Re: Child Abuse

It is apparent that many men and some women do not consider this sexual abuse of children a crime. They think it to be normal behaviour and children enjoy it too, sadly some children are never shown loving affection and are happy when someone shows an interest in them. They are then groomed first with kindness and later are required to do what the perpetrator desires even if they do not want to, and they are then threatened with harm if they complain to anyone.
As teenagers, some will continue this relationship for money and gifts especially if unemployed.

It is so rife I doubt if it will ever stop as often children and minors are not believed by their peers, also continuous covering up by authorities. Shameful

Management in Children's Homes and other Institutions are still not vetted properly.

Re: Child Abuse

I don't know Azure
Students at Ampleforth usually come from very wealthy families so are not short on money .
Kindness yes ,pedophiles usually groom their victims with kindness so emotionally vulnerable children are easy targets.
There's was a case at the school my son attended .
I actually met the man briefly because it came to light .
He was young personable and my son said he was kind and all the boys liked him .
He -my son was very surprised when years later the teacher was convicted of child abuse .

Re: Child Abuse

As I understood the report, it was monks that were doing the sexual abuse so, as they take a vow of celibacy, they should have certainly known the difference between sexual acts & giving comfort to a sad child

We hear that many priests, and now monks, have been abusing children ( usually boys) for years & I think it is time that the catholic church took some responsibility for what has happened.
If you tell a man that he cannot do his job unless he remains celibate, you are going against his natural instincts. I think it is time that the catholic church allowed its preachers to have sexual relationships with a partner &, if they won't, they should accept some responsibility for them abusing children...instead of covering it up as they have been doing for years!

Re: Child Abuse

Whilst there is never any excuse for child abuse, I don't believe the daft celibacy rule is a good thing at all as it is very unnatural for most people, especially men.

Re: Child Abuse

While I don t agree with the celibacy rule it has nothing to do with pedophlia .

Only a very small percentage of priests are pedophiles the same as in any other group or less .The rest of them are not so celibacy has nothing to do with it .
A greater percentage of pedophiles are married men but no one would say marriage is a cause of pedophilia .

Moreover there are pedophiles in all religions including those where celibacy is not a requirement for its clerics .

Re: Child Abuse

Whilst there is never any excuse for child abuse, I don't believe the daft celibacy rule is a good thing at all as it is very unnatural for most people, especially men

You are right., tara
Celibacy is really outdated and unfair in this era.

Re: Child Abuse

Paedophilia appears to be more predominant in the Catholic Church, although I agree no denomination is immune.

Re: Child Abuse

That is true, Muddy but celibacy is extremely hard on Priests as they are surrounded by females and nuns too.
Sometimes they have affairs with nuns and children are born too.

Re: Child Abuse

I think they pick on the most vulnerable boys
Not a tall strong boy who can stand his ground..

Re: Child Abuse

I am not a catholic and neither are the majority of my friends, but I know of 3 men who were sexually abused by their priest...the problem is that these cases were never dealt with because the boys were afraid to tell their mums, and their mothers would never have believed them anyway.
I went out with a man who said that he used to spend all his time at friends houses because, when the priest visited his mum he would offer to take her son the the cinema, as a treat for being such a good boy. The boy couldn't refuse as his mum would tell him off.
When the priest did take him to afternoon matinees they would sit somewhere quiet and the priest used to sexually fondle the boy & expect the boy to do the same for him. His mother died , never knowing what the priest had done because she would have never believed him.
That was back in the late 50's & early 60's, but nobody dared report it in those days ......so it is probably much more common than you would think!

Azure, in many cases the boys weren't tall and strong because they were often as young as 6-8 years old