Court: Methodist Bishops Must Testify
in Child Sex Abuse Case
By The Associated Press
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Two United Methodist bishops must testify in a lawsuit filed by a one-time church member who claimed he was sexually abused, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled Friday, turning away the church leaders' efforts to stay out of the case.
The all-Republican court, in a 7-2 decision, rejected attempts by the current bishop for north Alabama, Debra Wallace-Padgett, and her predecessor, Will Willimon, to avoid sworn testimony.
Both Wallace-Padgett and Willimon, who now teaches at Duke University, claimed they didn't know anything personally about the complaints of a male who claimed he was sexually abused as a minor by a United Methodist youth pastor. Wallace-Padgett also argued it would be “unduly burdensome” for her to provide documents.
The justices rejected their arguments, saying neither was protected by a rule that shields high-ranking corporate or government officials from testifying about cases in which they have no direct knowledge.
The decision came as courts nationwide grapple with lawsuits and legal questions raised by complaints of sexual abuse within multiple religious denominations.
Gregory Zarzaur, an attorney representing the person who filed suit, said churches need to do more to protect their most vulnerable members.
"Today's decision puts church leadership on notice that when children are alleged to have been harmed through the church, church officials will be called upon to answer for what steps they took to investigate allegations of child sex abuse and what they have done and are doing to prevent child sex abuse," he said in a statement.
Terry McElheny, an attorney for the bishops, said they likely would move forward with scheduling times to testify. “I'm disappointed in the result and I wish they had ruled differently, but that's why we have courts,” McElheny said.
Identified in court records only as “J.N.,” Zarzaur's client filed suit in state court in 2015 alleging he was sexually abused as a minor by Charles Terrell, who was identified as a one-time youth minister at First United Methodist Church of Sylacauga, according to the Supreme Court decision.
The suit named Terrell and his wife, the church, regional church officials and others as defendants, records show, but not the United Methodist conference which governs north Alabama or the bishops. Wallace-Padgett took over as bishop from Willimon in 2012 around the time of the alleged abuse, McElheny said.
Terrell has denied the abuse allegations, and church organizations have denied being responsible for anything that might have happened.
The lawsuit requested an unspecified amount of money to compensate “J.N.” and to punish the defendants.
Sometimes it's difficult deciding whether a story is good news or bad. This story is included in the 'Positive' column, for now, but may have to be moved to the 'Negative' column if nothing serious comes of it.
Child sexual abuse claims to be raised at Stormont
The Impartial Reporter
The new Stormont Health and Justice Committees will consider examining the fallout over Fermanagh’s historical child sexual abuse claims at its first meetings, due to take place today (January 23).
Responding to The Impartial Reporter’s query this week as to when the historical abuse claims would be raised in the chamber, a spokeswoman on behalf of the Chairman of the Health Committee Sinn Fein MLA Colm Gildernew said: “The Chair believes that the most effective way to deal with the health aspects of the issues you raise, would be for the Committee to consider it collectively.” She went on to say that the series of questions posed by The Impartial Reporter will be added to the list of correspondence for discussion as part of the Committee’s proposed work plan for the coming months.
Justice Committee member DUP MLA Pamela Cameron told The Impartial Reporter that the sexual abuse allegations must be “fully investigated” and needs to be “part of a wider strategic approach rather than an attempt at a quick fix”.
She said: “These are grave and disturbing allegations. The shock as more and more has been revealed by The Impartial Reporter has travelled well beyond County Fermanagh.”
Ms. Cameron continued: “All allegations must be fully investigated, and I support the forces of law and order as they pursue this course of action. Due process must be followed. I know my colleague Lord Morrow has been pressing this issue for many months and we support his efforts.
“I am always in favour of more funding for frontline services. This needs to be part of a wider strategic approach rather than an attempt at a quick fix.”
“I will certainly use my platform to press for justice and support for victims,” Ms. Cameron told this newspaper.
Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist MLA and Justice Committee member Doug Beattie MC said: “I am aware of media reports regarding historical child sexual abuse cases in Fermanagh. This is obviously an extremely worrying and serious matter and I welcome the fact that there is an active police investigation which must be allowed to run its course.
“I understand that this matter is likely to be raised at the meeting of the Justice Committee,” he said.
The matter will be raised today (Thursday) after Justice Chairman and Democratic Unionist MLA Paul Givan included queries sent by this newspaper in correspondence for consideration.
More than 70 alleged victims have been in touch with The Impartial Reporter to make allegations against more than 70 people. Many of these alleged victims have spoken out for the first time. Many of them have never got justice and many of them are critical of the way in which their allegations have been handled by Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) and other statutory bodies.
The issue, which was first reported last March, has been discussed at Westminster and now Stormont, but has yet to be discussed at length at Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.
Another story where it is difficult to decide whether it is good news or bad. The more than doubling of police in the online CSA squad is very good, but the dramatic increase in child sex abuse that made it necessary is most unfortunate.
Met Police doubles online child sex abuse investigators after offences soar
ANTHONY FRANCE The Evening Standard
Scotland Yard has more than doubled the number of officers tackling online child sex abuse following a huge increase in offences.
On average 182 crimes of possessing, making or distributing indecent images and videos were recorded by the Met each month last year, compared with 79 a month in 2016.
Police said one of the causes of the 130 per cent rise in offences was internet child abuse being discovered on phones and devices belonging to suspects initially arrested for other crimes.
Hundreds of referrals also come into the Met from the National Crime Agency when abuse images are shared via US-based social media platforms. Other UK police forces, charities and the public also spark investigations.
Often a suspect can be caught with thousands of images and clips across multiple devices. Each needs to be examined and graded, and enquiries made to trace victims.
All 12 of the Met’s borough commands will now have dedicated teams investigating paedophiles, taking the number of officers and staff from 90 to 208.
A detective sergeant and eight detective constables or Pcs will work alongside borough colleagues, and the unit’s central team will be in West Brompton.
Detective Superintendent Zena Marshall, the Met lead for online child sexual exploitation and abuse, said: “Online offenders can consider themselves less responsible than a ‘real-life’ abuser as they hide behind a screen — but a child being sexually abused is at the heart of every image or video.”
She said there was “no clear profile” for offenders: “Although the vast majority are male, they are of all ages and walks of life including teachers, doctors and vicars.”
She added: “The scale of these offences, and need to adapt to the advancement of technology, is challenging for all forces including the Met.”
Officers viewing the images are given psychological screening before joining the unit and support once on it.
The Met works closely with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a UK-wide child protection charity deterring people from viewing under-age sexual images. Their new campaign video, The Fear, shows a wife walking in on her husband looking at disturbing images.LFF chief executive Donald Findlater said: “This is not a victimless crime and the illegal behaviour has huge consequences for people including job loss and prison, but families also often break up as a result. I’d urge anyone who wants help to stop their damaging behaviour to get in touch with us in confidence.”
Germany has a program where the offer free counseling for paedophiles who are attracted by children. The program is widely advertised. Such should be available everywhere.
There may be hope for humanity yet!
Florida House panel to debate bill criminalizing sex-change surgeries & puberty blockers for kids, as 5 other states consider bans
FILE PHOTO © Global Look Press \ZUMA Press \Watchara Phomicinda
A bill that could make it a felony to perform sex-change surgeries on minors as well as inject them with drugs to delay puberty is set to go before a Florida House subcommittee next week, as more states eyeing similar motions.
The ‘Vulnerable Child Protection Act’ will be on the agenda of the Florida House Quality subcommittee as it meets on Monday.
The bill is sponsored by Republican Rep. Anthony Sabatini, who has long opposed the practice that permits a doctor to treat underage patients suffering from ‘gender dysphoria’ with medicine that slows the onset of puberty and to perform sex-change surgeries on them, providing their parents OK the procedure.
“Common sense,” the lawmaker tweeted on Saturday, welcoming the news of his proposal moving forward.
Anthony Sabatini
@AnthonySabatini
Common sense https://twitter.com/giancarlosopo/status/1223688923706249216 …
Giancarlo Sopo✔
@GiancarloSopo
Exclusive at @TheBlaze: On Monday, Florida lawmakers will begin debating a bill by Rep. @AnthonySabatini that would make it a felony to perform sex-change surgeries on minors in the state. Sabatini says his Democratic colleagues opposed the measure. https://www.theblaze.com/news/florida_sex_change_surgeries_ban …
If passed, the law would make it a second-degree felony for any health care provider to engage in the activity aimed at altering a minor’s sex.
When he filed the bill back in January, the lawmaker compared the sex-changing treatment to maiming, tweeting that “no parent should be allowed to sterilize or permanently disfigure a child.”
Anthony Sabatini
@AnthonySabatini
Today I filed HB 1365, the Vulnerable Child Protection Act. This Bill makes it a felony for a health care practitioner to surgically or medically change the sex of a minor. No parent should be allowed to sterilize or permanently disfigure a child. https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=69696 …
The proposed law has drawn swift pushback from Democrats, arguing that the bill outlaws “life-saving healthcare treatment” to teenagers that have not yet come of age. The critics of the ban argue that children that are not able to receive such treatment are at a higher risk of depression and suicide.
In fact, the highest rates of suicide attempts among children are those who have already transitioned. The rates for transgenders are exponentially higher than the rest of the population.
Astonishing Transgender Adolescent Suicide Behavior - A National Emergency! - Female to male adolescents transgenders reported the highest rate of attempted suicide (50.8% - 150 times normal)
Speaking to the Blaze on Saturday, Sabatini accused Democrats in the Republican-controlled legislature, who attempt to shoot down his proposal, of “furthering a political agenda” at the expense of children’s health. Citing medical findings on the issue, the lawmaker said that about 80 percent of children tend to “outgrow” their body dysphoria.
South Dakota Bill Sparking Furious Backlash
While the Florida bill has yet many hoops to go through before it can become a law, a similar bill already cleared the House of Representatives in South Dakota. Approved on Wednesday, it bans doctors from prescribing puberty blockers to anyone under 16 as well as outlaws sex reassignment surgery.
The bill, that still has to receive the green light from the state’s senate, sparked major backlash among liberals and LGTBQ advocacy groups. The Human Rights Campaign, largest LGBTQ lobbying and advocacy group in the US, eviscerated the motion, accusing the bill’s sponsor Rep. Fred Deutsch of “spreading misinformation and using vicious, harmful rhetoric while doing so.”
A host of similar bills have been at different stages of progress at least in four other US states. The list includes Colorado, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Missouri, where it would not only penalize doctors, but also label parents giving nod to the sex-altering treatment child abusers.
Altering a child's gender before puberty is one of the worst kinds of child sexual abuse. Those who practice it, and those who push for it are child abusers of the worst kind. I pray these bills would all pass and many more states would follow. We need to stop this #PCMadness!
Every delay in child rights cases, a moment of triumph for abusers: Maldives President Solih
The good news here is that the bad news is getting attention at the highest level of government in the Maldives. There's a determination to do something about it. Excellent, Mr President!
Rae Munavvar, The EditionPresident Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, on Monday, amounted the time lost in negligence on part of the authorities tasked with protecting the rights of children as being a win for perpetrators of abuse.
The statement was made during the presidential address delivered at the parliament's 2020 inaugural session, which commenced at 0900 hours.
Ten minutes into his speech, the President addressed the most discussed topic during the first month of 2020 stating aptly, “We have all spent the last month in mourning following the inhumane violation of an innocent girl, not even 2 years of age, subjected to sexual abuse by her most trusted guardians.“
Four shocking stories from the Maldives - Maldives imaam suspended over gang-rape of a toddler
(8th story on link)
“Responsibility for this incident falls primarily on the systematic failure of the judiciary to hold perpetrators accountable, and the negligence of other state administrative bodies", said the President, acknowledging the culpability of the government in allowing the tragedy to take place and adding there were cases concerning child sexual abuse lodged as far back as 2012, still awaiting a conclusion.
“For these cases, every passing moment of delay, due to the dereliction of duty within the justice system or that of government institutions, is a moment of victory for those that violate the rights of children and subject them to abuse", said the President.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih delivers his presidential address at 2020's first sitting of the new session of Parliament. PHOTO: NISHAN ALI
The President further remarked that the Child Rights Act was passed after previous administrations had stalled the legislation in discussions for 28 years.
And how many children were sexually abused in that time frame, who might not have been? There is blood on the hands of some legislators.
On the same note, the President highlighted the rising issue of unregistered births, which he attributed to parents attempting to evade the state’s mandatory vaccination policies. Referring to the aforementioned Act he declared that, “parents do not possess the choice to deprive children of vaccination” adding that under his administration, the government would “identify and vaccinate” children in such situations, as well as “monitor their education”.
Nevertheless, authorities have reported a significant increase in arrests made over accusations of child sexual abuse, thus far no convictions have been confirmed. With respect to the 21-month toddler referenced in the President's address, only an extension of remand periods for primary suspects was reported on February 1.
Culture of Abuse
Prior to public outrage sparked over the toddler's sexual abuse, the incumbent government earned considerable ire over delayed action in the case of the 13-year-old child 'bride', which drew attention to the ongoing, unchecked existence of a 'culture of abuse' across Maldives.
Yet the current government's initial draw of critique with respect to child rights, occurred 20 days after President Ibrahim Solih took office after he commuted the sentence of Ibrahim (Hoara Ibbe) Rasheed. Three months later, the president expressed remorse over freeing an unnamed individual in a decision he described as being "hasty" and "one thing I wish I had not done; I feel remorse over it.”
This Monday's hour-long parliamentary session concluded at 1000 hours, with the address spanning a duration of approximately 42 minutes.
Maldives' constitution stipulates that the president shall deliver his address during the initial sitting of the parliament's first term, which must be held within the first week of February. In addition to the above, during the address, the president outlined various government priorities and key plans for the year 2020.
NHS scrutinizes puberty blockers amid complaints,
lawsuit against Tavistock clinic
By Brandon Showalter, CP Reporter
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust building in London, England. | YouTube/Sky News
Amid an ongoing legal challenge against the United Kingdom's lone gender clinic, The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, the National Health Service is now giving greater scrutiny to experimental puberty-blocking drugs prescribed to gender-confused children.
The NHS announced that it has examined the use of experimental hormone drugs in children who say they desire to undergo a medicalized gender transition. The findings of this official review, conducted by a former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and her team, will be published later this year, The Guardian reported Sunday. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) is also involved in the formal review and will advise Dr. Hilary Cass' team.
“This is a fast-developing area of medicine with emerging evidence and high public interest. I look forward to chairing this independent group, bringing together medical and non-medical experts with a range of perspectives, to make evidence-based recommendations about the future use of these drugs,” Cass said.
She will lead a team of 20 experts.
The Tavistock clinic maintains their approach is "evidence-based" and that they work with each patient on a "case-by-case basis." A clinic spokeswoman said they welcome the review.
The increased scrutiny of these practices is in part due to the testimony of Keira Bell, 23, who underwent a medical gender-transition during her teens and is a claimant in a lawsuit against the Tavistock clinic, brought by former NHS psychiatric nurse Sue Evans.
Bell, who is now known as what is called a "detransitioner" — someone who once lived and identified as the opposite sex but no longer does and in many cases regrets their transition — said in a statement last week that she does not believe minors are capable of giving informed consent to using experimental hormone drugs.
I believe that perhaps a majority of transgenders regret their transition at some time in their lives. It is why suicide attempts by transgenders are exponentially higher than the rest of society.
It may also have to do with the fact that the vast majority of transgenders are mentally ill, whether they are like that going in, or become mentally ill because of transitioning, is a good question. But in either case, they should not be allowed to transition. It's complete madness!
"The treatment needs to change so that it does not put young people, like me, on a torturous and unnecessary path that is permanent and life-changing,” Bell said.
Bell's lawyer noted during court proceedings that she "seriously regrets the process and feels that the way it was handled and her involvement in it was not appropriate.”
Evans and others, such as former Gender Identity Development Service-Leeds clinical psychologist Kirsty Entwistle, have in recent months gone public with their concerns about the internal practices within the Tavistock clinic, particularly the speed with which young people were being referred for hormone blockers.
And the spectacular increase in the number of transitioners, especially girls transitioning to boys, in the past several years, of which 51% have attempted suicide. See link above.
I present this story in the 'positive' column of this blog as I hope, and pray, that some degree of sanity will prevail when the truth comes out. Otherwise, I may have to move it to the 'negative' column which would be hardly believable.
It's hard to imagine they could see what is happening to children and not do something about it. But it is disappointing that the NHS did not begin action on this file until a lawsuit was filed. It seems they are far more concerned about money than about kids.
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