The Roman
Catholic diocese of Cleveland is discouraging its employees
and volunteers from making anonymous reports of sexual
abuse of minors, a policy change that appears to be
unique among U.S. dioceses and has outraged church
watchdogs. However, it has the support of the local
prosecutor's office.
Church policy had
required any suspicion of sexual abuse by church
personnel be immediately reported to civil authorities. The
revised policy says a person reporting abuse to civil
authorities should include his or her name, address,
and telephone number to help assist in an
investigation.
''That's just as
wrongheaded as possible. That's just silly,'' said David
Clohessy, spokesman for the Survivors Network of those
Abused by Priests. ''All reports of abuse should be
encouraged, anonymous and otherwise, especially with
an institution with such a horrific track record on this
issue. Many victims and witnesses are terrified of
retribution, and some information always beats no
information.''
Diocese spokesman
Bob Tayek said there have been few anonymous reports in
past years and that they're being discouraged only because
they're often not helpful.
''Terminating an
employee on an anonymous allegation is really
unlikely,'' Tayek said.
Bishop Richard
Lennon approved the revised policy, and it took effect on
January 1. It changes a policy that was last updated in 2003
during the height of the church's clergy sex abuse
scandal.
The revised
policy makes it appear as though church officials are trying
to control the information that civil authorities get, said
Anne Barrett Doyle, codirector of
BishopAccountabilty.org, an online archive of
documents related to sexual abuse in the church.
''That's really
stepping over the line and trying to suppress what could
be very valid reports,'' she said.
But officials
with the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office said the
revision is appropriate.
''The best
possible policy for the diocese is to tell its employees you
must report suspected child abuse and we expect you to give
your name,'' said Rick Bell, supervisor of the major
trial unit for the prosecutor's office, who led an
investigation into the diocese's abuse cases in 2003.
''They're
encouraging reporting and openness,'' he said. ''Anonymous
information may not be helpful whatsoever and encourages a
climate of secrecy.''
Teresa
Kettelkamp, executive director of the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops' Office of Child and Youth
Protection, wasn't aware of other dioceses adopting
similar policies.
She agreed that
anonymous reports were difficult to investigate and
substantiate and noted that the Cleveland diocese is only
discouraging them.
''If they were
saying, 'We're not taking any more anonymous complaints,'
that would be of concern to me,'' Kettelkamp said. ''I just
hope it doesn't discourage people from coming
forward.''
The revised
policy, which was drafted by a lay review board, also
establishes that in alleged abuse cases involving nonclergy,
the diocesan legal office should be contacted and will
coordinate an investigation.
Clohessy believes
that's the last office that should be involved because
church lawyers will only seek to limit damage claims against
the diocese.
Tayek said the
change was made so the legal office can ensure that
parishes and church institutions are following the policy
for reporting abuse, and to make sure employment law
is followed.
More than 13,000
molestation claims have been made to dioceses nationwide
and more than $2 billion in settlements have been paid since
1950. The Cleveland diocese has paid about $23 million
in abuse-related claims.
The 195 U.S.
dioceses also have taught more than 6 million children to
protect themselves from sexual predators and have conducted
1.6 million background checks on workers in response
to clergy sex abuse. (AP)