Voices
Dr. Kathleen McChesney, a former F.B.I. executive, was the first executive director of the Office of Child Protection for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. She is the co-editor of Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church—A Decade of Crisis and currently consults with dioceses and religious orders regarding ethics and misconduct issues.
FaithShort Take
We have learned a lot about sexual abuse by Catholic clergy since The Boston Globe unveiled its investigation in 2002, writes an expert in child protection. That is bringing us closer to the goal of seeing no new cases.
Politics & SocietyLast Take
Strong laws and codes of conduct for law enforcement officers already exist, but mechanisms for oversight and accountability are needed, writes Kathleen McChesney.
FaithShort Take
ProPublica is advancing the painfully slow disclosure of the names of sexual abusers, writes Kathleen McChesney, who headed the U.S. bishops’ Office of Child and Youth Protection.
FaithShort Take
Would full disclosure of the names of clergy offenders help these survivors and the countless other men and women who have still not reported their abuse to come forward?
From 2002 until 2005, McChesney helped the bishops to implement the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
Faith
Key findings of the John Jay College Study on clergy sexual abuse
Reassessing the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
Since the revelation in 2002 of sexual abuse cases involving Catholic priests in the United States, over 500 accused priests have been temporarily or permanently removed from ministry. This number is not expected to increase significantly, largely because the abuse-prevention policies and procedures
The sympathetic response of Americans to the death of Pope John Paul II might suggest that the sexual abuse crisis in the United States has not harmed the reputation of the church, and that trust in its leadership remains strong. The public’s high regard for Pope John Paul II and the love of C
In an unprecedented undertaking, from June 3 through Oct. 31, 2003, independent auditors reviewed the management actions taken by 191 Catholic dioceses in the United States to comply with the provisions of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The charter, adopted by the Unite