Report: No evidence gay priests more likely to molest children

by Rhonda J Mangus | November 18, 2009 at 11:00 pm
357 views | 32 Recommendations | 15 comments

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Report: No evidence gay priests more likely to molest children

Report: No evidence gay priests more likely to molest children

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A preliminary report released by John Jay College of Criminal Justice shows no evidence that gay priests are any more likely to molest children than are heterosexual clergy.

A preliminary report commissioned by the nation's Roman Catholic bishops on the roots of the clergy sex abuse scandal found no evidence that gay priests are more likely than heterosexual clergy to molest children, the lead authors of the study said Tuesday.

The full report by researchers at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice won't be completed until the end of next year. But the authors said that their evidence to date found no data indicating that homosexuality was a predictor of abuse.

"What we are suggesting is that the idea of sexual identity be separated from the problem of sexual abuse," said Margaret Smith of John Jay College, in a speech to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "At this point, we do not find a connection between homosexual identity and the increased likelihood of subsequent abuse from the data that we have right now."

The question has been raised repeatedly within and outside the church because the overwhelming majority of known victims were boys. As part of the church's response to the crisis, the Vatican ordered a review of all U.S. seminaries that, among other issues, looked for any "evidence of homosexuality" in the schools.

Yet, many experts on sex offenders reject any link between sexual orientation and committing abuse. Karen Terry, a John Jay researcher, said it was important to distinguish between sexual identity and behavior, and to look at who the offender had access to when seeking victims.

The bishops had commissioned the $2 million study as part of widespread reforms they enacted at the height of the abuse crisis. The scandal erupted in 2002 with the case of one predator priest in the Archdiocese of Boston, then spread to every U.S. diocese and beyond.

Nearly 14,000 molestation claims have been filed against Catholic clergy since 1950, according to tallies the bishops have released in recent years. Abuse-related costs have reached at least $2.3 billion in the same period.


In response to the growing epidemic of sex abuse allegations within the Catholic church, The National Catholic Retention Group, Inc. introduced the 'Protecting God's Children' program.


Child sexual abuse is a worldwide public health issue. Child abuse, particularly child sexual abuse, is reprehensible—especially when the wrongdoer is affiliated with the Church. The VIRTUS® programs assist the Church in being a safe haven for children and a messenger for preventing child sexual abuse within the Church and society in general. We seek to achieve this lofty goal through our child sexual abuse prevention program: Protecting God's Children®.

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1
Micheal Jackson

Most interesting that it was a "Catholic" commission.

2
Rhonda J Mangus

Michael Jackson, thank you for reading and commenting. Understandably, it would seem "Most interesting that it was a "Catholic" commission. However, it is a response by the Church to investigate the nature and scope of the problem of sex abuse by clergy, dating to 2002.


In June 2002 the full body of Catholic bishops of the United States in their General Meeting in Dallas approved the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The Charter created a National Review Board, which was assigned responsibility to commission a descriptive study, with the full cooperation of the dioceses/eparchies, of the nature and scope of the problem of sexual abuse of minors by clergy.



1
generaldecay

Thank you for this, Rhonda. As for the 'Catholic commission', it was just three months ago that the Vatican itself was attributing sexual abuse to homosexuality.

In a defiant and provocative statement, issued following a meeting of the UN human rights council in Geneva, the Holy See said the majority of Catholic clergy who committed such acts were not paedophiles but homosexuals attracted to sex with adolescent males.
1
Rhonda J Mangus

You are very welcome, generaldecay! Thank you for reading and sharing the information from your article--sorry I missed it. It does seem however to contradict what is being stated here.

However, although I think the Vatican was feeling pressured and made the statement not considering the consequences, it is apparent it did so to make a distinction between pedophiles and homosexuals, and would be in keeping with the idea that "...a connection between homosexual identity and the increased likelihood of subsequent abuse from the data that we have right now."



2
generaldecay

Rhonda, I find the whole thing very contradictory and I couldn't believe that the Vatican made that statement to begin with. I'm pretty sure, also, that they didn't think it through.

1
Rhonda J Mangus

generaldecay, let's see if there are any 'changes' in the 'final report', keeping in mind this is a preliminary.




2
Rhonda J Mangus

I just noticed that there is something missing at the end of my comment:)! It should read:

"...a connection between homosexual identity and the increased likelihood of subsequent abuse from the data that we have right now." is not found.



1
generaldecay

I knew what you meant, Rhonda. There is no basis for this claim at all.

1
Rhonda J Mangus

:)

2
Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

The Vatican's statement was ridiculous.  Thanks for this story Rhonda.

1
Rhonda J Mangus

Perhaps!:) You are very welcome, ACP!



2
Steven Hart

I feel regardless of who commissioned the report, such research should be carried out to eliminate or at least understand such social problems.<a href="www.freeannuityrates.com/">Annuities</a>

4
t k kidwai

Sexual abuse of children is a problem which almost every country is confronting.The Western societies are more open and democratic,thus such issues are debated publicly and rarely attempts are made to cover up or deny such social problems.Whereas in Eastern socities which are more hypocritical on social issues sexual abuse cases are pushed under carpet,in most of the cases denied.

Ascribing sexual abuse of children to homosexuals is extremely unfair.

 

0
aurealeus

"Ascribing sexual abuse of children to homosexuals is extremely unfair."

Correct..... sexual perversions exist no matter the orientation.

0
smkovalinsky

Yes,  I agree it is unfair, and several major studies have shown it is the heterosexual male who is most likely to offend with regard to child sexual abuse. 

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