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	Catholic Bishops Survey Clergy Sex Abuse Victims on Improving Outreach Associated Press, carried in Boston Herald [Boston MA] March 30, 2005 America's Roman Catholic bishops started an online survey of clergy sex abuse victims Wednesday, asking how the church can better help them recover and protect young people in the future. Advocacy groups said they were pleased that the bishops wanted to improve their outreach. But they wondered what more could be said on the topic after three years of damaging revelations about dioceses mishandling abuse cases. "The needs and complaints of survivors have been well-expressed time and time again," said Sue Archibald, head of the victim advocacy group The Linkup. "I don't know what really remains unknown in terms of what the problems are. Rather than continuing to gather information, I'd much rather see action." Through the Web site www.victim-outreach.com, the bishops are asking victims to evaluate how diocesan officials responded to abuse claims, where church leaders failed in their reaction and how they can support victims as they heal. "The horrific experience of being sexually abused is best understood by the survivors of this crime," said Archbishop Harry Flynn, chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The survey is anonymous, with researchers promising that there will be no way to identify victims who participate. Sister Mary Ann Walsh, a spokeswoman for the bishops' conference, said safeguards have been built in to weed out any fake responses. The abuse crisis began in January 2002 with the case of one accused priest in the Archdiocese of Boston, then spread throughout the country and beyond. Since then, the bishops have adopted a toughened discipline policy dealing with guilty clergy, enacted child protection and victim outreach plans in dioceses and removed hundreds of accused priests from church work. However, victim advocates say bishops generally have failed to meet with the victims in their own dioceses. David Clohessy, national director for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, welcomed the survey, but he said church leaders would learn more from face-to-face discussions with victims. "Our leaders have talked with and listened to dozens and dozens - and in some cases hundreds - of victims," Clohessy said. "They can provide a deeper, broader perspective." The survey will be conducted through May 4, with the results expected to be released in June.
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