sexual abuse by church in India??

[Guest guest]

There have been constant reports in the press of sexual abuses

commited by priests throughout the west in the last two years. Just

out of curioisty and concern - nothing is known about the church's

conduct in India. Considering the enormous economic and social power

and influence that churches in India have on the community, it is

hard to imagine that physical and emotional abuse of the parishioners

and inmates of church and church-run orphanages, destitute homes, and

schools for the poor does not exist in the country. In fact, it is

more likely that the extent of abuse is more widely prevalent in

India than in the west, considering that most Christian converts or

targets for churches' activities in India are predominantly from the

poor socioeconomic classes, and have virtually no power to defend or

protect themselves.

 

While societies throughout the world are investigating and exposing

their churches' immoral activities and crimes against children and

women, in an effort to protect the innocent and the vulnerable, and

to set right the institutions, India (specifically the press) and

other developing countries remains largely silent on this matter. Do

the young and vulnerable in poor countries not deserve similar

protection and help from exploitation and abuse by the churches.

 

Srini

 

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Men Bring $1.85 Billion Sex Abuse Suits vs NY Diocese

Mon Apr 14, 6:33 PM ET Add Top Stories - Reuters to My

 

 

By Daniel Bases

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Thirty-four men filed sexual abuse lawsuits

totaling $1.85 billion on Monday against the Roman Catholic diocese

on New York's Long Island, claiming they were abused by priests and

their complaints about that abuse ignored by church officials.

 

 

 

In one case asking $1.55 billion, 11 men alleged four priests within

the Diocese of Rockville Center -- the sixth largest in the United

States with 1.5 million Catholics -- had sexually abused them, as

long as 25 years ago.

 

 

A second lawsuit filed on behalf of 23 different men and asking $300

million alleged that 13 priests in the same diocese sexually abused

them when they were boys. Only one priest -- Eugene Vollmer -- was

named in both suits, the lawyers said.

 

 

Both suits named Bishop William F. Murphy, leader of the diocese's

hierarchy, for failing to take action against the priests, the

lawyers said.

 

 

The alleged sexual abuse on Long Island, which came to light in

February after a criminal investigation, was among several in a

scandal that erupted in the Catholic church in the United States

starting in Boston in January 2002.

 

 

Murphy, transferred from the Boston diocese, was appointed to

Rockville Center on June 26, 2001. Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law

resigned in December under pressure from the scandal, in which

abusive priests were reassigned from parish to parish rather than

removed from the clergy.

 

 

"The Rockville Center diocese has treated them (victims) like the

enemy by failing to respond to requests for information and for

failing to take action on the priests they reported and fundamentally

ignoring their pleas for help," said Michael Dowd, who is

representing the group of 23 men.

 

 

Melanie Little, a lawyer representing the group of 11 men, said the

diocese had defrauded its members: "For the past 40 years the diocese

represented the parochial schools and the church as a safe place for

their children when in fact they were being run by pedophiles."

 

 

The diocese said in a statement it had expected the suits.

 

 

"The Diocese intends to defend this case vigorously, as any other

institution in our society has a right and an obligation to do. Once

diocesan officials and their attorneys have had an opportunity to

examine this suit in depth, we will respond appropriately."

 

 

For some of the men who came forward, a Suffolk County grand jury

investigation in February that found the diocese had protected 58

sexually abusive priests helped them make the decision to go public.

A five-year statute of limitations on the crimes prevented charges

from being filed.

 

 

"When I read that ... report ... it showed the depth of their

deception and manipulation. I was horrified," said John Salveson, a

47-year-old partner in an executive search firm.

 

 

Salveson told Reuters he was abused between the ages of 13 and 20 by

the Rev. Robert Huneke, in the St. Dominic parish of Oyster Bay on

Long Island. Huneke died in 2002.

 

 

Another alleged victim, Brian Dionne, 51, a former New York state

employee who said he was abused from ages 7 to 12, said the suit was

not about money, but halting abuse and cover-ups.

 

 

"As adults we are primarily concerned with preventing this from

happening again," Dionne said.