posted February 02, 2008 10:41 AM         

=================================================== http://www.wisn.com/news/15193608/detail.html

MILWAUKEE -- A Roman Catholic nun who pleaded no contest to sexually abusing two Milwaukee boys years ago will spend a year in jail.

A judge sentenced Sister Norma Giannini, 79, to one year in jail and nine more years on probation She has 60 days to report to the House of Correction in Milwaukee County.

It has been a four-decade-long struggle for the two victims who first came forward to the church in 1996, but it took 10 more years before their allegations developed into criminal charges and then a conviction, 12 News reporter Nick Bohr said.

In the late 1960s, St. Patrick's church and school was ruled by Giannini. It's still not clear how many boys she used that power to take advantage of at the school, but two of them -- now in their 50s -- finally had their day in court at her sentencing.

"You know, I never thought the day would come when someone with the power for justice to occur would listen to me," victim Jim St. Patrick said.

St. Patrick said Giannini sexually assaulted him more than a 100 times.

"She has no soul and no morality. Creatures like this belong in prison, not walking free among the innocent," St. Patrick said.

"Norma Giannini's idea of an education was to use me to satisfy her own sexual needs and wants," victim Gerry Kobs said.

Kobs said the nun used her friendship with his mother to sexually abuse him.

"Norma Giannini was what my mother thought was her only friend. I could never tell her, never hurt her. And Norma Giannini knew that," Kobs said.

For the first time in the 14-month process, Giannini answered the allegations.

"Long before this trial, I realized how certain actions of mine have caused pain, confusion and emotional trauma. I ask forgiveness from the bottom of my heart," Giannini said.

The victims said they had hoped the sentencing would be tougher.

"I never heard Norma Giannini say she was sorry," Kobs said.

"She didn't call me for 40 years to see how I was doing. So, now she's sorry. Not," St. Patrick said.

Giannini has admitted to a church panel that she also molested a Chicago boy and at least three other minors.

Court documents show that a psychologist told prosecutors in 2006 that Giannini identified other victims to a Milwaukee archdiocese panel, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune. Prosecutors subpoenaed the psychologist, Elizabeth Piasecki, who read into the record the notes she wrote during an interview in 1996 after abuse allegations emerged.

The notes indicate Giannini discussed molesting three other boys in Milwaukee and one in Chicago, where she worked before and after her stint in Wisconsin.

According to a transcript, Piasecki's notes indicated Giannini described an incident with a 14-year-old that included kissing and petting.

posted February 02, 2008 03:08 PM         

and

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Prosecutors subpoenaed the psychologist, Elizabeth Piasecki, who read into the record the notes she wrote during an interview in 1996 after abuse allegations emerged.

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posted February 02, 2008 03:30 PM         

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since when do young boys complain that older women are taking advantage of them? I thought that was every schoolboy's dream

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posted February 02, 2008 06:38 PM         

To answer your question, "Since when do young boys complain that older women are taking advantage of them?"

Thankfully it is very recently. The fact that people still hold assumptions that boys and men are supposed to be happy with any kind of sexual activity when at the hands of a woman is one of the main reasons why boys and men don't turn in their perpetrators.

It's a huge myth that men are supposed to welcome every sexual advance. It's not just about the sexual activity, it's about mental and physical brutality and control. Abuse is abuse, no matter what form it takes.

Also, there are many men or people who don't realize that they were abused until they are deep into their adulthood and realize that their sexual and relationship values were severely compromised by being introduced to sexual activity too young and by someone whose values didn't match their own.

There are people who don't report sexual abuse because their bodies responded in a pleasurable manner, because our bodies react a certain way for protection as well as for pleasure. This then promotes a sense of shame for the victim because they don't want anyone to know what their physical reaction was to the abuse and don't want to be blamed for any part of it, especially if they were too young to understand what was actually happening.

There is so much more attached to this type of scenario, not to mention the religious and spiritual damage to these boys and men.

Those are just some things to consider when thinking that it might be every boys dream.

Just one more thing, many people have fantasies about being controlled sexually, and I'm not implying that it's wrong if consenting adults indulge in the fantasies or make them real for themselves, but there's a night and day difference between the fantasy and the reality when it's not of your choice.

Geocosmic Valentine