Portugal shamed by child sex

Sunday Herald (UK) ^ | 10-12-03 | Alison Roberts in Lisbon

[PatrioticCowboy]

Portugal shamed by child sex

A child sex abuse scandal has reached into the heart of Portugese politics and celebrity … and the cover-ups may already have begun. Alison Roberts in Lisbon reports on a hidden outrage

When the organisers of last Thursday’s European conference in Lisbon on the disappearance and sexual exploitation of children decided to invite Portugal’s president to open the event, they knew they had a good chance of success.

The conference, organised by the Institute for the Support of Children, and indeed addressed by head of state Jorge Sampaio, is the latest sign of a major change in Portuguese attitudes to child abuse – once all but ignored by families and the authorities alike.

The issue has dominated Portuguese headlines since last November, when a newspaper published allegations of long-running abuse of children at the string of state-funded orphanages and schools run by the 200-year-old Casa Pia foundation. As fresh revelations emerged, a former secretary of state for the family spoke of a “network” that procured children for outsiders.

Carlos Silvino, the Casa Pia driver alleged to be at the centre of the ring, was arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing pupils. He has been charged on 35 counts of abuse, with prosecutors considering further charges.

As police continued investigations a dozen suspects were formally named, seven of whom were arrested and taken to prison to await charges. Among them were Paulo Pedroso, an MP and number two in the opposition Socialist Party; Carlos Cruz, one of Portugal’s most popular television journalists and retired ambassador Jorge Ritto.

Meanwhile, details of the horrific scale of the abuse emerged. Pedro Namora, a 39-year-old lawyer who said he narrowly escaped being abused by Silvino at the age of 11 , was deluged with phone calls from victims, after he went on television to denounce him. “People were calling in even from abroad, often only when their family was out because of the shame,” he said. “One in particular would just cry and cry.”

Casa Pia director Catalina Pestana, who took over after the scandal broke, says doctors found more than a hundred of the 4500 current pupils had been repeatedly sexual abused, most aged between 10 and 13. In many cases, she adds, their muscle and tissue were so damaged that they suffered internal injuries. Pestana believes these may be the tip of the iceberg. For years, she says, there was a “blanket of silence” at the Casa Pia, with senior staff at best in denial, at worst complicit in the wrongdoing. “Staff said they never noticed anything, but I don’t believe them,” she said. “The priority was not the quality of individuals’ lives, but the institution’s good name.”

The affair has prompted accusations of a cover-up in Portugal’s tight-knit establishment. President Sampaio has said he is sure the guilty will be severely punished, and promised an end “to the impunity that for decades made the situation at Casa Pia a disgrace to all”.

That investigation has been painfully slow, prompting suspicions that even if Silvino, whose initial trial has been twice postponed, is found guilty, better-connected abusers may go free.

Lawyers for the other suspects last month prevented the investigating magistrate from questioning witnesses for the court record. And on Thursday , an appeal court ordered that Pedroso be released to await charges in freedom. The magistrate had ordered his arrest on the basis that tapped phone conversations between party leaders pointed to an attempt to pervert the course of justice. Outraged Socialist leader Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues claimed there was a politically motivated smear campaign against his party.

The Casa Pia affair has had one major positive effect in hugely raising public awareness about the sexual abuse of children. The number of incidents reported to police has soared, and last month thousands marched through Lisbon and three other Portuguese cities, calling for more action against child abuse .

At last Thursday’s conference the Institute for the Support of Children pledged to produce a report on the phenomenon in Portugal, to be presented to the European Union.

[PatrioticCowboy]

I think that calling for vigilante justice like this could be used as a legal pretext to shut this forum down and land us in jail


However, I shall say this much:

If some NAMLBA sicko comes after my son or my daughter, then I will introduce him to .40 S&W between his eyes.

[PatrioticCowboy]

ping

[Windsong]

You are an idiot.

And would have fit right in with Nero as well.

[Bon mots]

I think that calling for vigilante justice like this could be used as a legal pretext to shut this forum down and land us in jail

I was only stating an opinion not calling for a posse. I didn't say I was going to go and do so. Not until it is made perfectly legal anyway - and even then, will only bag my limit and no more.

Nobody disagrees that monsters who prey upon children are treated far too leniently, especially in Europe. Well, except perhaps for the NAMBLA member who just called me an idiot.

[Bon mots]

You are an idiot.

Your mother wears army boots.

[BlackVeil]

I believe that these sexual perversions are at the heart of almost all the evil which exists in society and any society which covers up the abuse of children is destined to fall. I agree with you, I think it is an out of control evil. Sex crimes are the background to many other crimes, especially serial killing, which is also at an all time high in western nations.

[Truth666]

I will use bold to underline the main reasons for me to see this as the ultimate case .

Basis Elements upon which the mind control operation was started,

November 2002, as Silvino was arrested :
- pedophile ring existed for 25 years ...
- ... in the state managed institution (Casa Pia) for orphans (leader was Silvino) ...
- ... supplying those orphans to the high society ...
Description of mind control operation follows up.

[Truth666]

Mind control operation "acceptance of pedophilia"

Base techniques :
- after each shock "revealing something" an adequate measure to the volcano under control)
- a never ending list of shocks delivered at a rythm that matches the basis from what the operation was launched :
Description of key steps of this mind control operation follows up.

[PatrioticCowboy]

Are you saying that this expose' is pa tof a mind-control operation to desensitize the Portuguese to this sort of depravity?

I wonder why they are not arresting and convicting after the scandal was blown open.

[PatrioticCowboy]

I think you are right.

The fact that they are exposing these heinous acts, yet not punishing them tells me that you are right

[PatrioticCowboy]

Are you coddling pedophiles?

[PatrioticCowboy]

Is windsong a NAMBLA member?

[Truth666]

I was just going to post this
"Yes I'm saying exactly that and you pose the KEY question." but after readig your last post isn't necessary anymore.

[PatrioticCowboy]

I wondered why the media has been bringing this out in Portugal, yet nobody has been convicted.

They are conditioning folks to accep this depravity

[PatrioticCowboy]

Accep= accept

[4Freedom]

I hope there's a special kind of hell for someone that would hold out the hope of becoming a loving surrogate parent to an innocent child, while intent only on sexually abusing them.

[Truth666]

Mind control operation "acceptance of pedophilia"

Base techniques :
- "revealing" the case involved the most "popular" media "personalities" and ""top politicians"" being linked to this ring ...
- after each shock "revealing something" an adequate "counter" - measure to keep the volcano under control
- a never ending list of shocks delivered at a rythm that matches the basis from what the operation was launched. Description of key steps of this mind control operation follows up.

[Truth666]

Some Key Steps of the mind control operation

1. As Silvino was arrested information was released that "well know personalities from the media" were involved. The name of Herman Jose, who has been intoxicating the portuguese for the last 25 years almost every day under the cover of being a humorist, was of course immediately connected with the story.
2. Three months after the media continues to reveal new details about the extent to which children were abused in Casa Pia, an unexpected "personality" is "arrested" - Carlos Cruz. This pedophile would be the last person most would imagine to be connected with the ring - he played 30 years long the role of the serious showmaster.
3. But some other special counter-measures were carefully prepared shortly before to lay a solid ground for him to play the role of a "martyr" (media made hero as reponsible to bring to Portugal the Soccer European Championships; marrying one year before, at the age of 62, a young attractive woman, with whom he now played the role of the loving father of the recently born baby) ...
Description of more key steps of this mind control operation follows up later.

[Truth666]

4. Immediately after the "arrest", the media starts a non-stop campaign : prime news start with footage of the wife of Cruz, holding the baby in her hands, at the doors of the prison, on her way to visit Cruz; calls to people to rally in front of the prison to support Cruz; scenes of a silhouette behind bars, supposedely Cruz, and a hand waving, give the final dramatic touch.
5. Parallel to this, the media starts a campaign pretending that Cruz is in prison without knowing the reasons, what would be a violation of portuguese law. The public prosecutor, instead of revealing the accusation, refuses to comment.
6. But in spite of all this, only two dozen people continue showing at the prison. Nevertheless, prime news keep opening with the footage, using the right perspective angles to hide this fact.
Description of more key steps of this mind control operation follows up later.

[PatrioticCowboy]

I can see what you are saying.
You are making a lot of sense