A Catholic bishop has said that ignorance about the effects of child abuse in the past compounded its harmful effects on the lives of many young and vulnerable people. “People of my generation began our adult lives with almost no awareness of the pervasiveness and impact of abuse in our society and in all societies,” Catholic Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy said. “As a consequence, failure to recognise and respond appropriately to the complex issues which abuse presents, has at times compounded the profound and harmful impact on the lives of many young and vulnerable persons,” he said. Initially, in trying to tackle abuse issues in the past, “we began speaking about child protection. “The greatest danger for us is that we might relax and believe that the worst is in some way behind us.

Source: The Irish Times January 14, 2018 22:07 UTC