Craig Martin

About the author: Craig Martin was abused at age eleven by Father Joseph Heitzer, a priest at St. Peter's Church in Forest Lake, Minnesota. The following address was delivered before the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in Dallas, Texas, on June 13, 2002.

After years of hiding my anger and pain at being a victim of child sexual abuse at the hands of a priest, I have decided to reveal the problems encountered by victims like me when coming to terms with sexual victimization. Priests not only seduce their victims but also the victims' parents, so rather than blame the abuser, victims often blame their parents for failing to protect them. They also blame themselves, often developing low self-esteem and depression. Many turn to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain. Trying to hide their anguish, victims repress their...