Why do we call it sexual misconduct?

It’s rape.

A south Georgia priest belonging to the Glenmary religious order is awaiting trial involving allegations of sexual misconduct with a 10-year-old boy in West Virginia.

A priest raped a child. The headline sounds gruesome, right? Perhaps the press prefers a headline that is less graphic? Or perhaps they want to construct and image that does not bring to mind the base violation of a child? I don’t know the answer, but I want to know.

Rev. Bob Poandl is the priest in this case. There a few details on his alleged crime besides the words “sexual misconduct.”

The Rev. Bob Poandl was indicted by a West Virginia grand jury in January on charges that he engaged in sexual misconduct with a child in the early 1990s in Roane County, W.Va.

Looking a little deeper I found that Rev. Poandl was charged with first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree sexual assault, and sexual abuse by a custodian.

The offender engages in sexual intercourse or sexual intrusion without the consent of the victim and during the attack inflicts serious bodily injury or uses a deadly weapon. The offender is 14 years old or more and engages in sexual intercourse or sexual intrusion with another person who is 11 years old or less.

Rape. A Catholic priest allegedly raped a child. The headline should read Rev. Bob Poandl arrested for child rape.

I’m tired of pulling punches.

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