Over 200,000 Young and Old Abused in New Zealand


The nation of New Zealand is reeling from an announcement that for many decades, children and the elderly who were placed in the care of church or government institutions were abused. It is thought to have been over 200,000 who were abused. Those abused have been trying to get recognition and justice for years. 

Another report done earlier said that of all the children placed in the care of church denominations, 42% had been abused. The estimate is that 14% of priests were abusers. The Catholic Church has come under particular fire for the practice well known in the U.S. as well of moving abusing priests from one diocese to another. Those Bishops hiding abusers used psychiatrist's reports to justify putting priest back on the job in other locations.

I recall several years ago chatting with Catholic friends about priest abuse of children and the underground method used by Bishops of moving abusers from one diocese to another. My friends assured me these priests had been cleared by psychiatrists. The psychiatrists, I came to understand, were inside the system and not independent professionals. This was in the U.S. and it is apparent this cruel practice was world-wide. Abuse by the powerful of the weak, especially when it is against the law, should be turned over to civil authorities. We know the motives of the Bishops, protect the church from bad publicity. Their motives were not, protect the children.

Abuse by clergy, and in the case of New Zealand by government employees, is the classic case of "Chinese Water Torture." The drip drip has continued for a couple of decades. There is no end in sight. If the Catholic Church, and the other churches and state agencies in the case of New Zealand, was unable to get control of this problem when it had tons of money, what chance does it have when there is less money?

I've been told in the comments here many times abuse of children happens in all fields. Certainly that is correct. The only one where is occurs while claiming moral superiority is Christianity.

We can never know precisely the future. Nevertheless, the past suggests the future will be a never ending trail of child abuse by people who claim to have high moral standards. 

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