She Says: The Burden

In Episode 4 of "The List," we explore what might happen when the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte releases a list of clergy members credibly accused of sexual misconduct and abuse. The diocese says it plans to release names by the end of 2019. We hear from an advocate with personal experience who's there to listen to other survivors of abuse and from North Carolina's attorney general. And we hear how the crisis has shaped survivors' views on not just the Catholic Church but faith in general.

In this episode of "The List," we learn about why survivors of abuse in the Catholic Church and proponents of accountability push for the release of lists of credibly accused clergy. We also hear some theories as to why certain people might push back against the release of such lists. And we hear from a local deacon about why he thinks the church should talk about the crisis openly. There's another why we learn about, too — why some people in power abuse children in the first place.

WFAE’s “The List” is a four-part series about the impact of the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, the push for dioceses to release lists of credibly accused clergy. The Diocese of Charlotte is one of about 30 dioceses in the United States that, as of Dec. 1, 2019, hasn’t published such a list.

Bishop Peter Jugis of the Charlotte Catholic Diocese announced in May that the diocese is committed to releasing by the end of 2019 a list of clergy who are credibly accused of sexual abuse involving minors. That list and what it represents is the subject of this four-part series.

Linda has been waiting for months to hear from the Mecklenburg District Attorney's office about whether her case will move forward. Then she gets a call. We rejoin Linda on the winding road for an update and a closer look at the burden of proof.

Last Thursday, WFAE held a Public Conversation with She Says podcast host Sarah Delia, law enforcement and others about whether justice is being served in Mecklenburg County.

Linda goes back to court and comes face to face with the man charged in her assault as she attempts to get a no-contact order. We hear how the podcast has impacted her life and what the future of her case looks like. Stay with us through the very end of the episode to hear a message from two familiar voices.

This episode we share with you what we haven’t told you. Additional evidence in Linda’s case. Why we think this mysterious DNA hit occurred. And we find out how many hospitals in North Carolina have nurses specially trained to complete a sexual assault examination.

In this episode, we hear from Linda’s family about how life has changed for everyone since the assault in 2015. We also tell the story of another Charlotte woman who tried to file a police report but was turned away.

The man charged with assaulting Linda made bail and is out of jail. She’s scared because she’s no longer anonymous after he saw her during a court appearance. She Says talks to another sexual assault survivor in Charlotte who had a very different experience.