The latest on a certain case in Australia that is subject to suppression orders here

[Annie]

I think that was Sophie was saying is that abusers tend to be popular and even charismatic, and this is one of the many things explained to me in my Catholic child-abuse awareness training so I could work in a Catholic school.

The deal is that an abuser has to present himself in a way that allows him access to victims. Some people are powerful; some kind and caring.

There was a case involving a PS teacher near me. A 14-year-old girl reported he was molesting her, and people were mad at her because he was a very popular teacher.

If he had been a creep outwardly, he probably wouldn’t have been hired to begin with, much less have been able to get close enough to a student to molest her.

Abusers of younger children become friends with the whole family. The parents have to like the guy so that he can gain access to their children.

Continued below

 

[Annie]

First, abusers tend to present themselves as friendly, caring individuals.

Second, they often target victims who are somehow vulnerable: the children of a single mother who feels like his interest is good for her children; children who have problems so that they are not strongly attached to their parents or other adults, if the children are quite young and therefore unknowledgeable.

Third, psychiatrists were saying abusers could be cured, and that victims would “get over it” and the latter was more likely if a big deal was not made or the memories reinforced by having to relive them over and over.

Fourth, the bishops were in a position of responsibility as well as authority over the priests. They also considered the “reputation” of the diocese or the Church. Frankly, I do not think matters of this kind can be handled internally within an organization because the organization is also dependent on the abuser to some extent. The top-rated salesman, the “rain-maker,” the popular teacher who motivates students… the priest.

And the child could so easily be mistaken or even lying. “Why did X touch me down there?”

I am not saying bishops were right to do this by any means, but it was so much easier not to make a big deal about something and so much trouble to address the problem and then there was a lot of back history that we all ended up in a big mess.