Let's Follow Japan's Honest Lead

Disturbed by news of the sexual abuse of children by priests and religious in the United States and the failure of bishops there to respond properly, in 2002 the bishops of Japan investigated the situation here. In June of that year, they issued a statement on the sexual abuse of children.

"While we are convinced that those who work for the Church in Japan are sincere and devoted, it is our sad duty to report that upon investigation we have found in the Japanese Church as well incidents of child abuse among priests and religious. Concerning this problem we must confess that we have not adequately fulfilled our responsibility. To those who have been harmed we promise now that we bishops will respond to the problem in all sincerity, and that any priests or religious who are guilty will be dealt with severely."

In the follow-up to that statement, the bishops recognized that the problem of sexual abuse by clergy and Religious is not limited to the abuse of children. Women, too, become the victims of predatory priests and others in the Church. The bishops set up a desk in their conference to look at issues related to sexual harassment in the Church under the rubric of the human rights of children and women.

The bishops had already compiled information on child abuse, but the extent of sexual harassment of women in the Church in Japan had not been studied. So, in 2004, a questionnaire was distributed throughout the Church, asking for comments and information. The anonymity of responses was guaranteed.

The responses made it clear that there were diocesan, Religious and missionary priests who had engaged in the sexual abuse of women. The guilt many of those women felt over the sinful betrayal by men who were their pastors was heartbreaking. I have heard of women who said they were forced to have abortions by the priests who got them pregnant. The social and religious status or priests, as well as occasional violence, overwhelmed the ability of women to resist.

Priests in Japan are probably no more prone to sexual sin than priests elsewhere. In fact, it is highly possible that in countries where priests have higher status and more social power than in Japan - India, Korea and the Philippines, for example - the problem is even more severe.

However, we do not know. I have not heard of any other bishops' conference in Asia or anywhere else that has taken the pastorally sensitive and fearlessly honest approach of the Japanese. It is time they did so.

Until we know how widespread the problem is, nothing can be done about it. We know there is a problem. Ignoring it or making believe it does not exist is a betrayal of the women of the Church, a greater scandal than some embarrassing media coverage.