A necessary spotlight on child sexual abuse

Sexual abuse and torture are words commonly used to describe the experiences of prisoners of war and political dissidents. In the case of what was revealed in the article, “Maryland AG report: ‘No parish was safe’ from ‘rampant sexual abuse’ in Baltimore’s Catholic archdiocese” (Nov. 18), the terms sexual abuse and torture are used to correctly describe the horrific experiences of children at the hands of Catholic priests and others in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

This is no understatement for those of us who have experienced the cruelty of sexual abuse. I am looking forward to the disclosure of Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh’s full report. A light needs to shine on these horrific experiences. Justice needs to be served, and victims of abuse need to be heard. The toll of this abuse extends far beyond the 600 direct victims identified in the report. There are witnesses to abuse, parents, siblings and extended family members, who also bear the impact of this complete institutional failure.

If Archbishop William E. Lori truly feels deep remorse, then he should reverse the course of the Archdiocese’s fight against the statute of limitations that provides legal recourse for victims of sexual abuse in the church and other institutions. He wields tremendous political power. He can be a true servant of the Lord and support the ongoing legal efforts to address sexual abuse and torture in Maryland.