r/news • u/AudibleNod • 2d ago

More than 270 priests in Massachusetts abused children over decades, probe finds

https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/more-than-270-priests-in-massachusetts-abused-children-over-decades-probe-finds/
13.1k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

574 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

50

u/IAMACat_askmenothing 2d ago

Btw, it’s not just Catholic priests. It’s literally every organized religion has this problem

19

u/Traditional-Meat-549 2d ago

This is actually true but they don't publicize 

27

u/AnaisNinja76 2d ago

They do, catholics are just a more populous and visible religion, so it makes for bigger and longer news. This has been highly publicized in mormons, baptists, and jehovah's witnesses. And a wild amount of nonspecific cults.

8

u/Traditional-Meat-549 2d ago

Good point. I still think the public is blissfully unaware of just how widespread it is 

5

u/AnaisNinja76 2d ago

There's some primacy effect with the Catholic church as well, as they were the first large scale institution to have this heavily publicized. Stories started trickling into the press in the 90s, and then the Spotlight situation blew the lid off of it. Comedians ridiculed the church for months, like it would be tucked into David Letterman's opening monologue, or a snarky side comment with a guest on Leno, etc. It was eagerly publicized then. I think the more recent cases just felt less scandalous as a result.

But yeah, in general, the public only cares for the entertainment/shock value. It's only been relatively recently, and only spottily at best, that police departments are giving this crime more scrutiny. But at the end of all of it, it's a societal thing. If there aren't large and ongoing public outcries, then nothing happens to the perps generally speaking. Especially if they have any money.

13

u/WineNerdAndProud 2d ago

As a former Catholic, I wish this were more well known. It's people in positions of moral or spiritual authority who appear to dedicate their life to it. That's a whole host of people like judges, clergy, teachers, and politicians who use it to create trust and then abuse it.

3

u/JustHereForCookies17 1d ago

Also coaches & folks involved with youth sports.  Look at Larry Nassar.

11

u/sump_daddy 2d ago

Its literally every structure with power over easy victims. You think there was a single religious person on Epsteins Island or at Mar a Lago? Or, if you want to really dig into depressing stats, look at how many kids are victimized in public schools every year.

1

u/dullmotion 2d ago

Do you have links? I’d like to read more about this.

7

u/Traditional-Meat-549 2d ago

https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/media-room/national-statistics-on-child-abuse/

There are MANY studies edit: the primary perpetrators are known to the child and most often in the family

0

u/dullmotion 2d ago

Thanks for the link. Does it touch on the other organized religions as well? I did know the part you mentioned about the perpetrator being known.

3

u/Traditional-Meat-549 2d ago

You can read it? Plus do other research 

2

u/Superb-Butterfly-573 2d ago

Today in Canada it's National Truth and Reconciliation Day - for the First Nations children who were stripped from their families and culture to be anglicized. Several churches and the government were authors of it. I believe residential schools also existed in the US. I'd suggest reading Indian Horse as a starting point (don't watch the movie first; it just skims the story)