Catholic comic book warns kids about sex abuse

[bones_IV]

From Reuters
The book is designed for children over 10, and is being distributed to schools and religious education programs in New York, archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling said. It is also available free online.

Accompanying it is a coloring book for children under 10, available in English and Spanish.

“It’s part of our much broader effort to help give children the information they need in order to keep themselves safe,” Zwilling said.

The books appeared several years after reports of widespread abuse of parishioners by Roman Catholic priests in Boston, Los Angeles and other cities, and received wide attention this week after being profiled in Newsweek magazine.

Carmen Durso, a lawyer who represents some of those victims, said the books take a moralizing tone that might have the opposite effect of persuading children to report abuse.

“They’re kidding themselves if they think they’re going to create with these things a situation where kids are going to talk to someone,” Durso said.

The books fail to point out that sex offenders are likely to be people in trusted positions, including religious leaders, said David Clohessy, who said he was sexually abused by a parish priest as a child.

“It’s appropriate for an audience of Catholic kids to be told that even Catholic priests and seminarians and bishops and nuns can do these things,” Clohessy said. “Usually adults who hurt kids aren’t strangers, but are grown-ups who you like and your parents trust and other adults trust.”

I suppose there is no purpose served in pointing out that professionals who deal with this matter do not speak in terms of “homosexual pedophilia” and “heterosexual pedophilia”.

 

[homewardbound]

I think its a good idea to warn children of things like this, but I think thats a responsibility of the parents to sit down and talk to their children about. Whatever happened to parents actually talking to their kids instead of letting someone else do it?

I think making sure kids know those closest to them are more likely to hurt them is good also, also parents should be more careful about who they leave alone with their children. Unfortunately, no one should be trusted.

As a child my parents always warned me of “stranger danger” but never that anyone close to me would hurt me. Thats one thing that needs to be stressed, to all children…not just Catholic ones.

 

[Digitonomy]

I think its a good idea to warn children of things like this, but I think thats a responsibility of the parents to sit down and talk to their children about.

Relying on parents to do this isn’t going to reduce the archdiocese’s insurance premiums.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I think the comic book is silly.

and when I read this:

“I can only applaud the diocese for their creativity,” said John Moynihan, spokesman for Voice of the Faithful.

It makes it taste even worse. Getting the endorsement from VOTF, sends a red flag up for me.

Jim

 

[goofyjim]

From ReutersThe book is designed for children over 10, and is being distributed to schools and religious education programs in New York, archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling said. It is also available free online.

Accompanying it is a coloring book for children under 10, available in English and Spanish.

“It’s part of our much broader effort to help give children the information they need in order to keep themselves safe,” Zwilling said.

The books appeared several years after reports of widespread abuse of parishioners by Roman Catholic priests in Boston, Los Angeles and other cities, and received wide attention this week after being profiled in Newsweek magazine.

Carmen Durso, a lawyer who represents some of those victims, said the books take a moralizing tone that might have the opposite effect of persuading children to report abuse.

“They’re kidding themselves if they think they’re going to create with these things a situation where kids are going to talk to someone,” Durso said.

The books fail to point out that sex offenders are likely to be people in trusted positions, including religious leaders, said David Clohessy, who said he was sexually abused by a parish priest as a child.

“It’s appropriate for an audience of Catholic kids to be told that even Catholic priests and seminarians and bishops and nuns can do these things,” Clohessy said. “Usually adults who hurt kids aren’t strangers, but are grown-ups who you like and your parents trust and other adults trust.”

I suppose there is no purpose served in pointing out that professionals who deal with this matter do not speak in terms of “homosexual pedophilia” and “heterosexual pedophilia”.

They don’t need to speak in terms of “homosexual” or “heterosexual” pedophilia. One is not worse than another. They are both deplorable and should just be mentioned under the category of pedophilia.

 

[melensdad]

I think its a good idea to warn children of things like this, but I think thats a responsibility of the parents to sit down and talk to their children about. Whatever happened to parents actually talking to their kids instead of letting someone else do it?

My wife is a school teacher and tells me that many parents simply do not care what their kids do, who they associate with, how they are doing in school, etc.

They don’t need to speak in terms of “homosexual” or “heterosexual” pedophilia. One is not worse than another. They are both deplorable and should just be mentioned under the category of pedophilia.

Ditto!