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Enquiry into historical abuse at British Catholic schools


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https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/aug/09/report-damns-culture-of-acceptance-of-sexual-abuse-at-two-catholic-schools

 

Report damns culture of acceptance of sexual abuse at two Catholic schools

Inquiry says Ampleforth and Downside put own reputations before protection of children

 

The true scale of sexual abuse at two of the UK’s leading Catholic independent schools over a period of 40 years is likely to have been far greater than has been proved in the courts, a report by the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse has concluded.

Ten people have been convicted or cautioned in relation to sexual offences at Ampleforth in North Yorkshire and Downside in Somerset. The schools “prioritised the monks and their own reputations over the protection of children … in order to avoid scandal”, says the 211-page report published by IICSA on Thursday after hearings last year.

 

The monks avoided giving information to or cooperating with statutory authorities investigating abuse, it says. Their approach could be summarised as “a ‘tell them nothing’ attitude”.

The report says: “Appalling sexual abuse [was] inflicted over decades on children as young as seven at Ampleforth school and 11 at Downside school.”

The inquiry heard that boys were made to strip naked and were beaten. Some were allegedly forced to give and receive oral sex, both privately and in front of other pupils. Alleged abuse included digital penetration of the anus and children being compelled to perform sex acts on each other.

Physical abuse had sadistic and sexual overtones, the report says. One survivor described his abuser at Ampleforth as “an out-and-out sadist”.

A victim of Fr Piers Grant-Ferris, who was convicted in 2006 of assaulting 15 boys, described being forced to straddle a bath naked as the monk beat him while masturbating. It was “absolutely terrifying”, he told the inquiry.

“Many perpetrators did not hide their sexual interests from the children. The blatant openness of these activities demonstrates there was a culture of acceptance of abusive behaviour,” the report says.

 

 

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Sick to my stomack

The Catholic Church and Christian denominations in general have a detailed and long history. A nasty one at that. I'm not saying it doesn't happen in other contexts, settings or other religions but with these scumbags the covering up is systematic

When priests behave this way they should not be judged by a "Church Court of Law" but by the Lay Justice System where the offending event has taken place. It's just an obvious little trick that places the Church ABOVE THE LAW

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