The Child Protection eNewsletter

Pedophile Priests still working for church...
The Dallas Morning News has issued a special report that, contrary to claims of Church officials, priests accused of sexually abusing children are hiding abroad and still working for Church ministries. http://www.dallasnews.com The paper reports, following a year-long investigation, that "these priests have started new lives in unsuspecting communities, often with the help of church officials. They are leading parishes, teaching and continuing to work in settings that bring them into contact with children, despite church claims to the contrary."

It's not just (Catholic) priests...
As we keep mentioning, the clergy abuse scandal is not a uniquely Catholic problem. The Anglican Church in Australia's ongoing pedophile priest scandal led to calls for Archbishop Ian George to step down. http://www.virtuosityonline.org. Last week the Archbishop resigned, just 8 weeks short of retirement. http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au

Sex abuse victims getting younger...
Two recent stories provide more anecdotal evidence of the continuing drop in age of sex abuse victims. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports about a number of cases of young children (6 to 10) sexually assaulting much younger children (2 to 5). http://www.sun-sentinel.com. The Lancaster New Era, our hometown paper, reports about a sexual assault on a seven-month-old girl by her mother's boyfriend. http://www.lancasteronline.com 42% of all sex offenders begin sexually assaulting other children before the age of 12. Adolescent sex offenders are actually more likely to come from a two parent home. 15% of all sexual assaults committed by a teen happen at school or on school property. http://www.focusas.com

In other news...
The State Department has released the Fourth Annual Report on Human Trafficking. http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2004/ For more information on the Administration's continuing battle against human trafficking, see http://www.childprotectionprogram.org/newsletter/vol2_iss6.html,
http://www.childprotectionprogram.org/newsletter/vol2_iss15.html,
http://www.childprotectionprogram.org/newsletter/vol2_iss17.html,
and http://www.childprotectionprogram.org/newsletter/vol2_iss18.html

A report commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education finds that 10% of American public school students are targets of unwanted sexual advances, often by their teachers. http://www.pittsburghlive.com