In doing research for the Halloween post I kept seeing references to the problems with Catholic priests sexually victimizing both children and adults. The situation is particularly a hot topic right now in Ireland, with lots of items in the Irish press.
It set me thinking about causes. As in, what would need to happen, to be there environmentally, for such abuse to happen, and continue? The focus has been on the church itself, and the negligence of bishops and other church officials, all the way up to the Vatican. Blame, rightly so, has been focused on the perpetrators and those who turned away from facing it and doing something useful and fair about it.
But, aside from what the officials in the church should have been doing, I wondered what others could have done, and could do now and in the future to create an environment more protective of children from sexual predators. What could parents have done? What did they learn from the revelations of child abuse by their religious leaders? What would they do differently, if they could retrace their steps, that could have made a crucial difference in their children's lives?
I'd like to ask all care givers, those who are responsible for ultimate safety of their children and those entrusted to their care, what would you suggest to protect the children? What can parents do to reduce the likelihood that their children will be molested by a priest or other person who works with or is in contact with children? What can teachers do? What can religious leaders do to ensure that the future is better than the past in this regard?
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