It's Official - Buggering Little Boys Is All The Hippies' Fault

Report indicts '60s counterculture in Catholic abuse cases
A study links child sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the '60s and '70s to the feminist movement, a 'singles culture' and divorce

"Blame the flower children. That seems to be the chief conclusion of a new report about the Roman Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal. The study, undertaken by John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the request of America's Catholic bishops, links the spike in child abuse by priests in the 1960s and '70s to "the importance given to young people and popular culture" — along with the emergence of the feminist movement, a "singles culture" and a growing acceptance of homosexuality. It also cites crime, drugs, an increase in premarital sexual behavior and divorce.

The problem with this conclusion isn't that it absolves molesting priests of responsibility. Even the study's authors wouldn't go that far. Rather, the flaw with the theory is that it's unsupported by any data or evidence. It thus detracts from the report's other findings, which are based on empirical research. Indeed, aside from its implausible indictment of the '60s counterculture, the report is an enlightening analysis of an abominable chapter in the Roman Catholic Church's history."