Catholic Demonstrators Call On Legislators To Toughen Child Sexual Abuse Laws
Follow CBSPHILLY Facebook Twitter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A group of Catholics rallied on behalf of childhood sexual abuse survivors Sunday morning.
About two dozen demonstrators gathered outside of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. They want legislators to toughen up laws around civil and criminal impacts of childhood sexual abuse.
"It's like sickening and it's heartbreaking," said Alyssa Duffner.
Alyssa Duffner of Mount Laurel, New Jersey felt angered after the release of the grand jury report earlier this month. It showed at least 1,000 children were sexually abused by 301 priests in Pennsylvania, all from churches outside the Philadelphia Archdiocese.
Now, Duffner and other demonstrators are calling on state and federal legislators to support the recommendations made by the grand jury report.
"We haven't seen much from the Catholic Church and at this point we're realizing it needs to be from the outside," said Duffner.
Report: Vatican Ignored Allegations Against Former Cardinal, Calls For Pope Francis To Resign
Some of the recommendations include eliminating the criminal statute of limitations for sexually abused children, establishing a two-year window for civil litigation for survivors and prohibiting non-discourse agreements regarding cooperation with law enforcement officials.
"The only remedy for this is to eliminate the statute of limitations and enact a window for survivors of abuse," said rally participant Arthur Baselice.
Arthur Baselice says his son was molested more than a decade ago by two Franciscan Clergymen from Northeast Philadelphia. He says it drove his son to drugs, and died after overdosing.
Baselice hopes legislators act to protect children like his own.
"This is not Rome," said Baselice. "I live in the United States, I live in P.a. I'm worried about what my legislators are going to do, not what the Pope's going to do, he's a hired head.
Demonstrators insist this is not an attack on the Catholic Church. They just want to see change.
