Sojourner House Statement on Rampant Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Providence

“Children should never have to choose between their safety and the reputation of a powerful institution.” – Vanessa Volz, President and CEO of Sojourner House

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office published a report this week disclosing the results of a years long investigation into child sexual abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Providence.

Their investigation confirmed what survivors have been saying for decades– that the church has a shameful history of protecting abusive clergymen while failing to protect children.

According to the report, the church brushed aside hundreds of incidents of child sexual abuse in an effort to safeguard its reputation, tossing away hundreds of opportunities to intervene and prevent further violence.

Countless children came forward as recently as 2021, no doubt trusting that their community leaders would keep them safe and seek justice on their behalf. Instead, those leaders silenced their voices.

This should horrify all of us.

As victim advocates, we know it can take decades for a child to place a name on the harm they’ve experienced; that it takes profound strength for them to come forward, especially when their abuser is in a position of power.

We also know the profound pain that comes with not being believed.

In the fifty years our organization has been in existence, we’ve supported thousands of survivors of child sexual abuse. More often than not, these survivors carry misplaced shame. They’ve been made to feel that they were somehow at fault for the violence they experienced.

We hope that the 315 victims whose stories were detailed in this report know that shame is not theirs to hold.

We hope that this reckoning brings them some sort of peace.

We also hope that, in seeing the irreparable harm caused by the Diocese’s inaction, our community is reminded that systems that protect predators hurt us all.

Support is Available at Sojourner House

If you’re a survivor of sexual violence and this recent news has left you feeling triggered or overwhelmed, please know that our advocates are available 24/7 to talk confidentially.

Sojourner House can provide you with access to free clinical therapy, support groups, housing assistance, legal advocacy, and more.

24/7 Helpline: 401-765-3232
Drop-In Center: 1570 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02909
Email: info@sojournerri.org

Recommendations for Policy Improvement

Moments like this remind us that supporting survivors requires both compassion and strong public policy.

Here are three recommendations we have for policy improvement.

Recommendation #1: Fund supportive services for victims of abuse

• Senator Murray introduced legislation (S2848) that would allocate $500,000 to Sojourner House in Rhode Island’s FY27 state budget. This funding would help to ensure that when victims of domestic and sexual violence come to us seeking support, we have the resources available to provide them with comprehensive care.

Recommendation #2: Extend the statute of limitations on second-degree sexual assault

• Representative McEntee introduced legislation (H8086) that would extend the statute of limitations on second-degree sexual assault from 3 years to 10 years, or, in the case of a victim who is under the age of 18, 10 years from the victim’s 18th birthday, whichever is later.

Recommendation #3: Amend the mandatory reporting statute

• Representative McEntee introduced legislation (H093) that would expand the definition of “educational program” for the purposes of the Abused and Neglected Children General Law to include religious organizations, ensuring that members of the clergy are mandated to report suspected incidents of abuse or neglect of a minor.