CNN aired a powerful documentary last weekend, “What The Pope Knew”, that features many of our courageous clients. In the documentary, Jeff Anderson is interviewed and provides insightful commentary on the Catholic hierarch’s failures in handling the childhood sexual abuse crisis, and the strength of our clients in coming forward to expose pedophile priests. Jeff described the church’s policies and procedures to handle child sexual abuse by clergy as being institutionally deficient: “the whole process is designed to avoid scandal.” Many of our courageous clients are featured in the documentary, and they each give moving and passionate descriptions of the painful abuses they endured and the devastation they have experienced in learning of the Vatican’s complicity in the crimes. “What The Pope Knew” brings the focus of the clergy child sex abuse crisis to top Vatican officials, exposing the Catholic hierarchy for acting to preserve their reputation and avoid scandal at all costs, even over the safety and concern of the children. This is where the focus should continue to be placed, to expose the wrongdoers and mandate accountability and change. This change is needed to ensure that children will be safe in the future and those who have been harmed in the past can recover power and experience healing.