Toxic silence, anonymity, obsessive secrecy

Below is an excerpt from Fintan O’Toole’s column in The Irish Times yesterday.

Two words stand out large: TOXIC SILENCE.

That toxic silence reigns supreme right across the clerical Catholic Church, and add to that: ANONYMITY and OBSESSIVE SECRECY. 

The words historical and shocking should never be used when talking/writing about clerical child sex abuse.

Toxic silence, obsessive secrecy and anonymity are deeply embedded in clericalism. These terms have nothing at all to do with confidentiality.

Many of those who were experiencing abuse report entering a state of mental dislocation, forcing their minds to sunder themselves from their tormented bodies. But even those of us fortunate enough not to have been abused were also forced into distorted states of consciousness – suppressing what we were seeing, colluding with abusers by being glad they were picking on someone other than ourselves, learning early the required habits of toxic silence.