Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 2858

Tonight's special guest is Billy Giblin from Methuen, Massachusetts. Billy is a survivor of clergy abuse who'll be telling his story to us for the first time. The offending priest is still in a position of leadership and authority in his parish. Billy shares that his father died when he was 4 years old, and that his mother had a hard time bringing up 3 Kids by herself. "At age 14 I got in trouble," Billy says. He was assigned to a priest at St. Basil's Seminary in Methuen, Massachusetts. "It was there were I was assigned to do chores around the grounds," he explains, "and he would eventually have me come inside and clean the hall next to his office. That then led me into his office for face to face 'confessions'. That's where the sexual, physical, and emotional abuse happened. This is how I was introduced to sex .. 'By a Priest' a Man of Power and Trust." By his senior year Billy was using steroids. At age 40yrs old he lost a job after 19yrs. 'I thought I could quit drugs cold turkey, which I did. But there were memories clear as day." There were multiple suicide attempts in a 5 yr span. At age 45 yrs old he got into therapy with a woman who he put his trust in. "I was all in, he shares. "I wanted to change my life. I've been off drugs since 2015." On December 7, 2021 Billy went in front of the Joint Committee of Massachusetts to testify for a bill to change the child abuse laws. "These legal changes were sponsored by Senator Joan Lovely (a Survivor). "On my 53rd birthday I reported the priest to law enforcement. The Melkites have known about this priest since 2012 but continue to keep him at St, Basil's Seminary in Methuen." Billy concludes, "Therapy for me is helping others in the same position I was once in. We are all here to help each other."