The Fortney Sisters....  Strong, Surviving and Unsilenced!

After 26 years of silence, these women have bravely overcome their shame. guilt and trauma and have emerged as the leading spokeswomen on this issue. They are sharing their story nationwide in order to affect change. It is their mission to help stop the abuse of children worldwide, and avoid additional exploitation. They want to share their stories to educate and empower others. This is an important step in healing and recovery.

The Grand Jury Report- August 14, 2018 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

The New York Times- August 14, 2018

Bishops and other leaders of the Roman C atholic Church in Pennsylvania covered up child sexual abuse by more than 300 priests over a period of 70 years , persuading victims not to report the abuse and law enforcement not to investigate it, according to a searing report issued by a grand jury. The report, which covered six of the state's eight Catholic dioceses and found more than 1000 identifiable victims, is the broadest examination yet by a government agency in the United States of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The report said there are likely thousands more victims whose records were lost or who were too afraid to come forward. The sexual abuse scandal has shaken the Catholic Church for more than 15 years, ever since explosive allegations emerged our of Boston in 2002. But even after paying billions of dollars in settlements and adding new prevention programs, the church has been dogged by a scandal that is now reaching its highest ranks. The Pennsylvania report comes soon after the resignation of Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, who is accused of sexually abusing young priests and seminarians, as well as minors.

"Despite some institutional reform, individual leaders of the church have largely escaped public accountability," the grand jury wrote. "Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing; they hid it all. For decades."

The report is unlikely to lead to new criminal charges or civil lawsuits under the current law because the statute of limitations has expired. Only two of the cases in the report so far have led to criminal charges. The Pennsylvania State Legislature has so far resisted calls to lift the statute of limitations, which has prevented childhood victims from filing civil lawsuits against the church after the turn 30. For many victims, it has taken decades to gain the courage to speak about the abuse, long past when the law would allow them to sue. The Church has lobbied against any change to the statute or to open such a window. But in September abuse survivors and advocates began a fresh campaign to press lawmakers to drop their opposition.

The Fortneys were a large, loving family worked together to care for one another. Father Giella was their family priest who presented as the one who was fully committed to the spiritual well-being of all the children. It all seemed moral and healthy in nature, but they would later find out that it was quite the opposite; It was premeditated evil.  The sexual abuse began almost immediately upon his appointment to the parish. Over the course of 10 years, he molested FIVE of the FORTNEY DAUGHTERS. His conduct included a wide array of crimes cognizable as misdemeanors and felonies under Pennsylvania law.

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