The Carrot: Money Last week, the US Senate proposed a bill that would give states money if they enacted legislation that extended or eliminated unexpired statutes of limitation for child sexual abuse. (In other words, if your time is up, it’s up. But if not, you could have your statute extended or eliminated.)…Continue reading The Carrot, the Stick, and what two SOL reform initiatives are missing …
Two unrelated cases in New York State are going to test Catholics’ faith in their leadership. The rest of us are going to get an unprecedented look at how NY church leaders handle cases of sexual abuse. Case number one is dominating the headlines – I mean, how often do you see this:…Continue reading A perv priest and a public nuisance case: NY in the spotlight
Newly released documents show how St. John’s Prep in Collegeville, MN is in direct violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and created a hostile environment where students can reasonably believe they are risk of sexual assault. At least 10 sex-offending monks—who have only been publicly exposed due to child sex abuse civil lawsuits…Continue reading Prestigious MN prep school/Uni in violation of Title IX for housing sex offending monks
Everything the bishops have been led you to believe about the independent power of lay review boards is deliberately misleading. Citing a sex-offening priest’s “right to privacy,” a newly released Vatican document shows that priests are able to shield potentially damning evidence from review boards who are charged with determining whether abuse allegations against a priest…Continue reading Vatican thwarts review boards, documents show
A controversial priest accused of covering up abuse in the Diocese of San Diego is in charge of taking victims calls and emails. Msgr. Steven Callahan shot to the spotlight in 2014 after he became the temporary diocesan administrator after the death of Cirilo Flores. Victims, supporters and Catholics were rightfully upset: In 2007, Callahan…Continue reading Priest who destroyed evidence now taking reports of abuse in San Diego
** Update: only two journalists were indicted. Note corrections below Events last week showed that the Vatican has the power to indict foreign journalists … but earlier this year needed to draft new rules in order to indict its own employees for sex abuse. Let’s take a look. Last week, the Vatican issued indictments against five…Continue reading Vatican: We can indict foreign journalists, but not our own priests
Did you just see Spotlight and get all fired up? Or maybe you have noticed that your bishop’s actions don’t reflect transparency, humility … or anything remotely resembling Christianity. But you can’t quite determine the root of the problem. And no matter how hard to try to believe that “things are different now,” your bishop’s words just ring false.…Continue reading It’s time for the Bishop Quiz!
A priest who worked for six years at Orange’s St. Joseph Hospital has been accused of “improper conduct” in numerous assignments. The conduct was so bad, in fact, that he was “dismissed” from his home diocese and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a warning to dioceses nationwide. What did Orange Bishop Kevin…Continue reading Former Orange priest subject of US Bishops’ “Warning!” OC Bishop stays silent.
Click here to see my interview on San Diego Living (Channel 6 – the CW). I talk about protecting your child from abuse, the importance of statute of limitation reform, and … I say vagina (gasp!) on live television.
This is no myth: Being a parent is hard. Click here for my October 10 article on Parenting.com.
Since yesterday’s announcement, I have been hearing a lot of this: But Pope Francis met with survivors. He’s promised to hold bishops accountable. That’s good, right? Um … not really. But first, let’s boil down the figures concerning the actual meeting. Here is some math on Pope Francis’ meeting yesterday with abuse survivors. The meeting…Continue reading The math: Pope Francis’ meeting with survivors
I’m especially proud of this article because the reporter talked to my dad, who has a very important voice. You can read Theresa Walker’s great article here.
We must embrace responsibility. Once we do, every one of us has limitless possibility and potential.
The Well-Armored Child is here and available for purchase! It’s been a long wait, but the day has come. Click here to purchase what reviewers are calling “smart and well-written” and “the most important parenting book you will ever own.” The Well-Armored Child gives parents the tools and strategies to understand how predators…Continue reading The wait is over!
I wrote two pieces in September’s issue of OC Family. CASA’s volunteers make a difference in the lives of Orange County’s foster children and TWO LOCAL NON-PROFITS HELP KIDS IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM It’s nice to write about good news for a change.
I am interviewed via phone (Skype was not cooperating). We discuss Jared Fogle’s plea in child porn/child sex trafficking (underage prostitute) charges. I come in at around 8:30.
Next month, Anaheim is hosting one of the best national training institutes on crime victims’ rights. I’ll be presenting—and if you are going to be in Southern California in early September, this is a must-attend event. The National Center for Victims of Crime’s 2015 National Training Institute features more than 130 leading experts and 72…Continue reading Want to learn about crime victims’ rights?
Here’s a hypothetical: Your boss borrows your car and runs over your beloved dog Rover in the company’s parking garage. When your boss returns the car, you ask him about your dead dog and the blood stains all over the bumper. He denies all knowledge. When confronted with video surveillance footage, your boss finally admits…Continue reading Using “healing” to end the conversation … when the conversation is far from over
I was in an interview the other day when I was asked whether SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (the group for whom I have volunteered for the past 12 years) paid me. When I said, no—that I am, in fact, a volunteer with the organization—the writer said, “That’s good. You…Continue reading SNAP, SLAPP, and the ugly business of exposing abuse
There has been no shortage of news this summer when it comes to the US clergy sex abuse crisis. Although the Vatican is attempting to clean up the mess as much as possible before Pope Francis’ September visit (including accepting the resignations of the St. Paul and Minneapolis archbishop and bishop, as well as…Continue reading The Not-So-Secret Institutional Code Words for Child Sex Abuse
