A study commissioned by the US Catholic Church confirms that child abuse by priests was not caused by homosexuality or celibacy.
The $2 million report, by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, instead says that the sexual revolution post-1960 was to blame, along with poor training and a lack of emotional support.
Study authors wrote: “The rise in abuse cases in the 1960s and 1970s was influenced by social factors in society generally. Factors that were invariant during the time period addressed, such as celibacy, were not responsible for the increase or decline in abuse cases over this time.”
The suggestion that only gay priests abuse boys within the church is often repeated. However, the study found no evidence for this and authors wrote that clinical data “[does] not support the hypothesis that priests with a homosexual identity … are significantly more likely to sexually abuse”.
Conversely, the study claimed that rates of child abuse began to drop after a significant rise in young gay men entering the priesthood in the 1970s.
Responses to the report were mixed. Some child abuse survivors accused the church of trying to shrug off blame, while one conservative church figure claimed gay priests were the perpetrators.
Bill Donohue of the Catholic League said: “The report says that 81 per cent of the victims were male and 78 per cent were post-pubescent. Since 100 per cent of the abusers were male, that’s called homosexuality, not pedophilia or heterosexuality.”
Abuse victims’ groups also reacted angrily to the report and accused the church of trying to shift the blame on to societal factors, rather than taking responsibility for allowing paedophile priests to continue working.
Joelle Casteix of The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said: “They want us to fixate on abusive priests, not callous bishops.”
She added: “The report claims abuse ‘peaked in the 1970s’, then began declining. This is perhaps the most absurd and damaging assumption. All but a few victims are only able to report child sex crimes decades later.
“Because of this inevitable lag time, it’s irresponsible to pretend anyone has any real sense of how many clergy sex crimes happened in recent years or are happening now.”
Blog Archive
-
▼
2011
(523)
-
▼
May
(232)
- - GayFriendFinder
- Don't argue with your sisters when you go back, ok
- Belleza y armonia
- we have a good time at my party...
- Sexy triathlon hotties
- Looks like this swimsuit will disappear....
- Tight lycra singlet sportsmen
- Wrestlers in lycra
- Competition
- Cute rower
- The style show of Beautiful Guys
- Eye Candy
- Josh Holloway
- Finding Mischief in Louisville:
- Charlie David & Indie Film
- Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
- "Hot" Throb
- Jock, my facovorite
- @ the courthouse, Prop 8 federal trial
- Kelvin Fletcher (TV Star)
- Todd Duffee (MMA)
- Lubos C: New Photos
- Paulie with his colleague
- 15 boys-next-door
- Some Ryan's pics I found hot
- Tamar Novas
- Cute athlete of the day
- Sharing beds is awesome
- OMG I forgot yesterday was caturday
- Shirtless gig
- Cute athlete of the day
- Antoine at work
- Chris
- Time for speedos
- Redbull photoshot
- A couple of Ryans
- I'm bored. Give me ideas to post
- Cute athlete of the day
- Oh Julian!
- Cam cutie
- Sneakers photoshot
- Is he cute or what?
- We all hate school
- Jereme Rogers with his young brothers
- Bikerz crew
- Hunk football players
- Jeydon
- Taylor Lautner
- Gym team
- Bass guitarists are cute
- Cute athlete of the day
- Dudu Handsome
- Soccer shots
- Jonas from X!nk
- Xtreme saggerin'
- Photo Of The Day - SF AIDS Ribbon
- SCOTLAND: Gay Clergy Allowed
- TENNESSEE: Governor Signs Bill Banning All Local L...
- Another Icelandic Volcano
- MINNESOTA: Join The Fight
- Brian Brown On MN Marriage Amendment
- Amazon Sells Gaga For 99 Cents
- HomoQuotable - Evan Wolfson
- COMING OUT: New York Times Launches Interactive Se...
- Queerty Vs. NOM
- Photo Of The Day - Ben Cohen
- IN Gov. Mitch Daniels: I'm Not Running
- Quote Of The Day - Jim Daly
- Surrey newspaper goes pink to celebrate gay award
- Consultation on Liverpool’s gay village ends
- Church of Scotland ends moratorium on gay ministers
- Chicago Bulls star Joakim Noah fined $50,000 for a...
- US anti-gay campaigner: ‘We’re losing on gay marri...
- Sunday Herald names footballer accused on Twitter,...
- Jake Jake Jake Jake Jake Jake
- A Quick ID Situation
- Crisitano Ronaldo
- GOP FIRST WENT AFTER SOCIAL SECURITY, NOW IT IS ME...
- Gay LAPD sergeant wins $1m in discrimination case
- Gay MP says straight couples face discrimination o...
- California firm agrees to drop gay websites ban in...
- Another US poll finds majority support for gay mar...
- Tennessee Senate approves ‘don’t say gay’ bill
- Sailors in some R & R
- Fit personal trainer in short sports shorts
- The rich are doing it this year.....
- Which of these sports has the best shorts then?
- Carlos in short sports shorts
- Buzzcutted Sports kit lad
- England rugby hotties
- Chord Overstreet in gold shorts
- ot muscle boy in short shorts
- Scouts in the wild
- Beach boy in short white shorts
- Hot soccer thighs
- Girls are getting the right idea
- Boys marching band in short shorts
- Gogo boy in short sports shorts
- Fit lads play rugby
- Hot lads in rugby kit
-
▼
May
(232)