Flickr Image Courtesy Janus Serendipity
They were sexually abused by the clergy and then found themselves targeted by the Church’s lawyers. Why did it happen and who was responsible for the strategy?
Famous Australian Investigative Journalism Program Four Corners, recently dedicated an episode to questions surrounding the institutional response to child abuse victims.
Reporter Quentin McDermott reveals the systematic way the Catholic Church sought to conceal the sexual abuse of children, using lawyers to minimise the potential financial impact to the organisation. Quentin delves into the evidence to pose a serious of staggering question
- Just why did this sexual abuse happen?
- How could institutions have allowed predators to re-offend?
- Why were victims targeted by church lawyers?
- Who was responsible for this strategy?
After speaking to victims, their families, church representatives and whistleblows, it becomes clear that the key objective of the church has been to minimise the financial costs of these case.
The results are clear. The incompetence is stark. The inhumane ethos of the church’s senior management is chilling. The program is well worth watching, the story is well worth telling.
View the story http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2014/08/11/4062942.htm
