AS A psychiatrist I am outraged. As a mother I am frightened and as a Christian I am ashamed.
First we have Peter Hollingworth indirectly apportioning blame to the victim rather than the perpetrator and now we have George Pell trivialising child sexual abuse by priests.
God save religion or, more importantly, God save our children.
MEGAN HENDERSON, Peppermint Grove.
Incommensurable and nauseous
TO COMPARE abortion and child abuse in the church clergy is as incommensurable and nauseous as the unreliable misuse of untested criminal accusations of child sex abuse against innocent fathers in the non-criminal jurisdiction of the Family Court.
DENNIS CHANCE, WA president,
Lone Fathers' Association of Australia, Victoria Park.
A disgrace
SENIOR officials in the Catholic Church have continually used every devious method available to muddy the waters on the issue of sexual abuse in the church and to avoid their legal responsibilities to the victims.
Archbishop George Pell has sunk to a new low. His assertion that the sexual abuse of children is less of a crime than abortion is outrageous and despicable. It is the statement of a man who is morally and ethically bankrupt -- as is the church he represents.
14 THE WEST AUSTRALIAN
MONDAY AUGUST 5 2002
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Victims of sexual abuse live with the physical and emotional pain of this criminal assault for the rest of their lives. Many of the victims commit suicide because they can no longer bear the pain and many more attempt suicide.
Dr Pell's statement has perpetuated the victims' pain and suffering and this constitutes secondary abuse. He is a disgrace. Committed Catholics who value human rights and justice should demand that he be defrocked and dismissed immediately.
N.JOHNSTON, president, International
Association of Former Child Migrants and their Families, Rivervale.
You don't know
DR PELL, with due respect to your "title" in this world, with due respect from one human being to another, I wish to convey my view of your opinion about child sex abuse and abortion.
Immediately, my mind poses three questions: have you, Dr Pell, ever been sexually abused by a priest? Have you ever had an abortion?
I assume your answers are no to these questions. The same answers apply to me. Therefore the third crucial question begs to be answered: how on Earth do you know how it feels to be a victim of a paedophile or understand the circumstances related to the decision of abortion? How, in God's name, can you make ethical or moral decisions?
I know my God and He knows me. He is all I need to know. God loves us all. God blesses us through His truth. All we need to do is to be aware of His truth. We are all one, in varying degrees of evolution. You are a man given a very hefty responsibility. Once you speak, you speak for your church. Be aware of the repercussions of what you say. Some of us do not agree with you.
VERONICA CRESSEY, Beechboro.