Dear Catholics of Goodwill,
My name is Dave Lorenz. I am a retired NASA engineer, father of four, and survivor of sex abuse by my high school guidance counselor in Kentucky where I was raised. My abuse was devastating. I felt alone, ashamed, guilty and frightened. For many years, I told no one what happened. I learned that my predator had 50 reports of abuse before the Bishop assigned him to my school.
I have worked tirelessly in Maryland to help other survivors, many who are unable to speak up about their traumatic experiences and ensure that other children don’t go through the same experience I did. I am writing to you because the Maryland General Assembly is considering passage of the Hidden Predator Act (HPA), and we need your help. This year, nearly 50 organizations including child advocacy groups, Maryland’s NAACP, faith communities (including several Catholic lay groups), the Beau Biden Foundation, Maryland’s American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Teamsters Union have all stepped up to actively support the bill.
The Catholic Bishops are the leading opponent to the legislation. Because of COVID-limitations, I was one of only three individuals allowed to testify at the Senate hearing in support of the bill and 3 minutes wasn’t enough to unpack the survivors’ stories, share the medical and legal expertise and refute the misleading claims about the bill.
In contrast, the lobbyist for the Bishops, Bobby Zirkin — who was the Chairman a little over a year ago of the very Senate Judicial Committee in which we were testifying — was given nearly two hours to monopolize the stage, attack one of the legislation’s sponsors (Delegate C.T. Wilson, himself a survivor), and pivot the discussion away from honest discourse. The end result was that survivors’ perspective were no longer central to the discussion but pushed to the margins and again silenced.
Survivors need this bill because the current law fails them. The HPA will help remove a poison pill surreptitiously inserted into law in 2017. It allows survivors access to records which helps them to prove their cases in court and enables them to find other survivors from the same perpetrator. Even adult survivors are rarely believed when they are the only ones making allegations. And this legislation will expose hidden predators still abusing kids today.
1 in five girls and 1 in 13 boys will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday. This is an epidemic and the Hidden Predator Act is our vaccine.
Please write to these Senators. Ask them to pass the bill, share the message with other concerned Marylanders, and sign up for updates at justice4mdsurvivors.org.
If you are compelled to take action, I ask that you act quickly. Legislation is moving through the Maryland General Assembly quickly, and due to the COVID restrictions we don’t have the same access to legislators. Emails are phone calls matter this year. Will you take a moment to email these Senators?
Pope Francis said “During Lent, let us find concrete ways to overcome our indifference.” It is in this spirit that I invite you to stand with us. Thank you for all that you do for the vulnerable and marginalized.
Dave Lorenz
Bowie Maryland
Maryland Catholics for Action 
Thank you for your courage and support of other survivors. This has to stop.
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