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Article: Victims not at fault.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
- Article from:
- National Catholic Reporter
- Article date:
- February 11, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 National Catholic Reporter. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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As a victim of clergy sexual abuse, I am compelled to respond to Sr. Jeannine Gramick (NCR, Jan. 14).
Sr. Jeannine stated that the effectiveness of Paul Shanley's ministry can't be erased by the accusations against him. The literature about the motivations and psychology of child molesters asserts that their primary motivation is to find, groom and abuse their victims. Any "good" that Shanley might have done in his ministry is overshadowed by his immoral, unethical and probably illegal actions.
Sr. Jeannine expressed skepticism about victims' memories of abuse. In my case, a visit from the abuser--a "friend of my family"--compelled me to tell my husband ...