Friday, July 12

Females: forgotten victims of clerical sexual abuse

Financial settlements involving female victims tend to be smaller than settlements for male victims, Schoener said. And women are more apt to feel victimized again after they report abuse -- meaning that cases involving sexual abuse of females tend to be under-reported."We're treated like we're the evil sinner; like we caused the good, holy priest to sin," said Barbara Blaine, president and founder of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Blaine said she had been sexually abused by a priest when she was a teen-ager in Ohio. She received a financial settlement in 1994 from the Diocese of Toledo and the priest's religious order."Girls and women are the only group that, if you're in a deposition, they're asked if they liked it," Schoener added. "I've probably only had that asked of one adult male, ever. The girls are asked what they were wearing; they are accused of being seductive. That is virtually routine. The way in which it's dealt with is totally different."

A slow day so far.

I'm really, really tired because Joseph had a really, really bad night last night, and so, of course, did I. I got some work done this morning on a consulting project of sorts and did some research for an essay, but that's about all I've been up for so far.

From Salon:

L is for Lawsuit on the growing phenomenon of parents threatening to sue teachers and schools over bad grades and disciplinary measures.