Polish church says it's wrong to ask if abuse victim is gay

Source: Associated Press

Polish church says it’s wrong to ask if abuse victim is gay

By VANESSA GERA
January 13, 2022

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s Catholic bishops have strongly criticized a local diocese for asking a court to determine whether a man who was sexually abused as a child by a priest is gay, and whether the sexual contact may have consequently been pleasurable for him.

The victim, Janusz Szymik, who is now 48, was an altar boy when the abuse began in the 1980s. Szymik sued the diocese of Bielsko-Zywiec, in southern Poland, in a civil court last year.

The priest, who has been identified only as Rev. Jan W., admitted to the abuse. Szymik is now seeking 3 million zlotys ($760,000) in compensation from the diocese.

The Onet news portal earlier this week disclosed the contents of documents it obtained that a lawyer for the church had submitted to the court. The documents show the church wanting an expert “to check the plaintiff’s sexual orientation” and to determine whether he “showed satisfaction with maintaining an intimate relationship with Rev. Jan W.” or derived any “material benefits” from the sexual relationship with the cleric.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/europe-religion-poland-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-60bdb1493e36473402f570327744d644