Bulletin Board v286

Catholic church’s secret archives key to exposing sex abuse scandal — Huddled in a law office on Hamilton Street, the district attorneys of the five counties in the Allentown Catholic Diocese spent days poring over files that detailed nearly two dozen allegations that priests had sexually abused children over several decades. That unprecedented step came in May 2002 after sex-abuse allegations exploded in the Boston Archdiocese, prompting Allentown Bishop Edward P. Cullen to grant the five prosecutors, including Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin and Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli, a rare glimpse into the diocese’s secret archives.

German Man Handed 1-Year Sentence for Sex Abuse of Boys — A German man was convicted yesterday for committing indecent sexual acts against two boys in Phnom Penh’s Chbar Ampov district, but was handed the minimum sentence of one year, meaning he will be free in a matter of months. Udo Sabiniewicz, 56, was arrested in June for allegedly sexually abusing six boys after the mothers of two of the children filed complaints with the police. Keo Thea, chief of the municipal police’s anti-human trafficking bureau, said at the time that the boys had accused Mr. Sabiniewicz of repeatedly molesting them.

Legal action launched by victims of ex Scout leader who indecently abused children in Hinckley — Victims of a former scout leader who sexually abused four boys in the 1980s have instructed lawyers to take legal action against the Scout Association. Michael Medhurst, 61, was jailed for more than five years earlier this week after admitting a string of indecent assaults against four children between 1981 and 1987 in Leicestershire. The charges related to four victims, all from the Birmingham area, who were assaulted by Medhurst between September 1981 and September 1987 in Hinckley and Castle Donington.

Male domestic violence victims can’t get help even when their lives are at risk, says brother of lawyer killed by his wife — Double standards surrounding domestic violence are making male victims vulnerable, according to the brother of a man stabbed to death by his wife. Lawyer Peter Edwards, 50, argued that the belief that men must not use force against women, even in self defence, means they struggle to get the help they need to combat domestic abuse.

Man contests support for child he says he didn’t father — A Davenport man is protesting a state law that requires him to pay child support for a child that isn’t his. Joe Vandusen, 45, received a letter earlier this month from the Iowa Department of Human Services notifying him that he would be required to pay child support for his estranged wife’s child, even though he is not the father, Vandusen told The Des Moines Register Friday evening. Vandusen and his wife have hardly talked in 15 to 17 years, aside from an occasional phone call or Facebook message, he said.

Men’s issues not an attack — Do men need rights? The right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Do you advocate for men’s rights? The first standard argument against men’s human rights is that men have no problems and should check their privilege. Second, addressing men’s problems is a misogynistic attack on women. Third, men’s problems are real, but feminism is for men too, so men’s advocacy is redundant. Fourth, women’s problems are worse, so men’s should be ignored.

ONS suicide statistics: 10 ways we can stop men killing themselves — It’s been a week of bad news when it comes to men’s mental health and wellbeing. First, the ONS announced the results of a major survey, which found that men are less satisfied than women on average. Then came today’s news that men still accounted for more than three times as many suicides as women in 2014 (the male rate was 16.8 suicides per 100,000 people, versus 5.2 female deaths.) With this in mind, here’s a list of ten things we could be doing to help us take more effective action to prevent male suicide.

Philly Altar Boy Sex Scandal Gets Uglier — I don’t remember. I really don’t remember. I honestly don’t remember. That’s what former Philadelphia altar boy Daniel Gallagher had to say when questioned about the numerous and contradictory allegations of sex abuse he’s made over the years to doctors, drug counselors and social workers. During a confidential deposition over two full days in May and June 2014, Gallagher claimed he couldn’t remember more than 130 times.

Rape survivor wants support for men — If masculine stereotypes are to be believed, Wayne Dearden, a tall, stocky welder with a bushy beard does not look like he wears his heart on his sleeve. But Mr Dearden, who says he was raped as a child, believes traditional attitudes towards manliness are exactly what needs to change before male rape will be acknowledged. For years he did not tell anyone, suffering years of depression and considering suicide. At 16 he told a girlfriend, who “absolutely freaked out” and never spoke to him again.

Rolling Stone rape hoaxer doesn’t want to answer questions anymore — The woman known as Jackie who shocked the world with her lurid tale of being gang-raped at a University of Virginia fraternity party doesn’t want to answer any more questions as part of a lawsuit. Filed by U.Va.’s associate dean of students, Nicole Eramo, the lawsuit alleges Rolling Stone Magazine, which published the false rape story, defamed her when it accused her of being cruel to sexual assault accusers.

Why female violence against men is society’s last great taboo — It’s time for us to face up to an ugly truth: it’s not just men who can be murderers and violent, abusive attackers of the opposite sex. This was brought into grim focus last week with the horrific case of Sharon Edwards, 42, who brutally murdered her husband, David, 51, by stabbing a 13-inch carving knife through his heart. A serial man-abuser, Mrs Edwards inflicted 60 stabbing and prodding wounds to her husband.