Asking for it – Catholic bishop blames children for sex abuse

The Bishop of Tenerife has followed the Catholic Church’s official line on its culture of using children for sex, by blaming everyone except the priests involved.

Bishop of Tenerife: “There are 13 year old adolescents who are under age and who are perfectly in agreement with, and what’s more wanting it”

In a Christmas Eve interview with La Opinión de Tenerife, Bishop Alverez said:

Q: It’s necessary to give sexual guidance?

A: We cannot leave people free to turn out however they turn out.  Why don’t we do the same with violence or other impulses that people have?  Moreover, only six percent of homosexuals owe their condition to biological issues.  We shouldn’t confuse homosexuality with the existential necessity of a person, with what is practiced as a vice.  The person practices it like one might practice the abuse of minors.  He does it because he is attracted by the novelty, a distinct form of sexuality.

Q: The difference between a homosexual relation and an act of abuse is clear.

A: Of course, but why is an abuser of minors sick?

Q: To begin with, the abuse is a relationship that is not consented to.

A: There might be minors who consent to it, and in fact, there are.  There are adolescents of thirteen years of age who are minors and are totally in agreement and furthermore desire it.  Even if you take care they provoke you.  This aspect of sexuality is somewhat more complex than it appears.

Full text here

While in the new puritanism that we seem to suffer from, there is complete denial about the sexuality of children, the bishop’s view is not an enlightened one.  Children do have a sexuality and want to explore that – often inappropriately with each other and with adults. But the sexuality of children is like the rest of their personality – unformed and immature.  It is not there for adults to exploit.

Children are immature and for all sorts of legal purposes are not allowed to give consent (i.e. we don’t let them take out loans or gamble).  The bishop appears to be in denial of what most people would hold to be self-evident – that a priest is in a position of trust and that even if a child has a crush on a priest or actively seeks out sexual contact with him,  if sexual activity takes place, it is the priest’s fault. Period.  No mitigation.

He of all people should understand the importance of not falling into temptation.

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