Files on child molesting nuns made public; SNAP responds
For immediate release Wednesday, July 31
Statement by Steve Theisen, Iowa SNAP Director 319-231-1663
For the first time in history we believe that files on child molesting nuns have been made public. Credit for this goes to brave California victims, who wisely filed civil suits and persistently sought justice and heroically demanded the disclosure of this information,
We in SNAP have heard from hundreds of victims of nuns. Child sex crimes and cover-up by nuns remains an under reported and horrific part of the church’s continuing scandal. For many- men women and teens- it’s especially tough to report sexual assault at the hands of a woman religious. And nun officials are doing virtually nothing these days to reduce the fear shame isolation and self-blame of those hurt by sisters.
For decades Catholic nuns have had even more access to boys and girls than catholic priest have. (Most nuns work or worked in schools) no one has any idea how wide spread abuse and cover-up by nuns is. Based on our 25 years’ experience, we are convinced it is far more prevalent than anyone suspects.
Our hearts go out to these wounded but courageous victims. We hope that citizens and Catholics will push the nun hierarchy to reform as or more aggressively—and with more success- than they push bishops to reform. And we hope police and prosecutors will pursue child molesting nuns they have finally begun to pursue child molesting priests, brothers and bishops.
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