Father Flanagan's BOYS' TOWN (from "I wonder what farm...")

[Ursus]

From THIS post in another thread:

While back, I came across the biography of Father Flanagan, of Boys Town, by Will Oursler. I read it and i had to read it slow and process my way through his story. At first i was a skeptic, being a survivor of a Roloff cult, but as i realized that Father Flanagan did things in direct opposite to Roloff, i realized the superiority of his system over Roloffs system. Flanagan refused any corporeal punishment, he would not force his doctrines either, respecting each childs familial heritage. I have heard that Father Flanagans Boys and Girls Towns are rated the highest in the Nation. The thing that stood out to me in contrast between Roloff and Father Flanagan was the one idea of "RESPECT" ....Flanagan respected each child and each childs reality and history. Roloff disrespected those sent to him and refused to see their individuality and disrespected their heritage that they came with. The other marking element between Flanagan and Roloff seemed to me (based only on my reading this biography and my personal knowlege of Roloff) was the aspect of conditional love in a Roloff type system versus unconditional love shown in a Flanagan type system. I do not know any more about the Flanagan system other than what i learned from this biography. But i did talk to a person who is in media and i was told that Flanagans Boys Town and Girls Town are rated the highest in the USA.

A number of sexual abuse cases have been surfacing which implicate Father Flanagan's Boys' Town, some of its satellite programs, as well as other Boys' Town programs patterned after it. Here's one:

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Omaha World Herald
Boys Town, Lincoln Diocese Will Look into Abuse Claims
By Karyn Spencer, David Hendee
February 1, 2003

Two men allege in lawsuits filed this week that they were victims of child sexual abuse by Nebraska priests - one at Boys Town in Omaha, the other at a Catholic school in York.

The men allege that they were abused as boys in the 1970s but that they repressed the memories until a year ago.

In one of two lawsuits, a man says he was abused by a priest and a counselor at Boys Town. In the second lawsuit, the other man says he was abused by a priest who supervised St. Joseph Catholic Church and Grade School in York.

The priests and the counselor used their jobs to "develop unhealthy, psychologically dependent relationships by male students ... and to recruit them for sex," both lawsuits allege.

The priest named in the Boys Town lawsuit, the Rev. James E. Kelly, denied the accusations. The counselor, Michael Wolf, could not be reached for comment.

The priest in the York lawsuit, Monsignor Jerome C. Murray, could not be reached. A nun who answered the door at his apartment building in Lincoln said Murray would not be home Friday night.

The lawsuits were filed in U.S. District Court in Omaha and Lincoln.

Named as defendants in one were Father Flanagan's Boys Home, or Girls and Boys Town, and the Omaha Archdiocese. Named in the other lawsuit were the Lincoln Diocese, St. Joseph and Murray.

The plaintiffs' lawyer said Kelly and Wolf were not named as defendants in the Boys Town lawsuit because he could not find them. Both men are identified in the text of the lawsuit.

Representatives of the Lincoln Diocese, Boys Town and St. Joseph said they will investigate the complaints.

"We will do everything we can to find out the truth," said the Rev. Val Peter, executive director of Girls and Boys Town and a relative of one of the plaintiffs.

Both plaintiffs live in Arizona but do not know each other, their lawyer said Friday. He said the men did not want to comment.

The first man says in his lawsuit that he lived in a cottage at Boys Town from 1977 to 1979.

He alleges that he was physically and sexually molested there starting in 1978, and that the abuse was done separately by Kelly, then spiritual affairs director, and Wolf, a live-in employee at the cottage.

Kelly said Friday that he had never molested anyone.

"Without hesitation I can tell you that," said Kelly, now a chaplain with the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City. "Absolutely not."

Kelly said he wouldn't be surprised if someone was suing Boys Town because it has a lot of money. In addition, he said, "I would hate to think he's pulling the deep pockets thing on the archdiocese."

Kelly and Wolf both left Boys Town in 1983.

Peter said the man who filed the allegations against Boys Town is his second cousin.

Peter said the man has a checkered past and didn't show traits common to boys who have been victimized by sexual assault.

"That doesn't prove that it didn't happen, but it makes me wonder," Peter said.

Peter declined to answer questions about Kelly and Wolf. Asked whether he had reviewed their personnel files, Peter said: "It'll all come out."

Monsignor Robert Hupp was executive director of Boys Town when Kelly arrived from New York state to be director of spiritual affairs.

"He was interested in kids," Hupp, who led Boys Town for 12 years before retiring in 1985, said of Kelly. "He was a rather strict guy. He was a disciplinarian. He wasn't an easy-going guy."

Hupp, now 87 and a resident of Wisconsin, said he still occasionally hears from Kelly.

The second plaintiff alleges in his lawsuit that he was molested by the then-Rev. Murray at St. Joseph School in 1973 and 1974. The man alleges that the abuse occurred in Murray's office. The man was in the fifth, sixth and seventh grades.

Murray worked at the school from 1968 to 1974, serving as a teacher, school administrator, and religious and school counselor.

The claims of both men have been substantiated by others, said their lawyer, William G. Walker of Tucson, Ariz.

The Lincoln Diocese is investigating the complaint and "will respond according to the civil and canonical laws applicable in this situation," said the Rev. Mark Huber, spokesman for Lincoln Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz.

The Rev. Michael Gutgsell, chancellor of the Omaha Archdiocese, said he was surprised that the Boys Town lawsuit named the archdiocese as a defendant because there is no corporate link between the two. Also, Kelly never was a priest of the archdiocese, Gutgsell said.

The plaintiffs' attorney said both didn't remember the assaults until February 2002, when Walker was handling similar cases in Tucson.

Walker has represented 10 victims who have sued four priests and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson over sexual abuse. The case was settled last year for at least $ 15 million, according to news reports.

The men in the two lawsuits filed this week each have asked for more than $ 50,000 in damages for assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent hiring and supervision and breach of confidence.

Walker said he believes that the church owes the men an apology, counseling and damages for the physical and emotional trauma. He said he hopes to avoid a trial.

"The result of any forced sexual trauma stays with you your whole life," Walker said. "This is something that's just been made real to them."


# # #

[Gentlestormi_]

Good information...
thank you Ursus, and this does go to show that at the heart of the issue is protection and parental involvement. That not even the best of programs/facilities out there can be any utopic safe places: "to stash one's troubled child into to keep them safe". That even kids growing up in seemingly socially adjusted families are faced with demons more commonly referred to as relatives who rape and sexually abuse kids-- i.e. pedophiles.
Every one of the teen help programs will find that there are those pedophiles and pervs that tend to gravitate where there are kids who have no parents or guardians who are actually daily, weekly involved in the real inner turmoil; the weakest, the most vulnerable child is the target of pedophiles, and in these places of help are those children.
The bottom line to me is that parents are culpable for the abuses their kids end up going through, no matter if its in their own house or in another place; the heart of it is down to the issue of parents being honestly engaged in relationship with their children.

The issue of State oversight, seems personally to me to be pointless when it comes to pedophiles in places like this. for it seems that pedophiles end up everywhere. State oversight does not appear to me to be able to guarantee that pedophiles have not penetrated into good programs. It happens. But, so far as the "program" and "philosophy" or overarching ideology of the Flanagan program goes, my personal 'feel' or take on it (being unprofessional but as a survivor who reads and has healed alot) is that it is one of the better programs and is ranked among the safer more effective programs and that it does have oversight and accountability, though I could be incorrect on that.
 

http://www.boystown.org/AboutUs/Pages/Accreditation%20-%20Licenses.aspx

The Boys Town Home Campus program in Boys Town, Neb., which includes locations in Grand Island, Neb., and Iowa, are accredited by The Joint Commission and the Council on Accreditation (COA). If the concern in question cannot be resolved, you are encouraged to contact The Joint
Commission and/or the Council on Accreditation (COA).
http://www.coanet.org/front3/page.cfm?sect=1
Licenses
The Boys Town Home Campus program is licensed through the Nebraska Health and Human Services System and includes Boys Town Grand Island, Nebraska.  Also a part of Home Campus is Boys Town Iowa located in Council Bluffs, Iowa and is licensed through the Iowa Department of Human Services.  All other Boys Town USA sites and affiliate locations are licensed through their respective state Health and Human Services systems.

    * State of Iowa Certificate of License (PDF)
    * Nebraska Health and Human Services System License (PDF)
    * Nebraska Health and Human Services Foster Placement License (PDF)
    * Nebraska Health and Human Services License for Grand Island (PDF)

there is a need to differentiate between abusive programs versus pedophiles who tend to hide out in specialty teen programs or Mental Health facilities for young people.

Pedophiles infiltrate teen rehabs, and pedophiles hide behind masks of do-gooders. Programs can be safe and effective in helping and be up on top and licensed and watched over carefully, but its a challenge to weed out the perverts and pedophiles. Pedophiles go to Mosques and Temples and Churches and we trust them that they are sane people, but are in truth filled with venom out to kill and destroy. truly tragic. But just because there are Pediatricians who are found out to be pedophiles, we do not then condemn all of the other Pediatricians who are also licensed, no...we learn to watch out for the red flags and listen and beware. Because we understand that the ideology and practice or 'program' of Pediatrician care is good and watched over and safe and to be trusted.
But in my opinion, there must be and better be some oversight! This at least in my personal feeling would keep it curtailed but will not (in my view) ever remove pedophiles out of any system.

I personally think and feel that the Flanagan "Program" for teen help, is one of the best.
I also personally think that Pedophiles are everywhere and one can not ever stop being on guard for ones children just because of some name they put their children into. Programs may be good, but pedophiles hide. Overall Pediatricians are good and safe, but we do not just 'quit being on watch' because of this underlying belief and trust.  

The men in the two lawsuits filed this week each have asked for more than $ 50,000 in damages for assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent hiring and supervision and breach of confidence.

Walker said he believes that the church owes the men an apology, counseling and damages for the physical and emotional trauma. He said he hopes to avoid a trial.

"The result of any forced sexual trauma stays with you your whole life," Walker said. "This is something that's just been made real to them."

thank you Ursus,
do you know how this particular trial has progressed since this was posted in 2003 at the New York Clergy Abuse site? Would be interested to see that these victims were vindicated and given justice.


Roloff Cult Survivor
78'
GentleStormi

[Ursus]

http://www.boystown.org/AboutUs/Pages/A ... enses.aspx

The Boys Town Home Campus program in Boys Town, Neb., which includes locations in Grand Island, Neb., and Iowa, are accredited by The Joint Commission and the Council on Accreditation (COA). If the concern in question cannot be resolved, you are encouraged to contact The Joint Commission and/or the Council on Accreditation (COA). http://www.coanet.org/front3/page.cfm?sect=1

Licenses
The Boys Town Home Campus program is licensed through the Nebraska Health and Human Services System and includes Boys Town Grand Island, Nebraska.  Also a part of Home Campus is Boys Town Iowa located in Council Bluffs, Iowa and is licensed through the Iowa Department of Human Services.  All other Boys Town USA sites and affiliate locations are licensed through their respective state Health and Human Services systems.

    * State of Iowa Certificate of License (PDF)
    * Nebraska Health and Human Services System License (PDF)
    * Nebraska Health and Human Services Foster Placement License (PDF)
    * Nebraska Health and Human Services License for Grand Island (PDF)

Sorry to burst yer bubble, but the above "stamp of approval" is pretty meaningless, as far as the reality of programs go... That is, most of them, including the more abusive ones featured on fornits ARE already accredited by JCAHO and/or COA. Several program directors are even on the advisory boards of these agencies.

It pretty much boils down to a question of kissing butt and paying fees. The programs need that accreditation to get reimbursement from the insurance companies, hence it's in their interest to pay said fees. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Ursus]

...do you know how this particular trial has progressed since this was posted in 2003 at the New York Clergy Abuse site? Would be interested to see that these victims were vindicated and given justice.

Well, there were two lawsuits mentioned in that article, one involving Boys' Town, the other not.

As far as the former (Boys Town) lawsuit is concerned, it alleged sexual abuse at the hands of two Boys' Town employees, namely the Rev. James E. Kelly and counselor Michael Wolf. Those two names have cropped up in other sexual abuse claims made against Boys Town.

Whether or not the following pertains to the same case or to one of the other ones isn't clear, but ... Boys' Town appears to be particularly aggressive when it comes to squelching the charges.

In the case of Todd S. Rivers v. Father Flanagan's Boys Home, the Plaintiff claimed repressed memories as being responsible for the approximately 15- to 20-year delay in filing suit, a delay which would have ordinarily exceeded the relevant statute of limitations in the state where the suit was filed.

The defense presented a number of experts from the psych industry in an attempt to discount the theory of repressed memory, and to call into question how accurately people are able to recall sexual abuse or trauma from their past. There was perhaps even a hint of insinuation that the Plaintiff's repressed memories could be characterized as "False Memory Syndrome."

The Defendants prevailed in both motions to exclude.

See: ORDER ON MOTION IN LIMINE TO EXCLUDE EXPERT TESTIMONY REGARDING REPRESSED MEMORY

As to further developments in this case after the above hearing (November 28, 2005), I do not know.

Boys' Town is particularly well-connected politically, both locally as well as nationally. Most people seem to view them with high regard. That may change.

To my knowledge, Boys' Town has had at least five lawsuits brought against them in the last ten years for sexual abuse. Given the time lag involved in sexual abuse cases which also involve ideological imprinting, I'd say we're likely to see this pattern continue.

[Gentlestormi_]

http://www.boystown.org/AboutUs/Pages/A ... enses.aspx

The Boys Town Home Campus program in Boys Town, Neb., which includes locations in Grand Island, Neb., and Iowa, are accredited by The Joint Commission and the Council on Accreditation (COA). If the concern in question cannot be resolved, you are encouraged to contact The Joint Commission and/or the Council on Accreditation (COA). http://www.coanet.org/front3/page.cfm?sect=1

Licenses
The Boys Town Home Campus program is licensed through the Nebraska Health and Human Services System and includes Boys Town Grand Island, Nebraska.  Also a part of Home Campus is Boys Town Iowa located in Council Bluffs, Iowa and is licensed through the Iowa Department of Human Services.  All other Boys Town USA sites and affiliate locations are licensed through their respective state Health and Human Services systems.

    * State of Iowa Certificate of License (PDF)
    * Nebraska Health and Human Services System License (PDF)
    * Nebraska Health and Human Services Foster Placement License (PDF)
    * Nebraska Health and Human Services License for Grand Island (PDF)

Sorry to burst yer bubble, but the above "stamp of approval" is pretty meaningless, as far as the reality of programs go... That is, most of them, including the more abusive ones featured on fornits ARE already accredited by JCAHO and/or COA. Several program directors are even on the advisory boards of these agencies.

It pretty much boils down to a question of kissing butt and paying fees. The programs need that accreditation to get reimbursement from the insurance companies, hence it's in their interest to pay said fees. Nothing more, nothing less.

Hi Ursus,

Thank you for helping shed light on the issue of what really goes on with the JCAHO and COA, through your own personal understanding of how it works,  I did do a tiny bit of Google search and learned that *JCAHO’s standards are geared mainly toward monitoring surgical and pharmacological procedures*, not about overseeing the quality of programs that are the stuffs of private residential rehab centers, (JCAHO).
http://www.nospank.net/choices.htm
http://www.jointcommission.org/AboutUs/

I was not aware of any bubble of mine, and I apologize that I might have caused that impression in my posting from earlier. lol. I am a searcher, learner, listener and sharer and I value learning and sharing what my own experiences, thoughts, views and opinions are and also listening to others opinions and views in public forum, thank you for sharing your own knowledge and views as they help shed light.

I wonder what your view or opinion is about the main Licensing that the Boy's Town is licensed by? How do you personally feel about the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services? http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/licensing.htm

by your statement that -'the above "stamp of approval"' is pretty meaningless', are you meaning to say that the State Licensing is without any value to overseeing the programs and how they are run to protect minors?

I personally feel that though State Licensing is not perfect--pedophiles do get in the doors-- it is much more highly to be desired over those programs that hide and run from State Oversight.  How do you view State Licensing of Minor Facilities? Do you feel this State oversight helps curb the tide against corruption within institutions? not necessarily that they catch and stop ever pervert from getting through, but that they curb corruption within the programs that impact minors for the rest of their life?

Of course the 'idea' set up for children is to me something not reachable in a world filled with broken marriages/broken homes/shattered hearts, but the ideal situation to me would be--that every child be born to loving, humble, stable, responsible and mature, whole parents whom have established healthy relationship from birth up with their children and are actively involved with their offspring all their growing up years. but that is very idealistic in a world so broken down.

Ursus said:
--The defense presented a number of experts from the psych industry in an attempt to discount the theory of repressed memory, and to call into question how accurately people are able to recall sexual abuse or trauma from their past. There was perhaps even a hint of insinuation that the Plaintiff's repressed memories could be characterized as "False Memory Syndrome."

Boys' Town is particularly well-connected politically, both locally as well as nationally. Most people seem to view them with high regard. That may change.

To my knowledge, Boys' Town has had at least five lawsuits brought against them in the last ten years for sexual abuse. Given the time lag involved in sexual abuse cases which also involve ideological imprinting, I'd say we're likely to see this pattern continue.

Thank you Ursus for finding and sharing this information.
As far as I have studied on it in my personal research, the "False Memory Syndrome" is not included into the DSM manual, is not recognized by Psychology as any real syndrome and is merely a theory of some, is that correct?
Boy's Town began in 1917, so five sexual abuse cases out of 93 years is sad and five too many, no telling how many pedophiles hurt trusting children that have not spoken up.
 
http://www.boystown.org/AboutUs/history ... story.aspx
I would also add another consideration, that given the growing child sexual abuses in general in the world, pedophilia is increasing and more and more children, tragically, are more opened and more vulnerable to abusers in any system, whether that is in a public school, in a church or Temple or Mosque, or in the safety of a family home, or in a rehab program, or when going to a doctor or dentist...
http://www.childmolestationlaws.com/
There has been a 322 percent increase [child sexual abuse] from 1990-2000 and that is not counting the vast number of unreported cases.

Thank you
GentleStormi'

[Ursus]

I wonder what your view or opinion is about the main Licensing that the Boy's Town is licensed by? How do you personally feel about the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services? http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/licensing.htm

by your statement that -'the above "stamp of approval"' is pretty meaningless', are you meaning to say that the State Licensing is without any value to overseeing the programs and how they are run to protect minors?

Well, no. Not completely. But, let's be realistic. It's a state agency, hence subject to the same forces of graft, cronyism, and cover-up that any other state organization is generally subject to. In cases of sexual abuse perpetrated by highly esteemed members of the community, who are also probably pretty well connected politically, I imagine that pressure to lose and/or discount testimony is probably pretty high. If victims even dare to give it!

Morning Star Boys' Ranch, which was directly patterned on Father Flanagan's Boys Town, has had a lot of those kinds of problems. At least one local sheriff's deputy, as well as Spokane, Washington's former mayor Jim West, are reputed to be among the perps, so ... go figure.

I personally feel that though State Licensing is not perfect--pedophiles do get in the doors-- it is much more highly to be desired over those programs that hide and run from State Oversight. How do you view State Licensing of Minor Facilities? Do you feel this State oversight helps curb the tide against corruption within institutions? not necessarily that they catch and stop ever pervert from getting through, but that they curb corruption within the programs that impact minors for the rest of their life?

Well, that would be the ideal, but that's assuming the best, namely that state involvement actually stops all perps that it catches, and that these state agencies are not just as corrupt themselves, as the objects of their regulatory might.

[Ursus]

The defense presented a number of experts from the psych industry in an attempt to discount the theory of repressed memory, and to call into question how accurately people are able to recall sexual abuse or trauma from their past. There was perhaps even a hint of insinuation that the Plaintiff's repressed memories could be characterized as "False Memory Syndrome."

As far as I have studied on it in my personal research, the "False Memory Syndrome" is not included into the DSM manual, is not recognized by Psychology as any real syndrome and is merely a theory of some, is that correct?

The issue was the validity of repressed memory, which IS listed in the DSM-IV, as well as in the DSM-III. The witnesses called by the defense tried to muddy the distinction between repressed or disassociated memories with that of "false memories," which are generally conjured up with the help of "mental health professionals" employing hypnotic regression techniques.

One of the Defense's two witnesses testimony was summarized as follows, emphasis mine:

The Defendants also presented the expert testimony of Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, Ph.D. Dr. Loftus is a distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California-Irvine and a specialist in memory. She has authored or co-authored twenty books and 400 articles. Dr. Loftus was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2004 and the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2005 and received the Grawemeyer Award in 2005. She is the top ranked female on a list of 100 most influential psychologists published by the Review of General Psychiatry. She has been engaged in doing research on memory distortion since the 1970s. (Ex. 48).

Dr. Loftus agreed that the concept of repressed memory is so controversial that one could not possibly say it was generally accepted within the scientific community of psychologists and cognitive psychologists. Dr. Loftus stated that there is no good scientific support for the notion today. Dr. Loftus co-authored an article in 1994 (Ex. 14), which Plaintiff contends is one of the studies that proves the existence of repressed memory. Loftus disagreed that the article proved repressed memory exists. Dr. Loftus stated that it is not known what the participants in the study meant when 19% of them stated that for a period of time they forgot their childhood sexual abuse and then the memory returned. Dr. Loftus stated that when the study was done, she thought there might have been evidence for repression but that in 15 years of efforts since then it still had not been scientifically proven that repression exists. In 1996 Dr. Loftus published her article "The Myth of Repressed Memory", which discussed how false memories are created, planted, or suggested. Dr. Loftus also studied cases where dreams and dream interpretation had the result of changing peoples memories and creating false memories.

Dr. Loftus reviewed Rivers deposition, Dr. Pope's evaluation, and Dr. Gutnik's evaluation, and a report prepared by defense counsel, Mr. Davis. In Dr. Loftus opinion there was "quite a bit" of external suggestion in Rivers' environment; including lots of discussion with his brother about his brother's claims, discussion with an investigator; discussion with his attorney, his dream, family pressure to bring a lawsuit, and reinforcement by Dr. Gutnik of a repressed memory.

Dr. Loftus, in her 30 years of research, had never found anything to prove the existence of repressed memory. Dr. Loftus did not believe there was any credible scientific support for the existence of repressed memory. Dr. Loftus also opined that there was no evidence that Rivers had a repressed memory. Dr. Loftus did acknowledge that she did not treat patients and had no special expertise in childhood development.

Dr. Loftus acknowledged that Rivers recovered memory was not the result of hypnosis or a therapy session but in Dr. Loftus opinion, there were other possible contaminates. Dr. Loftus stated that the DSM-IV is used for communication and diagnosis and includes language that proved how controversial the concept really was. Dr. Loftus testified that fewer people believe in the concept today because of the research and studies and because of the hundreds and hundreds of recanters and retractors. Dr. Loftus also testified that many mental health professionals had been sued for planting false memories of abuse, which led to some changes in how therapists conducted their therapy.[/list]

[Ursus]

To my knowledge, Boys' Town has had at least five lawsuits brought against them in the last ten years for sexual abuse. Given the time lag involved in sexual abuse cases which also involve ideological imprinting, I'd say we're likely to see this pattern continue.

Boy's Town began in 1917, so five sexual abuse cases out of 93 years is sad and five too many, no telling how many pedophiles hurt trusting children that have not spoken up.

I feel compelled to point out that sexual abuse litigation prior to the 1950s or 60s was rather infrequent, so your ratio of 5 cases/93 years is misleading to say the least. IMHO, with all due respect, all things considered, yada yada yada.

Moreover, since The Church is involved in at least a figurative basis, this ends up incorporating a pronounced veil of presumed innocence over the accused, which certainly affected the credibility with which victims were accorded in the past and still does to this day.

Then... there is also the religious/ideological mind-fuck factor which seems to impart an especially long delay in victims being able to deal with their abuse. Here's an excerpt from a (tangentially related) article dealing with the Rev. John Powell's legacy of sexual exploitation, which could just as well describe many another such case:

Barbara Blaine, founder and president of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), agreed with Pearlman's estimate, calling the Jesuits "the worst in this country" in terms of religious organizations with a track record of concealing abuse. SNAP is a Chicago-based national advocacy and support group for survivors of sexual clerical abuse.

Blaine said that the 30 year span between the alleged incident and the lawsuit typified cases of clerical abuse based on her experience, especially so with cases involving Jesuit priests. She also said she was disappointed by Loyola University's lack of response to the claims of abuse by Powell.

"When you're raped by a teacher in your school," she said, "you're not really in a position to speak up or do anything about it. It takes years, sometimes decades of healing to withstand the scrutiny, especially because the Jesuits and Loyola do not make it easy for victims to speak up."[/list]

[Gentlestormi_]

To my knowledge, Boys' Town has had at least five lawsuits brought against them in the last ten years for sexual abuse. Given the time lag involved in sexual abuse cases which also involve ideological imprinting, I'd say we're likely to see this pattern continue.

Boy's Town began in 1917, so five sexual abuse cases out of 93 years is sad and five too many, no telling how many pedophiles hurt trusting children that have not spoken up.

I feel compelled to point out that sexual abuse litigation prior to the 1950s or 60s was rather infrequent, so your ratio of 5 cases/93 years is misleading to say the least. IMHO, with all due respect, all things considered, yada yada yada.

Good Morning Ursus,

Yes, I can agree that you have a gift of seeming to be living to be compelled to point out issues as you view them. This gift is something that you are using very well. I pray that your gift many never become a noose to survivors and victims. And that somehow it can allow the victims and survivors to feel empowered and not de-voiced.

I apologize again, Ursus, if my sharing of my feel on things somehow was personally experienced by you as misleading, and I apologize that I came across as misleading to you. I had voiced my feel of the issue by sharing that i thought even that small number of ratio was five too many and that no telling  how many pedophiles hurt trusting children that have not spoken up. It is apparent to me that we agree on all these issues. Yet, somehow for some reason you are coming across and experienced by me as if you were attacking me, by your accusation that i am misleading or was misleading, whom am i misleading? How come you personally felt my words to be misleading? Have you experienced others in your life as misleading? If you reread what i wrote, do you not agree that five cases in 93 years of sexual abuse IS five too many? That is what i meant, even that small number if five too many for sexual abuse! Sexual abuse is so damaging and so assaultive to the persons spirit and soul! Believe me, I know. I also said that there are more victims than we know, please reread my statements. k? How we read people says more about ourselves than it does about them. I showed that even that small ratio is too many, and showed that there are more that have no voices spoken out. I do feel that you and i agree on that.

However, I do not feel that you and I agree on the idea that Flanagans programs are some of the best. When I say programs i define the program as separate from the personalities of workers in the programs. I applaud the programs of Boys Town from all that I have read on it, and not from any personal sense or need to. For some reason this seems to bother you. Sorry to disappoint you, but you wont find a perfect program out there, nor will you find any program ran by mankind on earth that can solve the problem of abandoned abused children. What you will find are gradations of some programs that help more than hurt. Flanagans to my personal opinion is one of the better programs that i have read about and heard about. It is my personal opinion and so far nothing you have shared has altered that opinion.

There may not have been a lot of litigation going on prior to the 40's but there was an increasing growing wave of awakening about sexual abuse in the early 20th century. Also, I had pointed out further that pedophilia and sexual molesters were increasing by 322% in the past years, showing my agreement that it is increasing.

Oddly, I can see we are in agreement on all these issues, but oddly, my experience of you is not one of a survivor to another survivor.

Ok, i knew i was going to get snagged into replying, lolol ,  and I have not yet even had my morning iced tea. ...lol..So....off i go to enjoy my tea and my day and week. I need to take a break from this site, its a bit too much like a tornado or black hole that can suck one into forces working on the forum and rob of life and time. lol

Have a good week Ursus
 :peace:  
Peace
GentleStormi
Roloff Cult Survivor
78

[Ursus]

To my knowledge, Boys' Town has had at least five lawsuits brought against them in the last ten years for sexual abuse. Given the time lag involved in sexual abuse cases which also involve ideological imprinting, I'd say we're likely to see this pattern continue.

Boy's Town began in 1917, so five sexual abuse cases out of 93 years is sad and five too many, no telling how many pedophiles hurt trusting children that have not spoken up.

I feel compelled to point out that sexual abuse litigation prior to the 1950s or 60s was rather infrequent, so your ratio of 5 cases/93 years is misleading to say the least. IMHO, with all due respect, all things considered, yada yada yada.

...somehow for some reason you are coming across and experienced by me as if you were attacking me, by your accusation that i am misleading or was misleading, whom am i misleading?

I said your RATIO was misleading. Big difference. As to your "experience" of feeling "attacked," I don't know what you're talking about. I'm talking about Boys' Town.

Perhaps you consider Father Flanagan's Boys' Town to be a "good program," and are taking this f-a-r too personally.

...I do not feel that you and I agree on the idea that Flanagans programs are some of the best. When I say programs i define the program as separate from the personalities of workers in the programs. I applaud the programs of Boys Town from all that I have read on it, and not from any personal sense or need to. For some reason this seems to bother you. Sorry to disappoint you, but you wont find a perfect program out there, nor will you find any program ran by mankind on earth that can solve the problem of abandoned abused children. What you will find are gradations of some programs that help more than hurt. Flanagans to my personal opinion is one of the better programs that i have read about and heard about. It is my personal opinion and so far nothing you have shared has altered that opinion.

Good for you. Everyone's certainly entitled to their opinion. In this case, yours would appear to be in keeping with that of most folk. As I said earlier, "Boys' Town is particularly well-connected politically, both locally as well as nationally. Most people seem to view them with high regard."

But, you are right in that ... I have great reservations about Boys Town.

[Oz girl]

I think that the difference between boystown (or your average jesuit school) and most of the schools within this industry is 2 fold. Firstly while there have been some pretty inexcusable coverups of individual cases of abuse, the whole system and philosophy of these schools was not one of punishment, mind control or somehow "fixing" a broken person.
Secondly boystown does not take any youth against their will. If a kid does not want to be there they arent accepted. This has always been integral to the model at boystown and most regular boarding schools regardless of the religious background.
Abusers within any system should not be excused on any level and the catholic church has behaved appalingly toward those who were abused in it's care at places like boys town but I see it as a separate issue.
My concern is that a system designed to punish or force submission on underage minors is always going to be problematic. it is not a few players it is the game itself

[Ursus]

I think that the difference between boystown (or your average jesuit school) and most of the schools within this industry is 2 fold. Firstly while there have been some pretty inexcusable coverups of individual cases of abuse, the whole system and philosophy of these schools was not one of punishment, mind control or somehow "fixing" a broken person.
Secondly boystown does not take any youth against their will. If a kid does not want to be there they arent accepted. This has always been integral to the model at boystown and most regular boarding schools regardless of the religious background.
Abusers within any system should not be excused on any level and the catholic church has behaved appalingly toward those who were abused in it's care at places like boys town but I see it as a separate issue.
My concern is that a system designed to punish or force submission on underage minors is always going to be problematic. it is not a few players it is the game itself

First, "somehow 'fixing' a broken person," or, at the very least, fashioning a productive member of society is very much behind Boys Town philosophy. IMO, fwiw...

Second, Boys Town does take kids against their will. They have quite the continuum of care, ranging from community based family support services all the way up to locked-down intensive RTCs.*

I don't know how much research you've done on them, but they get a lot more mileage out the folksy heart-warming tales of Father Flanagan than reality would merit. It's called marketing.

To give Father Flanagan the benefit of doubt, I (at this point) have no reason not to believe that he genuinely cared about "his kids;" I've no reason to doubt that his motives were noble and pure. But Father Flanagan has been dead for over 60 years, and this organization is more or less under the umbrella of the Catholic Church.

Here's the thing that ultimately gets me, and which also addresses Gentlestormi_'s postulation that these may have been acts perpetrated by individuals and not abuses on the part of Boys Town itself: When an organization closes rank and refuses to hold itself accountable for egregious abuse occurring on its watch, even to the point of publicly denying that these events could even have happened ... that is, in and of itself, an act of tremendous harm. It may even be a bigger harm, in some cases, than the original event(s).

In this case, we're no longer talking simply about the perverted acts of warped individuals who may or may not be able to control themselves, we are also talking about harmful acts carried out on an official basis with express intent of an organization.

I'm not even going to address how administrators of Boys Town have sent out communiqués which cast thinly veiled insinuations as to the moral character of its victims.

And let us not forget the royal mind-fuck going on where one's concepts of "God" and "good" are hopelessly perverted right during that coming-of-age period, when self-identity is undergoing a major transformation.

Boys Town spends all this money on marketing and their own little in-house self-publishing think tank, the National Research Institute, and they can't even take care of the victims of sexual abuse that occurred on their watch, under their supervision and care, as a result of their own ignorance and ineptitude?

I smell corruption and kool-aid.

 :soapbox:  <end of rant>


* Boys Town Integrated Continuum of Child and Family Services:

• Intensive Residential Treatment Center Services
• Specialized Treatment Group Home Services
• Intervention and Assessment Services (Assessment and Short-Term Residential, Intervention & Assessment Home)
• Treatment Family Services (Treatment Family Homes, Treatment Foster Care, Specialized Treatment Foster Care)
• Foster Family Services (Traditional/Agency Foster Care)
• In-Home Family Services (Family-Centered Services, Family Preservation Services, Aftercare Services)
• Child and Family Support Services (Outpatient Child and Family Services, Community Education Services & Support, Boys Town National Hotline, Common Sense Parenting, Parenting.org)

Source: 2008 Annual Report (52p PDF)

[Oz girl]

First off I should say that I am not out to be some kind of mouth piece for boystown or any other organization. However there is a huge difference in my mind between providing legitimate mental health services to  in this case youth and families where there is a clearly defined mental health or legal issue, or in the case of homeless youth a foster home particularly when consent is clearly required not just by the parents but the patient, and therapeutic schools, generic "treatment centres" and wilderness therapy services.
As to the whole prayer messes with young psyches thing I think that depends. This would mean that by this definition the vast majority of American citizens are abusing their kids. I dont think this is the case. Not even in the bible belt where you see 9 year olds with soldier of god tee shirts. Having said that I don't like that boystown make "prayer" regardless of the faith part of the therapeutic process and thus would not choose to go there or encourage my child to attend. But for me this comes down to choice. So to some extent i see your point there.
Aside from those who have been abused by individuals who worked for boystown(who it seems have been treated very badly here) where are the complaints about monitored communication with family and friends? about so called "therapy" taking up time that needs to be given to legitimate education? about food being used as a reward or punishment? about being isolated from the wider world? about not being able to ever leave the campus? About closely monitored visits by family? Are there any confrontational group sessions? Are the patients denied input into their treatment? I have not yet seen any evidence of this or heard any complaints of this from those in attendance and there is nothing about this as part of the treatment process

[Che Gookin]

Catholic priests diddling altar boys or other vulnerable members of socieity??

That's never happened before............

[Ursus]

First off I should say that I am not out to be some kind of mouth piece for boystown or any other organization.

Nor I a mouthpiece trying to decimate every possible good that Boys Town does do.

...where are the complaints about monitored communication with family and friends? about so called "therapy" taking up time that needs to be given to legitimate education? about food being used as a reward or punishment? about being isolated from the wider world? about not being able to ever leave the campus? About closely monitored visits by family? Are there any confrontational group sessions? Are the patients denied input into their treatment? I have not yet seen any evidence of this or heard any complaints of this from those in attendance and there is nothing about this as part of the treatment process

Boys Town evolved as an alternative to an orphanage or a reformatory, using a modified family-style unit as the home base (now called "treatment home"). Talk about dealing with a vulnerable segment of the population not liable to complain!

Although I don't know this for a fact, Father Flanagan appears to have modeled Boys Town on a number of similar programs written about in Great Britain, France and Germany, with descriptions published at least as early as the mid 1800s. Many of these were supported and/or run by churches or religious individuals, and depended on strong religious foundations as moral grounding. It is unlikely that Flanagan would not have known about them.

As far as Boys Town's evolution into the present day is concerned, you're beginning to hear complaints now, aren't you?