BOSTON, Oct. 19, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Survivors Voice, Inc., a non-profit foundation founded by clergy abuse survivors Bernie McDaid & Gary Bergeron to help survivors of clergy sexual abuse, has started a global petition and are calling on the United Nations to define the childhood sexual abuse of children as "Crimes against humanity".
"The one natural resource that is equally shared by each and every country in every part of the world is the one natural resource that continues to be ignored by all. It is the natural innocence of a child. If the success of the future of our race as human beings is based on the protection of our children, then the continued acceptance of the status quo of the sexual abuse of children is nothing less than crimes against humanity and should be labeled as such. We are calling on the United Nations to redefine the systemic sexual abuse of children which continues to be revealed around the world to be included in the context of 'Crimes against humanity,'" said Gary Bergeron, clergy abuse victim & Co-Founder of Survivors Voice, Inc.
Survivors Voice, Inc. has invited survivors of childhood sexual abuse, their supporters and support groups from around the globe to join together on October 31 at the Vatican in Rome for a 'Reformation Day' event where they will begin the world wide petition. This event will mark the second time the pair has traveled to the Vatican to address the continuing issue of clergy sexual abuse.
"We currently have survivors and supporters traveling from countries around the world to the Vatican to attend this event. This is the first time that the global problem of childhood sexual abuse has been addressed on a collective global level. On Reformation Day, we are asking people around the world to reform the way they address the issue of childhood sexual abuse and by the responses we've been receiving, the world may finally be ready to act," according to Bernie McDaid, clergy abuse victim & co-founder of Survivors Voice, Inc.