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The Catholic Standard and Times
Lou Baldwin, Staff Writer

Victim Assistance: Providing Outreach to All
5 June 2003

That first telephone contact might be tentative. Callers might have difficulty verbalizing the very serious matter that caused them to pick up the phone. There might be a hint of veiled anger. The edge in the voice may suggest they do not really expect to gain the solace or satisfaction they so desperately need and so fully deserve.

Karen Becker and Martin Frick serve as coordinators for victim assistance for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It is their job to help alleviate such uncertainties on the part of callers who consider themselves victims of sexual abuse as minors by clergy or other archdiocesan personnel.

Even before the Dallas Charter was issued in June 2002, assisting victims became the major priority for Becker and Frick.

”I guess it was about March 2002 when we first started doing this, Frick estimated. “It officially went into effect after the Charter was issued. In the aftermath of the Charter, more victims did come forward,” said Frick, who now works full time as a coordinator.

To date, all of the victims who have come forward experienced abuse a number of years in the past, even several decades ago, according to Frick and Becker. Many of these victims, who have moved away from the Archdiocese, contacted the Archdiocese by phone rather than in person.

“Most people are looking for healing,” Frick said. “They are in pain; they are in turmoil. In many cases, they continue to feel the effects of their abuse and are looking for closure.”

As coordinators, Becker and Frick provide more than a sympathetic ear. They assist victims in obtaining outpatient counseling. They also assist victims or families in completing a report of sexual abuse as well as in submitting the report to public authorities.

Therapy could be of a mental or spiritual nature, depending on the needs and wishes of the victim. If the caller is not currently in therapy, Becker and Frick will recommend a qualified, licensed therapist if requested.

However, if a victim has been seeing a therapist who is not licensed but otherwise qualified, the person may continue, rather than disturb an ongoing, therapist-client relationship.

Becker says that the hardest thing for victims is that first phone call, that first interview. Often, even though the victims will come in to meet with the coordinators, they are not ready for therapy.

“Marty and I hear and feel people’s pain,” she said. “Just talking about it is like peeling a scab off an old wound. Offering them relief isn’t easy because some are not ready for that kind of help.”

Nevertheless, Becker feels the work is going well. “I think some of the individuals we started with are realizing a sense of healing. It’s a difficult process for the victims. They are very courageous.”

For some, the therapy needed may be spiritual in nature. The coordinators have a list of experienced priests, religious and lay persons who can provide spiritual direction. For others, closure means knowing that the person who abused them is held accountable. This isn’t always easy since, in some cases, the alleged perpetrator is no longer alive.

In any case, the coordinators gather information about the alleged abuse so that a proper investigation can begin. “We are not judges. Someone else decides how to deal with the abuser,” Frick said. “Our concern as coordinators is to assist the victims, making sure that they get the therapy or the spiritual direction they need.”

If a person was abused as a child by a priest, he or she may be angry not only at their abuser but at the entire Church.

“Their feelings about what happened are very real and we try to help them deal with their pain.” Becker said. “I am aware that how they feel may depend on what their experience was when they first approached the organized or institutional Church. It’s my impression that most of the individuals had a very positive experience when they first approached the clergy who handled these matters before we appointed coordinators. For some, however, I think it has been a hindrance to approach the Church and talk to another member of the clergy about their experience.”

In addition to counseling services and opportunities for spiritual guidance, Becker and Frick offer victims who desire it an opportunity to meet personally with Cardinal Bevilacqua.

While Becker feels the Archdiocese is indeed helping the victims, through the efforts of the victim assistance coordinators, prevention is better than cure. The important thing now, she believes, is educating parishes and parents on safe environment issues so the services her office provides won’t be needed in the future.