This is my speech for my english class! I'm not sure if my arguments are clear... Or if it's cohesive. Any feedback would be much appreciated... The topic is "Should religious institutions face legal repercussions for protecting sex abusers? It feels pretty short but I have to speak for 4 to 6 minutes, I timed myself and I spoke for 5! Does it feel rushed?
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Please.
I am begging you, on both of my knees. Praying, that you will do what I cannot bring myself to do.
Use your voice. When I am voiceless… and when I confide in you, it’s a call for help, not a vindictive attack on religion but an attack on sex abusers within the institutions and those that protect them…
Us victims of sex abuse. WE do not forget what we experience. It’s a suitcase that we are chained to, forever frightenedly forced to carry it. And the man that did it? A Cardinal? A Priest? A Pastor? A Preacher?
Was protected simply because of his religious status. Why? Why does his religion outweigh the trauma I… WE experience? Well… IT DOESN’T.
Religious Institutions should, MUST face legal repercussions – JAIL TIME If they protect sex abusers because religion is not an excuse. The suffering of a victim is not dismissible. An Introduction of a law will make victims more comfortable to speak up, and reduce sex abuse in the future…
In 2012 there was a royal commission ANNOUNCED into sex abuse within religious institutions.
In 2017 15,249 victims contacted them and in December a final 800-page report was given to the Governor General. And then what happened? Well let me read to you what is written on the government website. “Those who [told] their story to the Royal Commission… [have their] message published in a commemorative book… The book is on display at the National Library of Australia…” A FIVE-YEAR INQUIRY. FIVE YEARS. For a commemorative book? How does this make US, the victims feel? We already spent years fighting the apparent “systematic failure of response” as Julia Gillard called it. Simply to find news stations like The Guardian focusing on the COST. 372 Million dollars could not fix me. 372 Million dollars could not remove my panic when someone accidentally touches me in the shopping center. This is not enough.
But, I guess it’s okay because look! They found 37% of abuse occurred in institutions were managed by the catholic church. Thank you, Royal Commission, for putting a statistic to information YOU already knew… What about the victims that did not come forward? Oh! And they also found that most sex abusers used the child’s beliefs to SCARE them, into sexual acts. Threatening that they’d be sent to hell. This? This is called manipulation, grooming, blackmail if you will. One of the most common tactics used by a pedophile. Once again. Thank you for this in-depth study. But Why has this not brought more action? Why has a law not been put in place to stop the protection of religious institutions? We were failed once again. After decades of struggles, we received nothing – once again showing the bubble wrap YOU supply religious facilities with… So, let me tell you. Justice is a catalyst for closure, an 800-page booklet is not justice. Introducing a law is justice.
Let me give a more direct example. Ever heard of Gerald Ridsdale? A “father” who was shuffled from different parishes for 30 years. He was investigated in 1993 for sex abuse yet is still facing various court hearings in 2020. He was proven to assault children in 1961. You do the math. And the worst part of this? He was PROTECTED by the churches “code of silence” A senior Cleric even urged victims to remain silent “for the church’s sake”. If disgusting criminals like these were not bubble wrapped by their workplaces then imagine the number of survivors that would have come forward? If only a there was something that could be put in place to prevent this… Oh… wait?
EXACTLY.
16% of children in OUR nation experience sex abuse before the age of 15. That is 1.5 million people 60% of these victims were younger then 10.…Not to mention these numbers have increased by 40% since 2010. And how many victims speak up? Only 230 victims will speak up for every 1,000 assaults that take place. This is minuscule.
The average gap between the abuse and reporting it, is 33 years. – 33 years! This is because of the safe-guarding of sex abusers, especially those in power. 87% of sex abuse victims said they were too scared to speak up, in case they were BLAMED. I will not be silenced. I will no longer be voiceless. I will no longer pray for a solution.
I will fight, will you join me? Or become the enemy?
Introducing a law to hold religious institutions accountable is the FIRST STEP to bettering society and prevent sex abuse.
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