As a Catholic, I make no excuses for the abuse that happened in my Church. That said, this isn't a Catholic issue. It's a societal issue. Child sex abuse occurs EVERYWHERE in this society. Yes, it is a greater shame when it happens in churches or institutions that claim moral authority.
Here's a paragraph from the article Baptist Hide & Seek: "Baptist scholars confirm this: "The problem of clergy sexual abuse is not just a Catholic issue...Studies have shown no difference in its frequency by denomination, region, theology, or institutional structure." But while Catholics and most mainline Protestant denominations have developed national policies to deal with the problem, "decentralized denominations such as the Southern Baptist Convention...have no national policies" and "sexual misconduct is routinely covered up in these settings." Trull & Carter, Ministerial Ethics at p. 162 (2d ed. 2004)."
According to the article Baptist Identity: How It Masks Clergy Sex Abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention, the SBC doesn't keep records on clergy suspected of sexual abuse and has no process in place to warn congregants of reassigned clergy suspected of abuse.
I know a lot of good Baptists. I don't write this to be antiBaptist. I'm against child abuse. Wherever it occurs. And unfortunately it occurs in ALL denominations.
NaturalLaw said: every employee, catechist and volunteer in my diocese and every American diocese who deals as a representative of the Church with children and adults must receive mandatory safe environment training, be finger printed and a background check run. Policies and procedures prevent circumstances that might lead to abuse or even the opportunity for abuse. With additional processes and safeguards related to priests, I might add. Are you willing, bramps, to asks Baptists to take similar measures?
So do I along with a lot of good Protestants and Jews. I even know a number of good Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Jainists, and Muslims. Everything good is of God. The one thing we all have to accept is that Satan is at war with goodness where ever and when ever he finds it. Every war has its casualties. Clergy are specifically vulnerable because of the good work they do. Unlike some on these threads we should not rejoice when any clergy falls.
Peace be with you