R.I. State Police announce new hotline for victims of clergy sex abuse
By: Josh Faiola & Ellie Romano
Email: ERomano@abc6.com
Twitter: @ERomanoABC6
PROVIDENCE R.I (WLNE) – Rhode Island State Police released a new hotline dedicated to victims of clergy sex abuse within the catholic church.
The hotline’s creation comes after the Diocese of Providence released a list of 51 credibly accused clergy members dating back to the 1950s.
Officials with RISP are investigating the list, and are trying to prosecute as many cases as possible. To do that, investigators need to hear from victims.
Police are urging victims or anybody with information to call the new number within the Major Crimes Unit at 401-764-1042 or contact Day One, an advocacy organization for victims of sexual abuse at 401-421-4100 x444.
“The hotline at Day One would really be focused on emotional support as well as legal advocacy,” said Maureen Philbin, the COO of Day One.
She said after the list of accused clergy members was released in July, Day One saw a spike in calls.
“When it was initially released, people started to identify names in that list,” said Philbin. “They wanted some support. They want to know what the next step was, what avenues they could take to move forward in their healing process.”
One victim who turned to Day One was Robert Houllahan. The 50-year-old said he was sexually assaulted when he was 8-years-old by Father Normand Demers at St. Joseph’s Church in Providence.
He said a nun pulled him out of Sunday School class and brought him into Demers’ office.
“When I got upstairs, it was Normand Demers and another man there. They assaulted me. It was demeaning. It was terrible,” said Houllahan. “It’s a very hard thing to overcome.”
When the clergy abuse list was released this Summer, Demers’ name was on it. Demers died last year at the age of 85.
Houllahan said it took years for him to overcome the assault. He said talking about what happened helped him through the healing process.
“The more it’s talked about and understood, the more it can be prevented in the future,” said Houllahan.
He recommends other victims use RISP’s hotline or Day One’s hotline.
©WLNE-TV/ABC6 2019
