's determination."
Speaker Boehner responded through a spokesman, questioning the timing of the announcement.
"While Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending, the president will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation," said Boehner spokesman Michael Steel. more

The Defense of Marriage Act


Marriage is a union and legal contract between a man and a woman. In the mayor religions it is a sacred union. In the Catholic religion it is a Sacrament.
Based on a recent California decision any combination can be ruled legal. Soon they may allow marriages between more than two people, minors and adults or two minors.

October 25, 2010 -- Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula
The Totalitarianism Of Liberalism Cannot Change The Definition of Marriage
Marriage is a permanent, faithful union between a man and a woman. It is necessarily open to life, creating the proper setting not only for sexual union between spouses, but also for giving birth to, raising, and educating children. As such it is a natural institution and genesis of the family, the most basic element of any society. No matter how some may clamor that this natural view of marriage is somehow oppressive or restricting, they cannot change its basic biological, societal and spiritual character. more

Aug. 16, 2010, -- By Lisa Leff -- Associated Press
Court halts Calif. gay marriages pending appeal
A federal appeals court put same-sex weddings in California on hold indefinitely Monday while it considers the constitutionality of the state's gay marriage ban.
The decision, issued by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, trumped a lower court judge's order that would have allowed county clerks to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on Wednesday. more

August 13, 2010 -- Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer -- President, Human Life International
Gay Marriage and the End of Christian Civilization
Back in the 90s when Fr. Paul Marx, founder of HLI, was asked his opinion about the efforts to legalize "same-sex unions" he commented in his usual forthright fashion, "When they do that," he said, "it's the end." He meant "the end" of the Christian civilization whose values used to form the basis of American common life. Fr. Marx, in a prophetic sense, saw rightly that a society cannot survive the perverse manipulation of the very structure of reality that God Himself has revealed to us, one very fundamental element of which is the institution of marriage. When we allow that to be changed-"It's the end." more

August 10, 2010 -- By David Agren -- Catholic News Service
Cardinal calls Mexican court decision on marriage 'aberrant judgment
Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera of Mexico City denounced a recent Mexican Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of a same-sex marriage law in the nation's capital as an "aberrant judgment."
The church "cannot stop calling evil, 'evil,'" he said in a statement read after his Aug. 8 homily in the city's Metropolitan Cathedral. more

August 10, 2010 -- Deal W. Hudson -- Inside Catholic
Statement from Bishop Thomas Olmsted on the Prop 8 Court Decision Marriage: a "hang up" or God’s plan? This statement from Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix on the federal court decision striking down Prop 8 is the strongest I have seen from any prelate. It will be published at the diocesan web site later today. The misguided decision of Judge Vaughn Walker, striking down as unconstitutional the California Marriage Law called Proposition 8, cannot be passed over in silence. On August 9, the Arizona Republic celebrated this decision in an editorial called “Marriage Ruling a Landmark on a Long Road.” Using a typical technique of pro-abortion and anti-marriage proponents, the Republic declared that the march toward homosexual marriage is inevitable: “If this generation of Americans doesn’t move forward, the next one will. Young people just do not share their parents’ hang ups about gay marriage.” more

August 05, 2010 -- James Vicini (Reuters)
The Senate on Thursday approved President Barack Obama's nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, his second appointment to the high court that decides abortion, death penalty and other contentious cases. more

August 4, 2010 -- Associated Press -- Lisa Leff And Paul Elias
A federal judge overturned California's gay-marriage ban Wednesday in a landmark case that could eventually force the U.S. Supreme Court to confront the question of whether same-sex couples have a constitutional right to wed.
The ruling by Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker touched off a celebration outside the courthouse. Gay couples waved rainbow and American flags and erupted with cheers in the city that has long been a magnet for gays.
..... The ruling "vindicates the rights of a minority of our citizens to be treated with decency and respect and equality in our system," said former U.S. Solicitor General Theodore Olson, who delivered the closing argument at trial for opponents of the ban. more

"vindicates the rights of a minority of our citizens"
Based on this decision any combination can be ruled legal. Soon we may allow marriages between more than two people, minors and adults or two minors.

November 5, 2008 -- Tamara Audi
California voters overturned same-sex marriage rights in a vote that stands to affect how the issue plays out elsewhere in the nation.
Proposition 8, which would establish marriage as a union between a man and a woman, passed with 52.1% of the vote, against 47.9% opposed, with 94.6% of precincts reporting. The approval marks a stunning upset in a $70 million campaign that just weeks ago looked to be running in favor of preserving gay marriage rights.
The passage of Prop 8, as it is known, would be a major victory for religious conservatives seeking to ban gay marriage in other states, and a crippling setback for the gay rights movement nationwide. more