Will Victim Fatigue kick in?

[Question R24U]

Despite numerous public outpourings by victims of clerical sex abuse (less than 20% of all abuse claims), opposition politicians outdoing each other in their sincerity to condemn acts in the past and a redress board paying out ever a billion of taxpayers money - will a stage be reached that ordinary people will see just see the cynical aspects of this agenda:
1. The minority of Fraudulent claims.
2. An anti-church media agenda.
3. Opportunism from the opposition.
4. The exposure of bertie ahern's political philosophy - if there is a problem have a tribunal and buy off victims with compo.

Just as britain engaged in grief lite after Diana, are we, as a community, indulging in a new form of Catholic guilt? Will the vast majority of people get sick of listening to details of abuse over their breakfast, explaining such matters to their children and ultimately having to be made feel responsible for events over which they had no control?

(i have yet to hear of a campaign for greater funding of social workers, exposing risk cases of neglect through schools, a more meaningful psychiatric service and ensuring all people detained by the State have all civil and human rights - but i have heard talk of a memorial park).

It happened with the North - when Southerners simply grew weary at the constant barrage of tales of woe - could it happen again?

[dennehym]

Just as britain engaged in grief lite after Diana

Perhaps not the best example since Diana died in a car accident while the victims here were raped and beaten and abused by a state-sponsored institution over a course of decades. Which is a tad more serious.

Will the vast majority of people get sick of listening to details of abuse over their breakfast, explaining such matters to their children and ultimately having to be made feel responsible for events over which they had no control?

Probably. But that's not because it's right, it's because it's easy and that's what we do, we're Irish, we take the easy road every time.

[hopi watcher]

I think using words like 'holocaust', 'survivors' and 'concentration camps' will only serve to undermine the campaign for compensation. There are enough appropriate terms without trying to draw such comparisons.

Surely 'compensation' is not the main thing-as a community we must stop the abuse and exploitation of children wherever it occurs.

[Libero]

Despite numerous public outpourings by victims of clerical sex abuse (less than 20% of all abuse claims), opposition politicians outdoing each other in their sincerity to condemn acts in the past and a redress board paying out ever a billion of taxpayers money - will a stage be reached that ordinary people will see just see the cynical aspects of this agenda:
1. The minority of Fraudulent claims.
2. An anti-church media agenda.
3. Opportunism from the opposition.
4. The exposure of bertie ahern's political philosophy - if there is a problem have a tribunal and buy off victims with compo.

Just as britain engaged in grief lite after Diana, are we, as a community, indulging in a new form of Catholic guilt? Will the vast majority of people get sick of listening to details of abuse over their breakfast, explaining such matters to their children and ultimately having to be made feel responsible for events over which they had no control?

(i have yet to hear of a campaign for greater funding of social workers, exposing risk cases of neglect through schools, a more meaningful psychiatric service and ensuring all people detained by the State have all civil and human rights - but i have heard talk of a memorial park).

It happened with the North - when Southerners simply grew weary at the constant barrage of tales of woe - could it happen again?

Maybe.

But before any of that, I think the Irish people will develop fatigue, disdain and contempt for the less enlightened corners of Irish conservatism that seek to downplay and distract from the horror of what happened.
Fianna Fail's defence of the Church has been shameful - Analysis, Opinion - Independent.ie

[FONT=Arial][FONT=Verdana]Cynicism is often preferable to sentimentality. But we’re not talking here about Jade Goody or Princess Diana. This is about the revelation (in truth, maybe more of a confirmation) of an endemic culture of abuse towards Irish children.[/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][FONT=Verdana]If you’d prefer a stiff upper lip, well, I’d prefer a stiff determination to right these wrongs, in as much as it can possibly be done and also to do better by vulnerable children today.[/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][FONT=Verdana]Yes, this determination could lapse into unfocused rage or – as you warn – sentimentality and fatigue. But don’t underestimate it. It won’t just die away, as the religious orders seem to have calculated. And it will only be fuelled by cute hoors drawing attention to fraudulent claims, or seeking to distract by making unsupported claims of an “anti church” agenda or the motives of the opposition. Unless you’ve found said media’s and opposition’s secret strategy briefings, you might reflect on how your own musings comes close to the outrageous behaviour of the religious orders who chose diversionary strategies and cover-up ahead of righting wrongs.[/FONT][/FONT]

[L'Chaim]

Unfortunately it probably will. People will get tired of listening to it the more we are going to see people coming out of the woodwork saying they were abused. And while there was widespread abuse, and these people should have their stories heard, there will be an urge by some to show everything as abuse.

[Oldira1]

Whilst I know it was members of religious orders who carried out the abuse I think it is the state that is really guilty. The orders were running these schools at the behest of the state and children were sent there BY the state. Heaping all the blame oin the religious orders is akin to blaming the SS for the holocaust while letting the Nazi Government off scot free. The religious orders were the tools but it was the state that created the system. As a nation we should be ashamed and the many people who knew but stayed silent (a majority of the population at the time) are guilty by their silence.

[Twin Towers]

Unfortunately it probably will. People will get tired of listening to it the more we are going to see people coming out of the woodwork saying they were abused. And while there was widespread abuse, and these people should have their stories heard, there will be an urge by some to show everything as abuse.

Too true. Compo is a great energizer. Actually earlier I was listening to a victim on Joe Duffy who I personally know, he's using a false name and the same guy has left more victims behind in his own wake (without compensation) than would fill an industrial school.

[wexfordman]

Too true. Compo is a great energizer. Actually earlier I was listening to a victim on Joe Duffy who I personally know, he's using a false name and the same guy has left more victims behind in his own wake (without compensation) than would fill an industrial school.

What sort of victims ?

[Mr. Greasy Till]

Too true. Compo is a great energizer. Actually earlier I was listening to a victim on Joe Duffy who I personally know, he's using a false name and the same guy has left more victims behind in his own wake (without compensation) than would fill an industrial school.

...it begins.

[Twin Towers]

What sort of victims ?

His wife and daughters at the head of a long queue. Why would he speak under an assumed name?