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Mass. Official Seeks Tougher Abuse Laws

Posted on: Thursday, 24 July 2003, 06:00 CDT

Frustrated by a lack of indictments in the clergy sex abuse scandal, victims' groups pledged Thursday to work with Massachusetts' attorney general to toughen child abuse laws and establish an independent board to review abuse allegations against priests.

Seven victims and advocates met privately with Attorney General Tom Reilly on Thursday, one day after his office issued a report detailing widespread sexual abuse by priests in the Boston Archdiocese over the past six decades.

Reilly's 16-month investigation found that the archdiocese documented 789 complaints of sexual abuse against 237 priests between 1940 and 2000. The report said information from other sources suggested more than 1,000 people were abused by clergy and church workers.

Although Reilly's report contained staggering numbers and a call for more action by the Boston archdiocese, no criminal charges were filed against church leaders for failing to stop the abuse. Reilly said child-protection laws in place when the abuses took place were too weak to file such charges.

Victims who met with Reilly said they want a more detailed explanation on why no charges were filed.

"Lacking a sufficient accounting of the reasons why an indictment was not issued, the survivor community has no choice but to assume that it is due to a lack of willpower on the part of the attorney general," said Richard Webb, co-founder of the victims' group Speak Truth to Power.

But other victims said they were encouraged by Reilly's pledge Thursday to work with them to have oversight of complaints against priests and to set up an independent victims' assistance board.

A spokeswoman for Reilly said he would not comment on what he considered to be a private meeting.

Reilly's report questioned whether the current church review board can operate independently from the archdiocese when the archbishop has complete control over the selection of review board members.

Susan Gallagher, a member of the Coalition of Catholics and Survivors, said the boards should be made up of people outside the church, including law enforcement officials and experts on sexual trauma. She said victims often are reluctant to turn to church groups for help.

The Rev. Christopher Coyne, a spokesman for the archdiocese, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday.

The report was issued a week before Bishop Sean O'Malley is to be installed as Boston's new archbishop. Cardinal Bernard Law resigned as archbishop in December after nearly a year of criticism over his failure to remove abusive priests.

About 500 alleged victims have filed civil lawsuits against the archdiocese alleging that church leaders were negligent in failing to protect children from abusive priests.

Former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn, a former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, said he hopes the lack of criminal indictments will not slow the healing process for victims or the church.

"Despite all the pain to victims and to faithful Catholics, I am still convinced that the overwhelming majority of priests are good and faithful men," Flynn said. "I am hopeful that the Catholic church can move forward."

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