Child Abuse
Corporeal Punishment, Child Abuse, and Christian Teaching
Oct 01, 2008 — Categories: Child AbuseDr. Ted Tripp, the senior pastor of Grace Fellowship Church, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, came to Seattle recently preaching the importance of corporeal punishment beginning with infants. According to Tripp, he is commanded by God to preach to parents to spank their young children on bare skin and then tell them you love them in order to teach them respect for authority.
"What About Torture?"
May 31, 2009 — Categories: Current Events, Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse by Clergy“Punching, flogging, assault and bodily attacks, hitting with the hand, kicking, ear pulling, hair pulling, head shaving, beating on the soles of the feet, burning, scalding, stabbing, severe beatings with or without clothes, being made to kneel and stand in fixed positions for lengthy periods, made to sleep outside overnight . . .”
“I Have Such Doubts!”
May 05, 2009 — Categories: Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse by ClergyThe movie “Doubt” depicts the enormous complexity of the possibility of sexual abuse of a child by a Catholic priest. Fr. Flynn is portrayed by Phillip Seymour Hoffman as a likable, middle aged priest deeply engaged in the life of the parish and school. He is open and progressive and wants to lead the parish forward.
“. . . Better That a Millstone . . .”
Mar 23, 2009 — Categories: Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse by ClergyThere are times when the contradictions of life overtake me. I was flying home from the east coast last week and one of those times intruded. On the plane, I sat next to a mother and father and their two-year-old daughter; in front of them sat their five-year-old son and eight-year-old daughter. I was struck immediately by how thoughtful and respectful the parents were with the children and the siblings were with each other.
Women’s Work Is Never Done
Mar 08, 2010 — Categories: Child Abuse, Sexual Violence, Domestic ViolenceMarch 8 is International Women’s Day. So I was pleased this past week to be in New York City for events surrounding the 54th Annual meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Not only is women’s work never done, our agenda continues to expand.
Who Needs to Confess? And What?
Apr 25, 2011 — Categories: Current Events, Child Abuse, Sexual Violence, Sexual Abuse by ClergyActress Ashley Judd recently disclosed that she was sexually abused as a child; American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi recently disclosed that she was sexually abused as a child; Senator Scott Brown from Massachusetts recently disclosed that he was sexually abused as a child. When each made a public disclosure, the media described these disclosures as “confessions.”
"Same Old, Same Old. . ."
Mar 22, 2012 — Categories: Jewish, Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse by ClergyWe have become almost numb to the steady stream of disclosures of child sexual abuse: the Roman Catholic experiences continue even with serious efforts to stem the tide, the Penn State tragedy and subsequent campus situations. So in some ways this most recent release of a new documentary, “Standing Silent,” could easily be overlooked.
Dear Pope: Call Me
Mar 30, 2010 — Categories: Current Events, Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse by ClergyAs the crisis erupts again in Europe and the U.S. with serious questions being raised about the Pope himself, one has to wonder if the men in charge have learned anything in the past 20 years. It would appear not. If the Vatican were to ask me for advice on how to handle this situation (which they will not), here are my ten steps to justice and healing.
The Church of College Football
Nov 10, 2011 — Categories: Current Events, Child Abuse, Sexual ViolenceA former defensive coordinator for the Penn State football team, Jerry Sandusky (a priest in the Church of College Football), has been arrested and charged with sexual abuse of boys over a 15 year period.
Judge Adams, Part 1: “Fathers, do not . . .”
Dec 30, 2011 — Categories: Current Events, Child AbuseI was traveling and speaking at a conference in November when the story broke about Judge Adams beating his teenage daughter, Hilary, on tape.
Oprah and the Jesuits
Nov 19, 2007 — Categories: Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse by ClergyThe Jesuits have settled a lawsuit brought by Alaska Native survivors for $50 million, the largest single settlement against a religious order. At least 110 children and youth were sexually abused from 1961 until 1987 in remote villages in Alaska by Roman Catholic priests.
Dear Pope: It’s Me Again
Apr 19, 2010 — Categories: Current Events, Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse by ClergyI’m still waiting for your call, but in the meantime, I’m quite happy to provide you with a free consultation because it’s so important that you get this right. So let me suggest some fine tuning to your efforts this past week. Please pass this memo on to your PR people.
Judge Adams, Part 2: “Judge Not That You Not Be Judged . . .”
Jan 14, 2012 — Categories: Current Events, Child AbuseChristian scripture is very clear. In Romans, Paul doesn’t mince words about the hypocrisy of sitting in judgment on another . . . when you are doing the exact same things.
“‘A Day of Reckoning and Justice’ for Abuse Victims”
Mar 29, 2011 — Categories: Current Events, Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse by ClergyThis was the front page headline that greeted me Saturday morning in my local paper, The Seattle Times. The quote is from Clarita Vargas, 51, of Tacoma, WA, who was abused as a child at an Indian Boarding School run by the Jesuits on the Colville Reservation. She is referring to a settlement in which 500 adult survivors will receive $166.1 million from the Northwest Jesuit Order.
“I listen . . .”
Mar 13, 2012 — Categories: Current Events, Clergy Ethics, Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse by ClergyThe Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, was recently interviewed on 60 Minutes, discussing his efforts since becoming Archbishop to address the sexual abuse of children by priests.
A Celebration and an Update
Aug 20, 2007 — Categories: Current Events, Child Abuse, Sexual ViolenceThis month, there was a celebration in Malicounda Bambara, Senegal, of the 10th anniversary of the village’s public declaration to abandon female genital cutting (FGC).
A Measure of Justice for Survivors in Australia
Aug 03, 2007 — Categories: Current Events, Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse by ClergyIn Queensland, Australia, the government has formally made restitution to individuals and families who suffered abuse as children in government- and church-sponsored institutions. It only took ten years.
Custom of Female Genital Cutting Is No More
Apr 05, 2007 — Categories: Current Events, Child AbuseThe 2,000-year-old, nearly universal practice of female genital cutting (FGC) in Guinea, West Africa, has been abandoned by the village of Lalya and 149 other connected villages. No longer will young girls have their clitorises removed nor will they be forced into early marriage.
“Let the children come to me and forbid them not . . . and let the healing begin.”
Aug 19, 2009 — Categories: Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse by ClergyThrough the eyes of three families, the documentary All God’s Children (70 minutes) www.alllgodschildrenthefilm.com tells the personal story of the first boarding school for children of missionaries to be investigated for abuse at the hands of the parents’ Protestant missionary colleagues.
Pastors Who Don’t Report
Aug 13, 2010 — Categories: Current Events, Child AbusePastors Daniel and Laura McCluskey from the Church on the Word in Phoenix have been arrested. The pastors were both arrested Tuesday and booked on one count each of failure to report sexual abuse. One victim of incestuous abuse disclosed to them in 2008. The pastors confronted the abusive father who admitted his abuse of his daughter but was “repentant.” The pastors counseled the victim to “forgive” her father and restore the relationship. The father allegedly stopped abusing this daughter (who then moved out) but continued to molest her younger sister.
