In some cases, the “children” are old enough that the age of consent renders the case moot and there is no prosecution. If/when that is ever the case with Catholic priests, the “victims” are still called “children” and prosecution, at least in the press, proceeds apace.

No - the reason the cases in the schools come to attention are that the offenders are, in fact, being prosecuted. But the point is that there is never any focus on the institution that allowed the abuse to take place when it comes to the schools. I’m all for rooting out any child abuse in all its forms and wherever it takes place. But has anyone stopped to think that the schools as institutions NEVER get called to account for all the cases of abuse that transpire between teachers and students?

I just started thinking about this fairly recently. My guess is that there is a massive institutional issue. A culture and atmosphere needs to be created in the schools where there is a zero-tolerance attitude towards child abuse. First time an inappropriate comment gets made, first time a student “drops by” a teacher’s house, or “gets a lift” from a teacher, all sorts of alarm bells start going off.

But so far the silence has been deafening when it comes to addressing this as an institutional issue in the schools.

Just fine and dandy to take the church to task, however.

Here is a case from this year, handled in a manner that is beyond reproach:

California Reverend Removed from Catholic Church for Sexual Misconduct

By Clergy Abuse News on January 6, 2010 6:20 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The Modesto Bee reported today that Rev. Leo Suarez, a priest at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Modesto, Calif., was removed from his position after it was discovered that he engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor 20 years ago.

The age of the minor at the time of the incident is still unknown, and it is not known whether the victim is a boy or a girl. Suarez was serving as an associate priest at St. Anthony's in Hughson at the time the misconduct occurred. He didn't come to Our Lady Fatima until 2009.

The incident was revealed by the Stockton Diocese, however, it is unclear whether the victim reported the abuse to diocese, or the diocese found out about the misconduct another way.

Under the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, Suarez will never be allowed to serve as a priest again.

No lawsuit has been filed against Suarez or the Catholic Church at this time.

If you or a loved one was sexually abused by a member of the Catholic church, an experienced clergy abuse attorney at the Zalkin Law Firm can assist you in taking legal action. As a victim of sexual abuse, you have the right to be compensated for the damages you have suffered. To learn more about the services offered at our firm, please do not hesitate to contact the office today to schedule an appointment to discuss your case.