How did the abbots turn a heavenly place into a “sexual hell”?
Author: Naim Asghari, analyst (Germany), especially for "Sangar"
One of the photographs of Tadeusz Kotik, which the victims of his violence handed over. Screenshot from video: MurderSheShed / YouTube
More than fifty children have victims of sex crimes committed on the remote island of Caldey off the coast of Wales. According to a report published in April 2023, at least 54 children were raped or sexually abused by monks and lay people between 1960 and 1992. More than 60,000 tourists visit the island, which belongs to the strictly observant Cistercian order, every year. In the pursuit of entertainment and newfangled freedom for all, especially LGBTQIA+, the authorities have simply turned a blind eye to the abuse of the world's most vulnerable class: children.
The sordid details
The report reflects the testimony of 16 victims who shared their horrifying memories with former assistant police and crime commissioner Jan Pickles OBE. The majority of the report centres on the serial sex offender Father Thaddeus Kotik – known as 'Father Thadd', who abused several children in the 1970s and 1980s and escaped justice until his death in 1992.
He used gifts, sweets and access to a local chocolate farm to lure and molest children as young as 3 years old. On occasion, he even gained the trust of parents and offered to babysit their children, gaining unfettered access to his prey. "Victim 001" was ten years old when, in his own words, Kotik gave him "chocolate and sweets" before "hugging and kissing" him.
However, “Father Thadd” was not the only "lover" of disgusting and sinful pleasures.
In 2011, another monk, Father John Shannon, was sentenced to eight months in prison for uploading indecent images of children. That same year, Paul Ashton, who lived on the island under an assumed name, was arrested. An investigation revealed that Ashton, a convicted pedophile, had abused access to Abbey's computer systems to download thousands more indecent images of children.
Civil claim and settlement agreement
In March 2017, six victims filed a civil lawsuit against the Abbey, which led to a settlement agreement. However, one of the victims, Rebecca, described the compensation as tantamount to "hush money."
Words vs. action
Despite current Abbot Jan Rossi's apology and promise to implement the 12 recommendations made in the report, some victims and activists feel that this is not enough. They point out that the recommendations are null and void and that the abbey must take stronger steps to ensure that such abuses never happen again.
Double standards
The scandal on Caldey Island sheds light on a blatant double standard. Authorities, in an effort to protect LGBT rights, missed egregious crimes against children. The scandal demonstrates the need to thoroughly vet all staff and volunteers in organizations working with children, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Victims and their supporters are calling for full accountability for these heinous crimes. They are demanding a thorough investigation, bringing the perpetrators to justice and ensuring that such a tragedy never happens again. After all, the authorities' priority should be to protect all children from violence, regardless of their religion, race or sexual orientation. In the pursuit of protecting the rights of one group, the rights and safety of other groups must not be forgotten.
