To compare and contrast the abuse in places like Rochdale, with the abuse by religious organisations, makes the contrast all the more stark.
Firstly, no-one is excusing, belittling or in any way suggesting that the crimes were less or more severe. I am merely comparing and contrasting the level of scandal and collusion involved.
I listened to the broadcast mentioned by transam, and I was shocked at the level of expletives used by the girl being interviewed.
She was being interviewed in prison. I don't remember her crime being disclosed. But I thought, it's the best place for her, for her own safety.
It was not disclosed how many times she had been in trouble with the law for her to be incarcerated, eventually. Maybe the judge thought incarceration was the best course of action for her own safety.
I would suggest that this fact alone made her an unreliable witness.
She openly admitted that she was a wayward teenager, uncontrollable and ignored the frequent warnings and advice not to seek the company of such men because they might take advantage of a vulnerable person. yet time and time again she voluntary and willfully returned to the company of the criminals, placing herself at high risk of being abused.
The criminals were not bastions of society. The children were not entrusted into their care by their parents. They were not held in esteem as safe and secure, trusted people to care for vulnerable teenagers.
Their superiors did not move the abusers to another area, city, county, or even country to cover up their crimes.
Their superiors did not dissuade the complainants from submitting formal complaints.
The abuse continued for a few years before being acted upon by the police.
The abuse may have involved about one hundred victims.
Finally, the criminals were caught, tried, found guilty and punished.
Contrast this with the abuse in religious organisations.
The priests were esteemed bastions of society, expected to take care of the children entrusted into their care.
The victims were not particularly vulnerable people, other than their age and their trust in the religious leaders. Numerous of them, probably the majority of them, being under ten years of age.
There was no warning of potential abuse by the priests, from their parents, the police, the superiors of these priests, social workers, etc.
The victims did not voluntary return to their company time and time again.
They avoided placing themselves at high risk of being abused.
The superiors of these priests moved the offenders to another parish to cover up their crimes and did not report the abuse to the police.
Their superiors did dissuade the complainants not to submit formal complaints.
The abuse continued for decades and involved thousands of victims.
The number of perpetrators alone probably vastly exceed the number of victims in the Rochdale, at el cases.
Finally, the perpetrators of these crimes are free, and continue to offend.