Sir, - Is the plethora of sex-related criminal cases reported in the media leading to a "dulling" of interest in them and their outcome by interested parties?
Of the cases which concern the ritual sex abuse of young children, the almost universal scenario is that of a senior person in authority exercising unchallenged that authority over the victim in the course of the abuse.
Your recent court report set out the circumstances surrounding the distressing abuse of four daughters by their father, a professional, formerly respected person. These included the extraordinary revelation that each daughter was directed by her father to "confess" the abuse (which included full sex) and was later interrogated about the priest's response. The eldest daughter was reported to be 10 years old when the abuse began. You also indicate that priests "had vainly tried to persuade the girls to go for help". I suggest that the Church authorities look immediately at the facts of this case and examine and debate its implications in respect of the dilemma that a priest in the confessional apparently faces, and draw up sensible guidelines to help priests to assist child victims of sex abuse in a meaningful and effective way. - Yours, etc., Cllr Tony Taaffe
City Hall, Dublin 2.