4-30-21 clergy sex abuse survivors group applauds doj investigation

A spokesperson for a group supporting survivors of clergy sexual abuse says the group is thankful the state attorney general has taken on the initiative  to examine clergy sexual abuse and cover-up in faith-based organizations.  Associate Director of Nate’s Mission, Sarah Pearson, says pushing for a statewide investigation is something the community of survivors in Wisconsin has been working on for a long time.  While Pearson says she anticipates the investigation will uncover more crimes that are referred to local law enforcement, it’s not just about these individual offenders.  Pearson describes the abuse, and cover-up by church officials of the years  as a corporate crime.  “This is a non-profit corporation that’s been operating in the state of Wisconsin that’s been covering up crimes against children and using charitable funds, donations that people have given, to pay off offenders,”  Pearson told AM 1170s Between the Lines program.   Pearson says while she understands why surviviors may be hesitant to come forward,  when they haven’t been listened to in the past, she encourages them to participate in this investigation.  The toll-free hotline is 877-222-2620.  Pearson says the truth  has never really been told of  what happened in the state of Wisconsin and it needs to be.