Click here to listen to my interview/discussion today on a California bill that would eliminate the criminal statute of limitations for sex crimes. AirTalk with Larry Mantle on KPCC, 89.3 FM, Southern California Public Radio.
Author: Joelle Casteix
Leg Update: California and Pennsylvania
California Victims of sex crimes have won another battle in the effort to extend the criminal statute of limitations for rape and sexual assault. SB 813, sponsored by Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino), which seeks to eliminate the criminal statute of limitations for rape and related crimes, passed out of the Senate Public Safety Committee…Continue reading Leg Update: California and Pennsylvania
Local parish says, “No Mahony!” And the response is ….
Yeah, even I was surprised. Parishioners at Los Angeles Archdiocese’s St. Kateri Church were not pleased when they were informed that disgraced Cardinal Roger Mahony was going to perform their parish confirmations. From the Santa Clarita Valley Signal: Brooke Bambrick is among the outraged. Growing up Catholic, her father was a deacon at St. Monica’s. When…Continue reading Local parish says, “No Mahony!” And the response is ….
Buzzfeed: I was abused in the Catholic Church
My friend Manny Vega and I had the opportunity to make a video for Buzzfeed about our experience as survivors of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Thanks to producer Ricky Sans for the amazing end product.
Which is more controversial:
Clergy sex abuse and cover-up … or the sale of breast milk? The jury is still out. You can read my article on the breast milk market in Orange County here. There is enough in this article for a book … and I may just be the person to do it.
Spotlight wins … scandal continues
Less than 48 hours after Spotlight nabbed the best picture Oscar, a grand jury report and an Australian cardinal are showing the world that the clergy sex abuse scandal is far from over. Yesterday in Altoona, Pennsylvania, a grand jury released a 147-page report outlining sex abuse and cover-up in the Diocese of Altoona-Jonestown. From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette:…Continue reading Spotlight wins … scandal continues
Hawai’i victims of abuse face deadline
Hawai’i’s adult victims of child sexual abuse only have until the end of April to come forward and use the civil courts. The civil window, which was renewed in 2014, was an extension of a 2012 bill that gave victims of child sexual abuse the right to use the civil courts to expose their…Continue reading Hawai’i victims of abuse face deadline
Victims to Hawai’i Bishop: Make all predators’ names public
The first step to transparency is being, well … transparent. And when your former bishop is a three-time-accused (that we know of) predator, that makes transparency even more important. Victims to Hawai’i Bishop: Make all predators’ names public Thirty other dioceses have exposed accused clerics Seattle list included abuser in hiding in Honolulu Former bishop…Continue reading Victims to Hawai’i Bishop: Make all predators’ names public
Hawaii Diocese knows who the predators are. They just won’t tell us.
Yesterday’s LA Times told the story of Edward Courtney, former Irish Christian Brother who is accused of molesting upwards of 50 kids. He’s living “under the radar” in Hawaii. The bigger story is that EVERY cleric in Hawaii who has been accused of abuse (including former Bishop Joseph Ferrario) lives or has lived under the…Continue reading Hawaii Diocese knows who the predators are. They just won’t tell us.
What to do when people say, “But Pope Francis is different.”
Oh, Pope Francis. He’s got a good racket going. His fan base is huge. Recent trips to the U.S. and now Mexico show that people really like this seemingly humble and devout man. I mean, they “like him” like him. But a pioneer in the prevention, prosecution, and exposure of child sex abuse? Not so much. So,…Continue reading What to do when people say, “But Pope Francis is different.”
“No matter what we do, we hit a wall with Francis, Vatican”
Peter Saunders was given a vote of no confidence by the Vatican commission on the prevention of child sex abuse. His crime? Demanding the prevention of child sexual abuse. Preventing child sexual abuse is uncomfortable and requires action. You can’t sit back and take the long view. Why? Because of the thousands of children who are…Continue reading “No matter what we do, we hit a wall with Francis, Vatican”
Well-Armored Child Review in Gallup Independent
The Gallup Independent does not have an online edition. The entire article is posted here. Published in the Gallup Independent, Gallup, NM, Feb. 1, 2016 Advocate publishes parent’s guide on sex abuse By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola Independent correspondent GALLUP — As an advocate for victims of sexual abuse, Joelle Casteix has used…Continue reading Well-Armored Child Review in Gallup Independent
Discussing the scandal on The Bigger Picture
Click here to hear my interview with Timothy Spangler on KRLA 870 AM. We talk about abuse, cover-up, and the Vatican’s role in the continuing scandal. I start at 29:00
“Baby-buying” seminarian rejected by 45 dioceses, orders
What made the Stubenville diocese take a potential seminarian that 45 other dioceses and religious orders had previously rejected? Joel Wright is the 23-year-old Catholic seminarian who has been charged with attempting to adopt or purchase (for cash) a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old. He didn’t want to be a father. He wanted them for…Continue reading “Baby-buying” seminarian rejected by 45 dioceses, orders
Catholics who stopped “sitting back and taking it”
There are two very amazing and interesting aspects of today’s news about disgraced Twin Cities Archbishop John Nienstedt. After national media attention and huge (and righteous) push back from Michigan Catholics, Nienstedt has been forced to leave a temporary position in a Michigan parish. If you’re just catching up to the story, Kalamazoo Catholic officials didn’t…Continue reading Catholics who stopped “sitting back and taking it”
Hawaii civil window update, part II: Kamehameha Schools get slammed
I wasn’t joking when I said it was a big day for the Hawaii civil window for victims of child sexual abuse. First, we found out that the Diocese of Honolulu is suing its insurer, exposing the fact there are 60 sex abuse lawsuits against the diocese, 29 of which have been…Continue reading Hawaii civil window update, part II: Kamehameha Schools get slammed
Hawaii Civil Window update
60 sex abuse cases 29 settlements 1 stingy insurance company Things have been pretty quiet in Hawaii. And because of a new lawsuit, we now know why. The Diocese of Honolulu today sued one of its insurers, First Insurance Insurance of Hawaii, for refusing “to honor commitments made in liability policies it…Continue reading Hawaii Civil Window update
St. John’s, document dumps, and child victims
or … The proof is in the paper, but only if you can find it. And the monks at St. John’s want to make sure you never find it. Today, Minnesota Public Radio announced that St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville (MN) is releasing the secret sex abuse files of 18 predatory monks in…Continue reading St. John’s, document dumps, and child victims
The Well-Armored Child – FLASH SALE!
THE WELL-ARMORED CHILD – the book that is being hailed as the “definitive child safety manual” – is on sale for only 99 cents (YAY!) for the Kindle and Nook. You can get the Kindle version here. The Nook version is available by clicking here. In the book, you can learn age-specific tools and strategies to…Continue reading The Well-Armored Child – FLASH SALE!
“He created the group to find children to abuse”
Children’s Theater Company of Minneapolis has a problem that is never going to go away. Yesterday, a victim of sexual abuse filed the fourth abuse and cover-up lawsuit against the theater company. The latest civil lawsuit, brought by a woman who is now an academic advisor at the University of Minnesota,…Continue reading “He created the group to find children to abuse”