Abuse victims say bishops' accountability still lacking

Published: 2004-03-01

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Some victims of clergy sexual abuse and a lay Catholic organization said a new report on the causes of sexual abuse within the church and how it was handled by the hierarchy should have called for bishops who mishandled abuse cases to resign. Abuse survivors also said they expect the number of reported cases of abuse by clergy will continue to grow as victims mature. The Feb. 27 release of the report on the causes and context of abuse and a separate study on the extent of abuse cases should prompt more people to come forward, said Michael Bland, an abuse victim and a clinical psychologist, who also is a member of the U.S. bishops' National Review Board. "It's good to know you're not alone," he told Catholic News Service. Peter Isley, of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said one thing mentioned too little in the two reports is accountability by the bishops who were responsible for supervising priests who abused people.

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