What Readers Say
Welland Tribune
24 December 2010
By Donna Christie
Letter to the Editor
Re: Jail for ex-priest Grecco (December 14, 2010)
We agree with the opinion of one of the victims of former priest Donald Grecco that a jail sentence of 18 months for sexually abusing young boys is “a joke” although we’re sure no one is laughing. Ontario Superior Court Judge Kathryn Hawke said she took into account that his guilty plea was “an expression of remorse” as was his letter of apology to his three victims. Grecco admitted that he started molesting teenage altar boys over 30 years ago but it wasn’t until he was charged for his crimes that he decided to say he is sorry.
Judge Hawke also took into account that there was no oral sex or penetration and no alcohol, drugs or weapons used on the altar boys he molested. These factors do not minimize the lifelong pain and trauma that these and other victims of child sexual abuse suffer when they are violated by pedophiles like Grecco.
We do agree with the comment by the judge that Grecco’s crimes were breaches of trust and authority and were premeditated. This is almost always the case when children are sexually abused – they are rarely random attacks by strangers. Many adult survivors say that the violation of trust is even worse than the physical aspects of sexual abuse they are subjected to.
Statistics show that one in six males is sexually abused by the time they are 18. Our agency has seen a substantial increase in the number of male clients seeking counselling for childhood sexual abuse over the past year. Many men turn to alcohol and drugs and other risk-taking behaviours to cope with the painful memories and spend decades trying to regain their self-worth and rebuild their lives. Like most female victims, they rarely report these crimes to the police due to their feelings of shame and humiliation. It is estimated that men who target young boys usually have at least 100 victims before they are caught. It’s time for the courts to start recognizing the serious impact of child sexual abuse on victims and society and lock up predators like Grecco in federal penitentiaries.
Donna Christie and Sharon Pazzaglia
On behalf of the Niagara Region Sexual Assault Centre
Article ID# 2905217
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Comments on this Article.
the bottom line with these sick people is the church will pay and we will hear no more about these predatory acts. The Catholic chuch just doesnot get it, let the preists marry as marriage is a natural thing.
Remember “priests don’t become pedophiles, pedophiles become priests”
Post #1 By donr,
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The Ontario College of Teachers is dominated by Catholic Union Teachers who allow sex offenders to teach children. The problem is a lot bigger then the news of these sex offenders let on….. How can children trust their teacher if he or she is a convicted sex offender. This filth should stop. The sooner the better.
Post #2 By Human First,
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I can find two sex offenders they have let back into schools on line just from searching on the Internet. I can think of a teacher who made a porn flick with his wife. Maybe the Minister of Education should ask the Chair of the Ontario College of Teachers how many sex offenders they have allowed in Ontario Classrooms Can you imagine walking down a hall and seeing a teacher who you were forced to watch in a porn flick…. when will this filth end?
Here is the Chair of the Ontario College of Teachers… I wonder how she can sleep at night knowing how many children are forced to be taught by repeat sex offenders.
http://www.oct.ca/council/members/papadopoulos.aspx?lang=en-CA
Post #3 By Human First,