In case you were wondering who Jerry Brown REALLY wants to protect: Yesterday, Brown vetoed SB 924, a bill which would have given victims of child sexual abuse until age 40 to file civil lawsuits against organizations that cover up and abet child sexual abuse. The bill was entirely prospective, meaning that it would only…Continue reading Jerry Brown vetoes victims’ civil rights bill
A very good friend of mine pointed me to a recent review of Eimear McBride’ novel A GIRL IS A HALF-FORMED THING. The author of the review, Paige Reynolds, includes this very intuitive and honest description of some of the reasons why the sexual abuse of teens can be so damaging: The novel thus showcases the…Continue reading A novel peek into the “convoluted world” of grooming
My op-ed in today’s Lafayette Advertiser: Releasing priests’ names a matter of public safety
A couple of things struck me about the recently released clergy file of St. Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese priest Thomas Stitts. I saved the best for last, so be sure to read to the end. There is the 1985 “mystery letter.” The letter, which became known around the time of Stitts’ death, allegedly “named names” of scandalous…Continue reading Thomas Stitts and the 40-year Minnesota “memory loss”
Even $5 can make a huge difference. I have often mentioned my volunteer work with SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. They are the nation’s largest and oldest support group for adult survivors who were sexually abused as children in religious and institutional settings. In the past few years, their mission has…Continue reading Indiegogo campaign helps survivors expand support groups