Erin's Law: 4 Days Left to get Child Sex Abuse Bill Passed in Alabama Legislature

There is no state in America that needs Erin's Law more than Alabama. I have done more horror stories of child sex abuse from Alabama than any other state. C'mon Senate, get it done!

Erin Merryn

A revamped piece of legislation that would require Alabama public schools to provide sexual abuse prevention instruction to students in kindergarten through 12th grade has passed in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Terri Collins' bill, dubbed Erin's Law, calls for the creation of a Governor's Task Force on Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children. The 13-member group would make recommendations for age-appropriate curriculum to be taught in classrooms with the intent of reducing the incidence of child sexual abuse in the state.

Collins, R-Decatur, said she wasn't surprised the bill passed as it has support from lawmakers and educators.  She feels positive the bill will be able to pass in the Senate during the four remaining days of the legislative session.

Erin Merryn, 30, a child sexual abuse survivor and creator of the legislation, said schools generally fail to give young students adequate awareness and a voice on the issue of sexual abuse.

She has fought for more than five years to changes state laws and ensure the curriculum is taught. God bless her.

Merryn's legislation sets requirements for kindergarten-12th grade students to be taught a curriculum that includes personal body safety - knowing the difference between safe touches and unsafe touches and safe secrets and unsafe secrets.

Collins said the task force will help ensure the legislation isn't an unfunded mandate as course materials aren't cheap, she said. The task force would provide recommendations on the style and type of the curriculum and who will administer it.

She also suspected that some school systems still won't be able to afford the curriculum; the task force would help determine the counties where there are higher incidences of child sexual abuse and help find a way for those schools to provide the program.

According to the legislation, the group's recommendations could include proposals for specific statutory changes and methods to foster cooperation among state agencies and between the state and local governments.

The content of the curriculum will remain at the discretion of the local school board, Collins said.

Merryn has made national headlines for her work to bring attention to child sexual abuse and her effort to change the law in all 50 states.

She was molested from the ages of 6-13, first by the uncle of a best friend, and then later by an older teenage cousin.

Erin's Law has passed in 21 states and is pending in 22 others.

Actually, according to her website, Erin's law has passed in 23 states and is pending in 20.

"I am happy to see the House in Alabama has passed Erin's Law in support of protecting and educating children from abuse," Merryn said in an email to AL.com. "I hope the Senate will do the same thing and see the great benefits for children through this law.

"I hope we can make Alabama be the half way point state number 25 to pass Erin's Law. Let's get it done before session runs out," she continued.

The governor's task force will consist of eight members appointed by the governor representing the eight regional school board districts, who work in the fields of child abuse and neglect prevention and child welfare; one member appointed by state superintendent of education; one member appointed by the commissioner of Department of Human Resources; one member appointed by the executive director of the Children's Trust Fund; the House Education Policy Committee chair, or his or designee; the Senate Education and Youth Affairs Committee chair, or his or her designee.

Task force members would not receive any compensation. 

9 Busted on Charges Ranging From Theft to Child Sex Abuse in Alabama

Nine people were taken into custody over the past 24 hours during a warrant roundup in Blount County.

Suspects wanted on charges ranging from sodomy to sex abuse dating back to 2004

The operation was spearheaded by Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey's office, and carried out by the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force, the FBI, the SBI, the Blount County Sheriff's Office, the State Probation Office and the Oneonta Police Department.

"This warrant roundup provides an opportunity for the agencies to work as a team in an effort take criminals off the street,'' Casey said.

Authorities fanned out over Blount County beginning Thursday and again this morning. Some of the suspects didn't answer the door, weren't home or had moved away. "If they have moved away, we will conduct follow ups with possible addresses where they moved,'' Casey said.

Their names also have been entered into a national database so that law enforcement agencies across the country will be aware of the outstanding warrants. The operation even yielded one tip that a suspect is fleeing the U.S. "We will seek an international warrant to bring him back to face charges for sex offenses against a child,'' Casey said.

Blount County 911, Blount EMS and Blount County EMA also assisted in the two-day operation. "These officers did an awesome job crisscrossing multiple counties hunting these people down,'' Casey said.

Those arrested were:

-Callie Stapler, 42 of Warrior, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and possession of a forged instrument.

-Cody Reid, 22, of Hayden, sodomy.

-Dana Blythe, 40 of Cleveland, insurance fraud, seven counts of negotiating a worthless instrument.

-Dustin Deaver, 25 of Cleveland, 12 counts of second-degree forgery.

-Michael Higginbotham, 60, of Birmingham, second-degree sex abuse.

-William Brister, 41, of Highland Lake, first-degree theft by deception.

-Daniel Faulkner, 32, of Oneonta, theft of property.

-Christopher Thurman, 48, of Arab, unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

-Robert Merrell, 25, of Pinson, Burglary and Criminal Mischief

Another Alabama pedophile commits suicide 

Also from Blount County comes word that a man charged last year with multiple counts of child rape and child sex abuse had committed suicide near his mother's home in Missouri.

Blount County officials charged Jason Thomas Bates, 35, with two counts of first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sodomy and one count of sex abuse of a child. He was booked in to the Blount County Correctional Facility on Dec. 5, and released seven days later.

The young teen girl told investigators Bates had sexually abused her for several years, according to court records. The abuse involved sexual intercourse, oral sex, and videotaping of the sex acts, records show.

Bates, who was suspected of sexually abusing 9 other children, suicided while on bail.

Blount Co. Alabama

Ex-Deputy Minister Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Child Porn

Levin, 63, was deputy education minister in Ontario, Manitoba

The court has heard that Benjamin Levin used to frequent online chat rooms
where sexual activities were discussed. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

A man who once was deputy education minister in Ontario and Manitoba was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for three child-porn related offences. 

Benjamin Levin, 63, was handed a sentence of six months for possession of child porn, 12 months for making child porn and 18 months for counselling to commit child sex abuse. 

In her decision, a Toronto provincial court judge said Levin, a father of three, "appeared to have it all" but had a "hidden dark side."

The "appeared to have it all" comment refers to Levin's excellent career in teaching, writing, and in two provincial governments as Deputy Minister of Education. His own education, if anything, left him over-qualified to be a Deputy Minister. What a waste!

But she says he has a low risk of reoffending and appears "genuinely remorseful."

The court heard throughout his trial that Levin used to frequent an online website with numerous forums for the discussion of sexual activities with children. 

Among the people he chatted with were an undercover officer in Toronto, one in London, Ont., and one in New Zealand — all posing as women interested in sexual activities with children.

The judge also ruled that, for five years, Levin can't go to public parks, pools, daycares and schools unless he's supervised by someone who knows of his conviction. His use of internet will be limited and he cannot work with children under 16 again. 

He was ordered to provide a sample of his DNA for the sex offender registry and will be registered for life. 

Levin was arrested in July 2013 when a search warrant was executed at his home. He was a university professor in Toronto at the time.

His lawyer had sought a sentence of two years in a penitentiary, while the Crown sought up to three years and eight months behind bars.

In March, Cheryl Gallant, a member of the Canadian Parliament, suggested that Levin might have been involved in the formation of Ontario's very controversial new sex education program. 

Monstrous Pedophile Executed in China

Man executed in China for rape of 26 minors

Tianshui, Gansu Province, China

Xinhua
English.news.cn   
 
BEIJING, (Xinhua) -- A man in northeast China's Gansu Province was executed Thursday for the rape and sexual abuse of 26 children, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said.

Li Jishun, a former primary school teacher, was put to death by the Intermediate People's Court of Tianshui City after the SPC approved the death penalty.

Li was found by the court to have raped or sexually abused 26 girls aged from 4 to 11 when he was a teacher from 2011 to 2012. He took advantage of those who were both childish and timid and committed his acts in dormitories or classrooms.

Considering the harm Li caused to the girls concerned and the extremely negative social impact, Li was given the heaviest punishment, said a judge from the SPC.

The SPC also published the details of four other cases involving sexual abuse of minors. In one case, a man raped five girls in a school dormitory. He was given a death sentence reprieved for two years.

Tianshui, Gansu Province, China

Shanghaiist

In April, two other teachers in China were given the death sentence for sexually abusing young children. Gao Daosheng, a 59-year-old teacher in Wuhu, Anhui province, was convicted for raping and sexually molesting 11 first- and second-grade students multiple times starting in late 2011.

Yang Shifu, 56, was found guilty of raping two underage girls and sexually abusing an unspecified number of girls when he was teaching in 2012 and 2013.

In 2013, China's supreme court ordered that harsher punishments be handed out to child abusers, an announcement that came just days after seven cases of school-aged children being sexually molested or abused had surfaced. In most of the cases, teachers or government officials were identified as the perpetrators.

The SPC said child sexual abuse cases are on the rise in recent years, with 7,145 such cases being handled by courts across the country from 2012 to 2014. CSA cases rose 40 per cent during that period.

We can make the assumption that much of the spectacular increase in child sex abuse has to do with the availability of child pornography on the internet. If that assumption is correct, then we can expect the situation to get much worse before it gets better, if it ever gets better, in spite of the instant, one-way tickets to Hell from the courts.

Is the death sentence draconian for the horrific child sex abuses mentioned above, or is it entirely appropriate? What do you think?

Tianshui, Gansu Province, China

Methodist Church of Britain Reveals Thousands of Historical Child Sexual Abuse Cases

Reuters / David Ryder

The Methodist Church in Britain (MCB) published a damning report from an independent inquiry on Thursday, which found nearly 2,000 incidents of physical and sexual abuse going back as far as 1950.

While this report is somewhat horrifying in its numbers, MCB deserves some small credit for initiating the inquiry and then making it public. It's the right thing to do. It won't in any way make up for the evil that has been done, but, at least it's a start in the right direction.

The inquiry was carried out by Jane Stacey, former deputy chief executive of the children’s charity Barnados, and took three years to complete its findings.

It considered all cases that ministers and members of the church could remember as well as those for which there were written records. These included cases that were carried out within the church and those that were reported to the church, but which occurred away from it.

The 1,885 cases identified included sexual, physical, emotional and domestic abuse including cases of neglect. Some 26 percent of cases were carried out by actual church ministers, and in 61 of these the police were involved, including six ongoing police investigations.

Allegations of sexual abuse made up the largest number of cases. One of the cases involved the grooming of teenage girls on Facebook, while another involved a minster allegedly making sexual advances on children.

One victim of sexual abuse who responded to the survey told the BBC the MCB initially covered up the allegations.

“I have learnt that it is impossible to recover from sexual abuse when no-one recognizes the seriousness of it. My Church did not want a scandal, my parents did not want a scandal. I was left to feel worthless and devalued, while the man was left to get on with his life and for all I know repeat the crime with someone else. I was emotionally and physically devastated,” the victim said.

The MCB, which commissioned the inquiry, has issued a statement saying it wishes to be open about what has happened and put in place stronger safeguards and procedures so nothing like it happens again.

Rev Dr Martyn Atkins, the general secretary of the MCB and secretary of the Methodist Conference, admitted the church had “not always listened properly to those abused.

“I am certain that the Methodist Conference will want to resolve to do all in its power to improve its systems to protect children, young people and adults from abuse within the life of the church and on church premises, and to review them diligently on a regular basis,” he said.

“That abuse has been inflicted by some Methodists on children, young people and adults is and will remain a deep source of grief and shame to the church,” he added.

A law firm, representing some of the people who suffered abuse and which is taking legal action against the church, said minsters had taken advantage of some of society’s most vulnerable people.

“It has taken my clients over 30 years to have the courage to come forward with their allegations of abuse against the Methodist Church. It must never again be the case that the reputation of institutions takes precedence over the welfare of society’s most vulnerable,” said Nichola Marshall, head of international abuse at the Leigh Day law firm. Amen, Nichola, Amen!

Don't Ask Me to Write It Down, But Trust Me - Elizabeth May

Conservatives have rejected suggestions that the law needs to be strengthened to protect police whistleblowers who fear they will be prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act for exposing a coverup of a paedophile ring in the 1970s.

In fact, Exaro reports that an amendment to the Official Secrets Act enshrining protection for CSA whistleblowers was voted down in the House in February by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

Damian Green, the former Home Office minister, said he believed the home secretary, Theresa May, had already given former police officers sufficient comfort by promising in the House of Commons they would not be prosecuted for revealing a coverup.

He said May had made clear that the Official Secrets Act did not apply if serious criminality was being revealed.

Home Office Minister Theresa May

“I would hope that would give them the confidence to come forward to the relevant inquiries and actually let us all know what the truth was about what happened back in the 70s and 80s.”

“It’s not clear to me that you need a change in the law because in the end a police officer’s job is to investigate criminality and then pass evidence on to prosecuting authorities.”

And when they do that, and the evidence is destroyed, and they are told to keep their mouths shut or they would be prosecuted under the OSA - what do you think is going to happen, Elizabeth?

But the Labour MPs John Mann, Tom Watson and Simon Danczuck said they had spoken to officers who had expressed fears of a coverup and wanted further legal reassurance before going public.

Mann had tabled an amendment to give police whistleblowers protection but the move was rejected by the Commons.

Danczuck said he had spoken to Metropolitan police officers in the past 24 hours and they had spoken of standup rows and swearing in the office about bring stopped from investigating paedophiles.

MP John Danczuk

The undercover police operation into the Liberal MP Cyril Smith and a member of the intelligence services was scrapped shortly after detectives moved to make arrests after securing evidence of abuse, a police source told BBC’s Newsnight programme.

Police officers questioned Smith during the inquiry in the early 1980s, which investigated properties in south London where it was suspected sex parties were held involving teenage boys, but he was released within hours of being taken to a police station, it said. Smith and others were caught abusing children, but officers were ordered to hand over all their evidence – including notebooks and video footage – and warned to keep quiet about the investigation or face prosecution under the Official Secrets Act.

The officers were also told that if they kept quiet they could expect promotion, Newsnight said. They were assured that those who had been caught “would not be playing a role in public life any more”. Smith continued as an MP until 1992.

The Labour MPs urged David Cameron to guarantee that officers who give evidence over the alleged paedophile ring in Westminster will not be prosecuted.

Watson said: “It is also clear that the duty of all former police officers, intelligence officers and civil servants who have knowledge of a coverup to come forward.”

Mann, whose proposal to waive prosecution for people with information about abuse was rejected by MPs last month, urged the government to reconsider the idea.

— John Mann MP (@JohnMannMP)
March 17, 2015
Why did Tories and Lib Dems vote down my amendment on immunity from prosecution re Official Secrets Act on child abuse evidence last month?

MP John Mann

“Police officer after police officer have told me that the Official Secrets Act and fear of breaching it are a bar to them,” he told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme.

The government argues there is no need to change the law. In November the home secretary said: “I’m very clear the Official Secrets Act should not get in the way of anybody giving evidence to the inquiry [into historical allegations of child abuse] or bringing forward evidence that is relevant to the issue. So if anybody is worried about the Official Secrets Act they should come forward and speak out.”

But Danczuk said officers were still frightened of coming forward. He said he had spoken to a former officer with the Met on Tuesday night, who claimed investigations into allegations of child abuse were halted because of the prominent individuals involved.

“He is concerned about his pensions and the fact that he has made a commitment not to talk about these investigations – they were sworn to secrecy,” he told the World at One.

Danczuk added: “They need more comfort – they would need some sort of change in legislation that would enable them to feel comfortable in terms of sharing what they know about this subject. Ministers have to make it very categorical that no action will be taken against these former officers if they come forward.”

Yet they seem quite unwilling to do that; quite unwilling to let that genie out of the bottle where they cannot control it. Governments don't like things they cannot control.

The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, said the allegations should be investigated “thoroughly without fear or favour”. He said: “I would urge anyone who has any information that can cast any light on what happened way back then to come forward and co-operate with the police.”

“These allegations could not be more serious. There are allegations of very, very serious dereliction of duty and of wrongdoing by people in the police at the time who were investigating – it is alleged – some of the most grotesque crimes imaginable.”

According to Newsnight, the officers involved said they did not know the senior figure who threatened them. The BBC’s source was described as a former officer familiar with the original investigation and its closure.

Cyril Smith - 400 pounds of pathetic perversion

Danczuk said Smith was being protected by other child abusers who feared being exposed by the MP. He said: “It is my view that Smith was being protected and being protected by some fairly powerful people. It is my view he was protected because he knew of other paedophiles in the networks in which he operated and had he been prosecuted then I think those other people would have been named by Smith and that’s why they ensured they would never be put before the court.”

Newsnight’s claims will be investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission as part of its inquiry into allegations of police corruption in London relating to child abuse. The IPCC said it was investigating 14 referrals with details of alleged corruption in the Metropolitan police relating to child sex offences from the 1970s to the 2000s.

Newsnight was informed of the intelligence-led operation, which it is believed began in 1981 and involved a team of undercover regional crime squad officers, including some from Yorkshire, who were based at Gilmour House – a large police headquarters in Kennington in south London.

The team targeted six or more addresses in south London, including a flat in Coronation Buildings in Lambeth – a rundown tenement block about a mile from the House of Commons.

The squad believed that boys from care homes were being provided “to order” for sex parties. Newsnight said it had been told that during a three-month secret inquiry, officers gathered a substantial amount of evidence of men abusing boys aged around 14.

Evidence included photographs and video taken from inside a flat with a hidden camera that had been installed with the help of a caretaker.

According to an account given to the BBC, Smith was seized at a property in Streatham where he had been taking part in a sex party with teenage boys. It is understood he was taken to a police station but was released that night. A desk sergeant was reprimanded for wanting to keep him in custody.

Newsnight has also been told that the squad had evidence relating to a member of Britain’s intelligence agencies and two senior police officers.

Ridsdale Raped Girl at Home He Shared with Cardinal George Pell

Child sexual abuse inquiry: Notorious paedophile 

Gerald Ridsdale raped girl at home he shared 

with George Pell, 'and another priest heard'

Gerald Ridsdale has given evidence to the royal commission
via video link from prison.

By court reporter Peta Carlyon
ABC News Australia

Notorious paedophile Gerald Ridsdale molested an 11-year-old girl in the home he once shared with other priests, including now Cardinal George Pell, an inquiry into child sexual abuse has been told.

Ridsdale, an 81-year-old former priest, was back in the witness box for a second day at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Ballarat.

The inquiry heard the defrocked priest abused the girl at the Ballarat East presbytery in the 1970s, where he was living with a number of other priests, including Australia's now most senior Catholic leader.

The inquiry heard the girl went to look at the rock collection in Ridsdale's bedroom, but saw a pornographic magazine and ran away.

When Ridsdale caught up to her, he raped her.

Court documents read out at the inquiry revealed the girl believed another priest was there and heard her being assaulted, but did not intervene.

Ridsdale told the hearing that was probably true, but could not remember who it was.

"I have no idea about the priests who were with me in Ballarat East," he said.

Ridsdale did say he could recall Cardinal Pell was living at the parish at the time.

"I have to accept that fact that George Pell was there but I don't remember any of the others," he said.

Cardinal Pell has told the royal commission he is willing to appear in person and give evidence.

Ridsdale had earlier told the commission he could not remember many details about his past, including the Catholic Church's knowledge of his offending against numerous children in regional Victoria.

It led the judge presiding over the inquiry to say that it was "incredible" he could not recall those details.

At one stage, Justice Peter McClellan expressed incredulity Ridsdale could not remember details of his offending, or which members of the Catholic clergy may have known about his abusive nature.

"Isn't it incredible?" Justice McClellan put to Ridsdale, after Ridsdale said he couldn't "remember anything about Mortlake" in western Victoria, where he abused many children.

Justice McClellan also expressed frustration about Ridsdale's inability to recall discussions with Bishop Ronald Mulkearns, who moved Ridsdale around western Victoria.

At one point, Ridsdale also appeared to backtrack on whether he was in fear of losing his priesthood.

"It's not a case of thinking you could've been," Justice McClellan told Ridsdale.

"You would've been absolutely terrified the Bishop was going to throw you out of the church."

Ridsdale replied: "I can only tell you what I remember."

At least three clergy members knew of Ridsdale's offending

Earlier, Ridsdale responded with, "I don't know ... I can't recall", when asked by counsel assisting, Gail Furncess SC, if Cardinal Pell ever spoke to Ridsdale about his offending, or whether Ridsdale ever told him about his problems with children.

He also acknowledged at least three members of the clergy, including Bishop Mulkearns, knew of his prolific offending at Mortlake.

Ridsdale was also asked about his offending in New South Wales, after he was moved there from Victoria because he had "certain sexual problems".

He told the commission he abused children at several locations, including in his "underground house" at White Cliffs.

The inquiry heard one family who had been visiting Ridsdale for decades in prison did not know he had abused their own son.

Judge questions whether Ridsdale was 'coached'

Justice McClellan also raised the possibility Ridsdale may have been coached in what to say in evidence, asking him repeatedly who had visited him in prison in recent months, including on the March 17.

"You appreciate there'll be a record of people who've been to see you in jail, don't you?" Justice McClellan put to Ridsdale.

Ridsdale said he made regular phone calls to his sisters and had been visited by Father John McKinnon, of a western Victorian parish.

He also backtracked on evidence that it was his barrister who approached Cardinal Pell to support him in court during the 1990s.

On Wednesday, Ridsdale said Cardinal Pell may not have known the nature of the child abuse charges against him, he did not know exactly what Cardinal Pell was going to say in his support, and that it was insignificant anyway.

He told the royal commission he barely knew Cardinal Pell.

But on Thursday he acknowledged, on the face of evidence put to him by Ms Furness, that he had approached Pell himself.

"It looks like I must've done that, yes," Ridsdale said.

Ridsdale has finished giving evidence to the inquiry but has not been formally excused as he could be recalled later for Church cross-examination.

The hearing continues.

Child Sex Abuse Live Streams Loophole to be Closed

BBC Technology

Experts have warned that live streaming of child sexual abuse
is happening more often

The UK's government aims to tackle the spread of child sexual abuse imagery online by closing a legal loophole.

It has proposed that live video streams of abuse should be punished in the same way that recorded clips already are.

It would mean that people who broadcast such footage would face up to 14 years in jail.

In the past, offenders have sometimes been given lighter sentences if the authorities could not prove a recording was made.

The plan was announced as part of the Queen's Speech, in which the the government set out its legislative programme for the year ahead.

The change is relevant to a loophole in England and Wales' legal system, but not Northern Ireland or Scotland's.

The proposed change to the law was included in the Queen's Speech

Tougher sentences

The live streaming of child sexual abuse over the internet is a growing problem, according to a report published by the EU's law enforcement agency Europol last year.

"The popularisation of webcams and chat platforms that enable the streaming of live images and video has led to their exploitation by child sexual abusers," it said.

"Some applications allow users to upgrade their accounts by paying a fee, guaranteeing access to extended features such as broadcasts protected by passwords and extra layers of anonymity.

"It is a crime that is hard to detect and investigate since the offenders do not usually store a copy of the streamed material."

The report noted that much of the activity involved children filmed in deprived economies, typically Eastern Asia.

However, there have been prosecutions involving cases in the UK.

In 2013, a teacher working in Birmingham and two accomplices were arrested after broadcasting live footage of sexual abuse involving a 15-year-old girl.

The teacher, William Hanna, was subsequently sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of three charges of sexual activity with a child and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

Because there was no evidence that footage of the abuse had been recorded, he could not be prosecuted for a related offence of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child, as defined by the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

The change to the law would give the Crown Prosecution Service the ability to seek such a conviction for other live video stream creators in the future.

"The horrors of this kind of abuse were highlighted in a recent court case where sexual assaults against babies were being streamed for paedophiles to watch," commented a spokesman for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children charity.

"A crackdown on this sickening type of crime is a positive step. But sex offenders will always be looking for ways to harm children, so while this will close one loophole we must be vigilant to ensure others do not open in its place."

The government also set out plans to introduce sanctions for professionals who fail to try to stop child abuse where it is their duty to act, as part of a new Policing and Criminal Justice Bill.

Two Texas Priests Sued for Historic Child Sex Abuse

 Father Virgilio Elizondo hands out communion at St Rose LIma,
Sunday, August 25, 2002

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — A civil lawsuit that alleges sexual abuse on the part of two priests in the Archdiocese of San Antonio was filed May 22 in Bexar County Court.

Father Jesus Armando Dominguez and Father Virgilio Elizondo are named as defendants in the 19-page suit and are alleged to have sexually abused the plaintiff in the early 1980s.

Elizondo, who became known as the "father of U.S. Latino religious thought," has been a member of the Notre Dame faculty since 2002. That's a little scary!

He was also presented with Notre Dame’s highest honor, the Laetare Medal, in 1997.

Also named in the suit are the Archdiocese of San Antonio and three archbishops, who, according to the allegations, conspired to cover-up the abuses rather than report them to authorities.

A spokesman for the archdiocese on Wednesday declined to comment because he said he had not yet seen the lawsuit.

Olympic speed skater Derek Parra, left, talks with Father Virgilio Elizondo, center,
from San Antonio, Texas, and singer Ricky Martin, right, 

The plaintiff, identified as John Doe, alleges he was sexually abused by Dominguez from 1980 until 1983 when he was living in an orphanage and Dominguez was attending seminary school at Assumption Seminary. The abuses are alleged to have occurred in Dominguez’ dormitory.

Elizondo allegedly abused the plaintiff in 1983, the lawsuit said.

Messages left with Elizondo and the attorney who filed the suit were not immediately returned.

A spokesperson for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) says Elizondo's accolades and good deeds aren't an exemption from the accusations.

"Professional accomplishments don't somehow insulate somebody from these terrible compulsions that child molesters feel to sexually abuse boys and girls," David Clohessy, Executive Director of SNAP said. "The very personality traits that lead us to say, 'Oh it couldn't be father so and so or reverend so and so. They're just so wonderful. They're so loving. They're so giving.' Those very same personality traits that make us believe these men are innocent are the traits they use to win the trust of children and parents and then sexually violate them."

The following text is part of the plaintiff's civil suit. 

It may be uncomfortable to read:

1. At all times material herein, [Defendant Father Jesus Armando] Dominguez was attending seminary to obtain his priesthood at the Assumption Seminary of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

2. Plaintiff was living in a local orphanage that was commonly known as the "bridge", just steps away from the Assumption Seminary.

3. Beginning on or around 1980, when Plaintiff was a minor, Dominguez, then known as "Brother Jesse," began to serve as a father-figure to the Plaintiff, helping him with homework, clothing and food, and treating Plaintiff to the occasional movie. Plaintiff , being on his own, welcomed Dominguez's guidance, giving Dominguez his full trust and respect.

4. Dominguez began to regularly ask Plaintiff to these outings and later accompany him to dormitory, there at the Assumption Seminary. Brother Dominguez gained the trust of Plaintiff by acting as a "father-figure" and taking the Plaintiff to movies and meals. Plaintiff respected and trusted Brother Jesse, due to his respect, trust, and relationship with the Roman Catholic Church.

5. For about two years, Brother Dominguez would end our outings by taking me back to his dormitory quarters, where he would often fondle and masturbate my penis. On occasions, while Plaintiff was in Dominguez's dormitory quarters, Plaintiff would often “come to” to find that Dominguez was fondling and masturbating Plaintiff's penis. This activity occurred on several subsequent occasions until finally Dominguez was more direct with his advances.

6. On one occasion, Brother Dominguez took Plaintiff and a friend to California to visit Disneyland. Little did Plaintiff know, he would be taken on this vacation only to be subject to further abuse. Though they often asked to return to San Antonio, Dominguez kept the boys there for about a month until he finally took them back to the orphanage in San Antonio, Texas.

7. Dominguez's abuse of Plaintiff escalated and became more aggressive and grew to include oral sex. Dominguez continued his assault for approximately two years, with the heinous acts occurring approximately two to three times per week.

8. When Plaintiff questioned Dominguez’s actions, Dominguez would prey on Plaintiff’s fear of Dominguez’s claimed heart condition, often faking an impending heart attack.

9. One evening when Plaintiff’s inquiries proved too much, Dominguez threatened to kill Plaintiff and then kill himself.

10. After this threat, Plaintiff retreated in fear. It was not until about two years later, when Dominguez went to California, where he was officially ordained as priest, that Plaintiff decided to bravely discuss the confusing moments he shared with Dominguez.

11. First, he attempted to discuss the incidents with Archbishop Patrick Flores, then serving as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. However, Archbishop Flores never addressed Plaintiff's fears and concerns. Plaintiff's concerns were dismissed. Plaintiff was never further questioned about the events and no actions were taken. Plaintiff became withdrawn.

12. Later in 1983, Plaintiff was riding back home to the orphanage, after an outing with Father Virgilio Elizondo, then serving at San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas. During the ride home, Plaintiff decided to seek clarity from Father Elizondo regarding his past interactions with the now, Father Dominguez. Unfortunately, instead of listening to him and acting on his concerns, Father Elizondo began to fondle the Plaintiff’s genitals, taking advantage of the same sexual liberties Plaintiff complained of with Father Dominguez. As Father Elizondo reached over, kissed him, and began to fondle him, the Plaintiff immediately became angry, frustrated, scared, and confused because Plaintiff thought that he would help. Instead, he gave the Plaintiff more reasons to feel unsafe within the care and guard of the Roman Catholic Church. Once again, the sexual abuse of the Plaintiff continued.

13. After believing that he was safe from these actions since Father Dominguez had relocated, Plaintiff began to feel uncomfortable and frustrated that these acts were occurring once more. He then fought off Father Elizondo and then ran from his vehicle. Believing that he would only continue to be abused, be dismissed, made ashamed, and be touched again and again, should he ever attempt to seek the assistance of the Church again, the Plaintiff did not reach out to the Roman Catholic Church again for several years.

14. As Plaintiff got older, he was plagued with anger and severe depression, for which he sought therapeutic treatment and had to regularly take medication. On a few occasions, still haunted by the oddities in his past, Plaintiff has attempted suicide. His struggles with debilitating depression and thoughts of suicide still plague him today.

15. Plaintiff attempted to reach out to Victim Assistance and Safe Environment of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and spoke to a gentleman named Steve Martinez. Plaintiff was told a criminal suit would be filed and that someone would be in contact with him. However, just as when Plaintiff was younger, no one has offered any help or has informed him about anything being done.

16. From the time of the abuse and exploitation and through the present time, Plaintiff continuously digressed, emotionally and behaviorally, suffered emotional trauma, anguish, loss of respect for authority, loss of earnings and earning capacity, and commenced upon a self-destructive course of conduct. Plaintiff does not believe that he is of "sound mind".

17. Plaintiff has had trouble maintaining his mental status to keep a job. Plaintiff has been unable to maintain a stable personal relationship. Plaintiff has often been unable to parent his children due to the need to be under the care of a mental health facility. Plaintiff has lost jobs and forfeited close relationships with his loved ones due to his mental status. Each year, these feelings have gotten progressively worse. Plaintiff suffers suffer from multiple forms of substance abuse and addictions. Plaintiff has never truly lived independently. Plaintiff has been unable to fully unable to manage my own financial and familial affairs.

18. Representatives of authority within the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the San Bernardino Diocese were made aware of these acts, yet did nothing to expose these incidents of molestation. Instead, the Representatives continued to facilitate an ongoing cover-up of these acts, until around 2004 when a formal suit was filed against Father Dominguez.

19. Since then, Plaintiff has attempted to attend a Roman Catholic Church but has only been met with increasing depression, often leaving in the middle of the service in tears.

Penn State Fraternity Banned for Three Years

Penn State fraternity Kappa Delta Rho will lose its charter until May 2018 amid misconduct charges

The fraternity house is in State College, Pennsylvania

Penn State needs this scandal like a hole in the head. It has spent the last few years dealing with the outfall from the number one pervert in American Universities, Jerry Sandusky. Now, this frat scandal tarnishes the old universities reputation even further and helps cement the belief that a culture of rape does indeed exist in western universities. But, at least, Penn State dealt with it firmly and decisively, er, eventually.

A US fraternity has been banned from operating for three years after Penn State University officials accused the chapter of hazing, drug use and harassment by its members.

The university attributed the ban to "a persistent series of deeply troubling activities", according to a news release.

The fraternity's national organisation had only banned the group for one year.

Fraternities are social organisations that college students, usually male, are given the option to join at many universities across the US. Sororities are a similar option for female students.

"Not every member of the chapter was equally culpable for violation of the university's expectations for recognised student organisations," said Damon Sims, vice president for student affairs at Penn State University, wrote in a letter to the Interfraternity Council, the group that oversees fraternities at the university.

Kappa Delta Rho Fraternity, in State College, Pennsylvania
Female Penn State University students protest in front of fraternity this spring

"Even so, the sum of the organisational misbehaviours is far more than the university can tolerate from a student organization that seeks its imprimatur."

The university began investigating the fraternity in March after reports surfaced of a private Facebook page that contained photos of nude women, some unconscious. The Facebook page also included images of fraternity brothers forcing those wishing to join the group being forced to do draining physical activity.

Pornographic images and embarrassing photos of women were regularly shared on the Facebook page.

Mr Sims said the fraternity's actions required a stronger response from the university than the punishment originally doled out by the Interfraternity Council.

Members will not have to move out of the fraternity house, because it is privately owned.

So, what does 'losing their charter' actually mean? How will it affect their daily lives? I'm thoroughly disgusted with the culture of rape and the adolescent behaviour of 'men' in North American universities. 

The future of American and Canadian leadership is truly frightening, not just because of their stupid, insensitive tricks, but because they are so stupid to think they could post stuff like that to Facebook and get away with it.

Pedophile Preyed on Little Children for More Than Half a Century

A paedophile who carried out sex attacks on children spanning more than 50 years has been jailed.

Robin Woodrow-Gill pleaded guilty to eight sexual offences against children as young as three, carried out between 1958 and 2013.

At Truro, UK Crown Court Judge Christopher Harvey Clark said he had perpetrated "pernicious evil".

Woodrow-Gill, from Torpoint, Cornwall was jailed for 10 years and put on the sex offenders register for life.

pervert

'Perverted interest'

The judge said: "You are a paedophile and you have had a lifetime's sexual interest in young children.

"You first showed it when you were aged 18. Although you are now 73 that perverted interest has continued."

The judge said victims' lives had been "shattered" by Woodrow-Gill's offences.

During sentencing, the judge referred to the case of disgraced celebrity publicist Max Clifford and said penalties for crimes committed many years ago did not "reflect modern attitudes towards child abuse".

Woodrow-Gill was sentenced to four years for a 2013 sexual assault on a child, with consecutive sentences of one year each for three offences of indecency with a child, committed between 1982 and 1992, and three offences of indecent assault on a child during the same period.

He was sentenced to 16 months to run concurrently for an offence of indecent assault on a child committed between 1958-59.

There is that cursed concurrent sentencing again. WHY? WHY? WHY? 

This man should never get out of prison vertically! What is with that?

Explosive Accusations of Police Involvement in VIP Paedophile Ring

A child sex abuse victim claims she was abused by a politician who assaulted her as uniformed policemen stood guard

in the '80s and '90s

Esther Baker - you are my hero today. God bless you!

Esther Baker waived her right to anonymity

Esther Baker has told detectives she was among a group of children who were regularly abused by the political figure, who is from the 'recent era', during the 1980s and 1990s.

Ms Baker, who has waived her right to anonymity, said police officers would keep watch as she was sexually abused, occasionally joining in.

Esther as child

Staffordshire Police have now launched an investigation into the child abuse ring following Ms Baker's claims.

Speaking to Sky News, Ms Baker, who says she was abused from the age of six, claims the politician is from the current era.

She said uniformed officers would stand guard in woodland on Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, while she and other children were sexually assaulted.

'I got the feeling very much that they were protecting somebody, that they were with one of the men,' she said.

They certainly weren't there protecting the one who needed it most. What a disgrace!

'One of them (the police officers) I knew from church. There were a few occasions where they would be in uniform, and I kind of knew, I learnt that when they were in uniform that it was going to be a rough night. On occasion they would ... they would sort of join in.

Ms Baker said that on one occasion she tried to run away, but was stopped by a police officer who told her he was 'sorry'. The time has come for that officer to come forward, she added. 

Hopefully, that police officer will 'do the right thing' and come forward.

She explained that she was a 'favourite' of the politician, who she says is from the recent era but is not from Staffordshire, but she only recently realised who he was.

The politician liked it when she played the piano, Ms Baker recalled, getting her to sit on his lap while she did so.

She said: 'He was part of it for four years. One of the core members. He was there quite often - I was one of his favourites.

'I would know that face anywhere. I have lived with it and others in my head for over 20 years, I know every inch of him,' Ms Baker added.

She says she and the other children, of varying ages, were given alcohol and were often filmed.

She believes a Lord and a judge may have been among her abusers, who she says also assaulted her inside buildings around Staffordshire.

Ms Baker has given a graphic account of her abuse to detectives and is now appealing to other victims to come forward.

She added: 'I always swore I would never go near the police again - never ... but I have hid it for 20 years, that has not worked, that hasn't taken the fear away - I have got nothing to lose any more.' 

Staffordshire Police were unable to say whether the politician is still alive, or whether he is still in public office.

I think "unable" is undoubtedly the wrong word here. "Unwilling" is the correct word.

Cannock Chase woods where much of the abuse took place

Assistant Chief Constable Jon Drake said the force had launched an investigation into Ms Baker's claims.

He said: 'Staffordshire Police is in the early stages of investigating a number of very serious allegations from the 1980s and 90s. Specially trained officers are carrying out a number of interviews with the victim to build up an understanding of what took place, and her recollections of all those involved.

'We are determined to thoroughly gather any evidence which will allow us to bring those who may have been involved to justice, while taking a sensitive approach to supporting the victim throughout.

'We will continue to interview her over the coming days, recognising the horrific nature of what we are investigating. To be clear, regardless of role, anyone who has been involved in criminal offences will be investigated to provide justice for the victim.

'Child abuse is a terrible crime, whenever it occurs. We are keen to hear from anyone who knows more about the allegations, or any other victim of child sexual abuse.

'In this specific case the victim has made the decision to waive her right to anonymity. Staffordshire Police wants to reassure anyone who has been a victim of any form of child or sexual abuse that their anonymity will be protected.'

Unfortunately, none of the reports on this horror story indicate how Esther wound up in the hands of these perverts over and over. Was she in a care home? Regardless of that, she should be applauded for her courage and humility. Hopefully some of her co-victims will come forward to corroborate her story.

Marital Rape Sanctioned by Indian Courts

Victims of marital rape refuse to give up the fight

A government minister recently stirred a debate when he told the parliament that marital rape could not be criminalised in India as "marriages are sacrosanct" in the country. BBC Hindi's Parul Agarwal reports on the controversy.

Tying and untying a piece of cloth around her face, Rashmi (not her real name) tries to conceal her identity as we prepare to interview her on camera. "If my landlord identifies me, he will throw me out," she says.

The 25-year-old is a victim of marital rape and is fighting a lonely battle for justice.

"I was only a toy for him which he thought he could use differently every night. Whenever we had a fight, he would take it out on me in bed. There were times I pleaded with him to stay away because I was unwell, but he would not take a no for an answer, not even during my periods."

In India, it is not a crime for a man to rape his wife. And many believe that marriage is a source of sexual satisfaction for men and, therefore, women must submit.

Of course, there is no concern about sexual satisfaction for women. This is the same attitude that promotes female genital mutilation in much of Islam and many African countries. FGM proponents say it is about keeping girls from temptation, but there is a large element of it that has to do with men being inadequate lovers - incapable of satisfying a woman, so they don't even try.

No equality

In February, India's Supreme Court rejected Rashmi's plea to declare marital rape a criminal offence. The court said it was not possible to order a change in the law for one person.

Rashmi's story is similar to any other educated young woman in India who fell in love with an office colleague and married him. But their relationship has never been about "consent" and "equality", she says.

In a government survey, 10% of the women interviewed said
their husbands had forced them to have sex

"I still remember the night of 14 February 2014 which was also his birthday. We had a heated argument and then he forced himself on me. I resisted as hard as I could, but he didn't stop. And then he inserted a torch (flashlight) inside me. I had to be admitted to hospital and I bled for 60 days after that."

Campaigners have long demanded that marital rape be criminalised in India.

A committee formed after the December 2012 gang rape and murder of a student on a bus in Delhi to suggest criminal law reforms recommended that martial rape should invite the same punishment as any other rape. The government of the day, led by the Congress party, rejected the recommendation.
Victims of marital rape, however, refuse to give up the fight.

Pooja, mother of three daughters, suffered in silence for 14 years before she could muster the courage to come out and file a case of domestic violence against her husband. The prime reason for their separation, she says, is "forced and violent sex".

"I had no right to say no because I was his wife. I was managing the children and the house singlehandedly. But he never showed any consideration."

Pooja has now separated from her husband, but she refuses to legally divorce him because she thinks that would allow him to remarry.

"I cannot let him use me and move on to another woman and ruin her life. I don't want a divorce, I want him to be punished," she says.

Widely prevalent

Supreme Court lawyer Karuna Nundy who specialises in human rights litigation and gender justice says Indian law provides little relief to victims of marital rape.

"At the moment, a wife can file a case under the domestic violence act which are dealt with in a civil court. It gives a woman a legal right to separate from her husband on the grounds of cruelty.

Victims of martial rape say society often blames them for
maligning the institution of marriage

"But what is the legal provision to punish the act of crime? Any sexual act which is forced or is being done without the consent of the woman is a crime. The relationship of the victim with the perpetrator makes no difference."

A number of studies done over the years suggest that sexual violence in marriage is prevalent in India.

The last National Family Health Survey (2005-2006), conducted among 124,385 women in 29 Indian states, had 10% women reporting that their husbands had physically forced them to have sex.

Another study conducted by the International Centre for Women (ICRW) and United Nations Population Fund's (UNPFA) across seven states in India last year covered 9,205 men and 3,158 women aged 18-49 from each state. One-third of the men interviewed admitted to having forced a sexual act on their wives.

The victims of "marital rape" say they fight a lonely battle because their suffering falls under no category of Indian legal system. Moreover, society often blames them for maligning the institution of marriage.

However, Save the Family Foundation, a men's rights group, cautions against criminalising marital rape.

"We have already seen how 498A, the anti-dowry law, has been largely misused by women in India to harass men and their family. The Central Woman Commission of India has accepted that a number of rape cases reported each year are false. How can one prove a marital rape? Taking bedrooms to court is a dangerous idea," a spokesman said.

As we wrap up the interview, Rashmi uncovers her face and says: "On every court hearing, I see my husband and his family completely unaffected and without any regrets about what has happened.

"Why is it that a woman has to hide her identity to stop being hounded? Why am I looked down upon if I tell the world that I have been raped by my husband?"

It is because you are threatening a way of life; a way of life that is beneficial to men at the expense of women. A way of life that has been utterly dysfunctional for at least several centuries. 

Far too many women think that that is the way it should be; they've been brainwashed into thinking it is normal and right for a man to treat his wife as a sex object and little else. The men will never begin to grow past their misogynistic selfishness until their victims get sympathy and support from Indian women, and they stand up and refuse to take it anymore.