Street roots., August 24, 2018, Page 5, Image 5

• Aug. 24-30, 2018
News
GARABEDIAN, from page 4
Archdiocese of Portland declared
bankruptcy. It concluded its bankruptcy
about 20, he said, he knew there would be
reorganizing in 2007, ultimately spending
many more.
more than $70 million in claims to victims,
Garabedian said he never doubted the
according to the Catholic News Service.
victims he spoke with.
The Archdiocese of Portland was the first in
“They were just innocent little children
the nation to declare bankruptcy as a result
who were damaged,” he said.
of the abuse cases, but others were soon to
Geoghan specifically targeted children
from poor families, the Globe reported. The follow, including those in Tucson, Ariz.,
Spokane, Wash., and Fairbanks, Alaska. In
number of victims who said they were
May, the Archdiocese of S t Paul and
abused by Geoghan eventually climbed to
Minneapolis agreed to pay $210 million to
about 150, according to the Globe. He was
450 victims of clergy sexual abuse as part of
ultimately sentenced to nine to 10 years in
its bankruptcy settlement
prison for fondling a 10-year-old boy at a
The church’s victims come from diverse
swimming pool and was murdered in his
backgrounds, Garabedian said. Sexual
prison cell in 2003.
abusers did not discriminate.
In 2002, the Globe’s
“It can be a very
Spotlight investigation
“Some feel even
successful upper-class family
uncovered 70 pedophile
that just trusts the priests
priests and exposed how
sadder before
when they shouldn’t,”
the Catholic Church
they feel better.
Garabedian said.
protected them and
Of the thousands of
Others transform
covered up their crimes
victims
who Garabedian said
through secret
themselves into
have contacted him, the
settlements and
survivors and
oldest was 86 and said he
confidentiality
had been abused in 1937.
realize that the
agreements.
“Everyone in his life had
“The Catholic Church
sexual abuse was
died, so he felt as though he
has covered this matter
not their fa u lt"
could talk about this without
up as much as possible,”
hurting those individuals,”
MITCHELL GARABEDIAN
Garabedian said.
Garabedian said.
Despite the church’s
Just being able to talk
efforts, the floodgates
about the abuse they
had opened.
endured can be a relief to some of the
In 2004, a report filed by the John Jay
victims, he said.
College of Criminal Justice of the City —
y.JTt’s taking a great weight off their
University of New York for the United
Shoulders go that tney1 can realise that the
States Conference of CatholicBishops
sexual abuse was not their fault, and they
revealed more than 10,000 allegations of
shouldn’t feel guilty, ashamed or
sexual abuse made against thousands of
embarrassed.”
priests in the United States between 1950
He said the weight sexual abuse victims
carry with them “permeates every facet of
and 2002.
- Another 4,000 allegations have been
their lives.”
“It is a constant reminder of the evil that
made against priests in Australia and more
the priests perpetrated,” Garabedian said.
than 300 in Canada, Germany, Ireland and
Victims often go through a range of
Belgium, according to the John Jay College
emotions as they begin to share their
report The Catholic Church has
experiences.
acknowledged 3,400 credible accusations
“Some feel even sadder before they feel
received between 2004 and 2014.
better,” Garabedian said. “Others transform
In 2005, after having paid $50 million to
themselves into survivors and realize that
more than 100 victims of sexual abuse, the
Did you serve in the
Armed Forces
and are experiencing
*
or at risk of
j
uh I.
becoming
homeless?
Transition
Projects
Please call 855.425.5544
or visit 650 NW Irving Street
Page 5
the sexual abuse was not their fault.”
Not everyone has been able to overcome
the tragedy they’ve endured, he said; many
have committed suicide.
In 2012, Garabedian represented victims
in Ohio who he said had been molested by
Brother Stephen Baker, a Franciscan friar
accused of sexually abusing dozens of teens
in at least three states, according to the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The settlements in
that case resulted in Pennsylvania victims’
coming forward; Garabedian said.
“I’m told that that sparked the (grand
jury) investigation in Pennsylvania,”
Garabedian said.
And what the investigation in
Pennsylvania uncovered was unprecedented,
according to the grand jury report.
“There have been other reports about
child sex abuse within the Catholic Church,”
the report stated. “But never on this scale.”
The grand jury investigated every diocese
in the state except Philadelphia and Altoona-
Johnstown, which had been subject to
previous grand jury investigations. Despite
the extensive nature of the investigation,
the grand jury concluded that its report was
still not a complete picture of the abuse that
occurred in Pennsylvania.
“We believe that the real number - of
children whose records were lost, or who
were afraid ever to come forward - is in the
thousands,” the report said.
About a dozen victims who were not
included in th e re p o rt have already reached
out to Garabedian.
“I will be representing them with local
counsel in Pennsylvania,” he said.
He said he’s grateful to the victims for
allowing him to help them heal. Without
victims coming forward, he said, the
“healing and the protection of children
could not take place.”
People were skeptical when he started
working with victims in 1994, Garabedian
said, but they certainly aren’t anymore.
“The tide has turned,” he said.-