Bishops share concern of Catholics about abuse

By Deborah Gyapong

Canadian Catholic News

OTTAWA (CCN) — Canada’s Catholic bishops have reacted swiftly to a shocking survey suggesting two million Canadians knew someone who had been sexually assaulted by a Roman Catholic priest.

“A cursory reading of the results could lead one to conclude that the Catholic Church has a bigger problem with the issue of sexual abuse than any other segment of society,” the April 13 CCCB statement said. “This is incorrect. Experts say that there is no data to support such a claim at all.”

The CCCB said it “regrets that Ipsos-Reid did not question Catholics on their knowledge of what the Catholic bishops of Canada have done to prevent cases of sexual abuse and to respond to concerns of sexual abuse.”

The poll does, however, address whether Canadians and Catholics are satisfied with the church’s efforts to “root out predatory pedophiles.” Sixty-four per cent and 55 per cent of Catholics were not.

The statement quotes a recent Newsweek article that reveals the common factor in abuse is a “pre-existing relationship” between the abuser and victim. The article pointed out that these relationships exist not only in religious institutions, but churches, families, schools and other organizations.

“As in society in general, the bishops too continue to grow in their understanding of this terrible problem,” the statement said. “Canadian bishops remain totally committed to a zero-tolerance policy and continue to improve their practices and protocols.”

The poll, commissioned by Canwest News and Global Television News, surveyed 1,003 Canadians, both Catholic and non-Catholic, the previous week.

The two million figure was extrapolated from the fact that eight per cent of respondents and seven per cent of Catholics said they personally know someone sexually assaulted by a Catholic priest.

The poll reveals 69 per cent and 80 per cent of Catholics believe the proportion of abusive priests is minor but despite their small number they are damaging the church’s reputation.

The CCCB said the survey results indicate the “serious concern” Canadians and Catholics have about clergy sexual abuse, adding the Canadian bishops “share that concern.”

“This is precisely why for many years Canadian bishops have been working to implement and update diocesan protocols across Canada to prevent further cases of sexual abuse,” it said.

Rev. Thomas Rosica, CEO of the Salt + Light Media, said the church has made “heroic efforts” to respond quickly to abuse cases” (see related story).

In an email interview from Toronto, he said the church may have poorly or inadequately responded in the past, and “sometimes put the emphasis more on saving face for the institution and restoring dignity to the victim.”

“The plates of the earth have shifted in how we respond to such cases today,” he stressed.

The CCCB statement pointed out that the youngest age group surveyed — 18-34 years old — was “significantly less likely” (four per cent) to say they personally knew someone who had been abused by a Catholic priest. This was an encouraging “downward trend,” it said. “This indicates that the efforts by the bishops of Canada have been largely successful.”