As a Catholic parent with three young children, I find it ironic that some of the Catholic parents interviewed in your front-page article on April 10 indicated that they had not yet broached the uncomfortable topics of “stranger danger” and “private parts are private” (“Church scandal puts parents in what-to-tell bind”).
Apparently they are unaware that child sexual abuse exists outside the clergy and afflicts others in positions of trust, including friends, families, coaches, teachers, etc.
If children are not educated about these topics from the get-go, then their innocence may well be compromised.
As long as child sexual abuse is shrouded in secrecy and ignorance, however well-intentioned, it should be no surprise that it takes some 20 years for an allegation to come to light.
It is every parent’s responsibility to educate children in an age-appropriate manner, early and often. Knowledge is power.
