Springfield Catholic Diocese Says It Sent Abuse Report To DAs, But Documents Not Found

The Catholic Diocese in Springfield, Massachusetts has a new protocol for notifying district attorneys of clergy sexual abuse complaints.

The change comes after a copy of a complaint could not be found at a local DA's office.

In January, Rebecca Koske went to the Northwestern district attorney's office looking for a report of sexual assault that allegedly took place in a church rectory in Northampton. Her father was the victim and had registered the complaint with the diocese years before.

Koske said an assistant DA told her the office had no record of it.

"And I was like, 'That's weird. What about Springfield [the Hampden DA]?' " Koske recalled. "So I called Springfield, and they couldn't find a copy, either."

Hampden County DA Anthony Gulluni said Tuesday that his office also had not received the abuse report at the time Rebecca Koske requested it in January.

At a news conference Tuesday, Gulluni announced his office is launching a “clergy sex abuse hotline.” He said the hotline is for sexual abuse victims and their families who may want to report the abuse directly to law enforcement.

Gulluni said the Springfield Diocese recently reported that it fielded 15 reports of clergy sexual abuse in 2018.

“Following a period of appropriate due diligence by my office in reviewing its files, we have not received referrals of any kind from the diocese that comport with its own public statements,” Gulluni said. “We believe there are at least discrepancies, I think, to put it mildly.”

In Northampton, First Assistant DA Steven Gagne said in a statement that after a thorough review of its files, the office has no record of receiving this report from the diocese.

But the diocese insists it let both district attorneys know about the allegations in 2011.

A spokesman pointed to letters dated November of that year that he said were sent to the district attorneys' offices.

Koske doesn't buy it.

"This information is not being sent, and my father's case is actual, physical proof of that," Koske said. "Had I not gone through what I went through to try to get his intake [report], I don't know if this would've ever come to light. And that's incredible."

She said her biggest concern is her father's emotional and mental health.

"And, you know, the church — they're the church. They're supposed to represent God on earth," she said. "And my father puts his faith in this institution, and someone within their institution hurt him badly."

Koske said her father — who reported separate incidents involving three priests — received $20,000 from the church.

For its part, the diocese said it has a new policy. Now, when sending copies of reports of clergy sex abuse to district attorneys' offices, the diocese will send them via certified mail.

This story was first published by New England Public Radio.