A few years ago, the Boston Globe decided to reach out to those abused by priests(some who called in reported it to officials, some did not) and they reached a significant number, who shared their experiences with staff.

Just how many churches or RC faithful groups or individuals reach out like this to victims, to fellow abused RC members...as they do to the homeless, sick and poor? If few, why so? Many of these folks (who were or are RCs) cannot be healed by money, publicity, or a hollow appology from Bishops or the pope. However, I believe firmly they can move toward healing with support from those inside the RC church who can reach out to them to listen, to understand, and to reaffirm that they are not at fault (for the abuse or the resulting impact on the RV church) and they have a home within the RC church and with God.

A close friend of mine was abused by a priest as a child.He pushed the painful memories to the back of his mind for 40 years and had a happy family with children (and a loyal RC member). I did not know this at the time. However, later in life he became obsessed with the memories, and was sure he was destined for hell because of it. This led to depression, marrage break up, suicide attempts, mental institution hospitalization for years, shock treatment, followed by a loss of memories and years of medications and recovery. He died early, at 55. I firmly believe it was because of the hell he lived on Earth for the last 15 years of his life, because of this childhood abuse.




"The experience of having been shunned made many victims and their families even more willing to speak with us, because they were so angry and disappointed and disillusioned as a result of their poor treatment by the church. Then, after our stories began to run, many victims grew even angier, because they realized that the betrayal they had experienced was not an isolated event. If you had wondered whether the ostracism some victims and their families experienced made them reluctant to speak to us, I would say that was not the case; in fact, it made them more eager to share the indignities they had suffered".
http://dartcenter.org/content/abuse-in-catholic-church