Friday, October 21, 2011

Study On Priests’ Sexual Abuses Seen To Create Stir

By Artemio A. Dumlao
BAGUIO CITY (October 3, 2011) – Expected to make a stir among the influential Roman Catholic church, a book even written by a nun, has documented sexual abuses by priests and religious.
Launched here at the tempest of the twin storms that battered Northern Luzon, the book project: That She May Dance Again: Rising From the Pain of Violence Against Women in the Philippine Catholic Church, said Chi Laigo Vallido of the non-government Forum For Family Planning and Development Inc. is not only geared at getting justice for the victims of such abuses but “hoping there can be changes (in the Roman Catholic church).”
The delicate research project undertaken by the Maryknoll Sisters and the Women and Gender Commission of the Association of Major Religious Superior in the Philippines (WGC-AMRSP) stated in 2000 and tried to document cases of sexual abuses.
From 2000-2004, researchers, which even included nuns and lay of the RC, said Vallido, covered 19 Archdiocese, Diocese and Prelatures of the RC. Of these cases, 40 percent were classified as rape and more than 50 percent as sexual harassment.
Majority of those found by the research were committed against women (73.3%) while the rest were against men.
Vallido said they will go on the extent of filing cases against the sexual abusers “if the victims are willing”.
After the research project, Sister Nila BErmisa of the Maryknoll Sisters wrote the book, that accordingly will “help bring to life the stories of abuses and present the triumphs of the women to overcome them.”
Vallido said, “survivors of sexual abuse and violcne suffer in silence. It takes time to find their voices.” She cites a study by the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) that one in every five women age 15-49 years old are found to have experienced physical violence while 1 in 10 have experience sexual violence.”
The results of the research and the book, Vallido said, has reached the appropriate committee of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Vallido said. “But according to the research team, they are not aware of any changes or actions made based on the report up to this day.”
Vallido however portends, “we risk offending a powerful institution and the sensitivities of may.” But, she added, “we feel that it is our responsibility.” It also sends a powerful message that we as a people and as Christians will never condone such atrocities especially against our women and young girls, she added.***Artemio A. Dumlao***

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