Amy Peterson hopes as outsider, she helps facilitate healing

By Sam Lucero, Catholic Herald Staff

ST. FRANCIS — Amy Peterson, former coordinator for the Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault for the Milwaukee Health Department, was recently appointed director of the archdiocesan Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response Services Office.

Peterson replaces Barbara Reinke, who served as office director on a part-time basis. Peterson, whose appointment by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan became effective Sept. 1, serves full time.

Peterson’s responsibilities fall into three areas: she serves as the archdiocese’s victim assistance coordinator, she oversees the Virtus program (part of the archdiocese’s Safeguarding All of God’s Family program), and serves as consultant to parish and school personnel.

As victim assistance coordinator, she assists people reporting instances of sexual abuse.

“My job is to help them find the path to heal that makes sense for them,” she said. “I feel in some ways that that really is a full-time job in and of itself.”

As consultant to parish and school personnel, Peterson offers assistance on matters such as how to report instances of suspected abuse of children.

Peterson said she applied for the archdiocesan position because “it sounded like a great challenge.”

She also felt her work on the city health department’s domestic violence and sexual assault commission (2001-2003) would help in her new position. “I had already built the positive working relationships with the community that would help the archdiocese get further along the path of healing for victims,” said Peterson.

“I also think I had something to bring (to the position) that would sort of help all parties come together,” she added. “I felt I could be a conduit, somebody who could be the voice of victims and help the archdiocese get to where they want to be.”

Her association and friendship with some victims’ advocates, whose relationship with the archdiocese has been strained because of the priest sexual abuse scandal, did not dissuade the archdiocese from hiring her, said Peterson.

“When they interviewed me, I mentioned the names of people who are my really good friends, people I worked with in the field and they hired me anyway,” she said. “That speaks volumes. I also took the job because I felt there was great integrity within the archdiocese, and a great desire or will to do the work that needed to be done. And I believe that the archbishop wants things to be better. I think this a difficult situation, but I believe I have good support here.”

In an effort to build public awareness about her outreach services, Peterson is planning four regional gatherings with victims-survivors of sexual abuse and their families.

“Currently I’m having survivors help assist with developing what that outreach looks like. We are going to be doing four meet and greets where we will invite victims-survivors and their families ... so that people can get a sense of who I am and what we’re trying to do and get some feedback,” she said.

Peterson received a bachelor of arts degree in art therapy from Mount Mary College in 1994. She began her career as a member of an interdisciplinary team at De Paul Hospital (1994-1997), a now-closed drug and alcohol rehabilitation hospital in Milwaukee. She later worked for the Counseling Center of Milwaukee (1997-1998), developing an art-based prevention education curriculum to teach positive coping skills and providing support groups for children who had been abused. Peterson also worked as a case manager for the Milwaukee County child welfare system (1998-2000). She most recently served as an independent consultant for the Milwaukee Birthing Project (2003-Aug. 31, 2004), an infant mortality reduction project, assisting women with high-risk pregnancies.

Peterson believes she brings credibility to her position because she does not have prior affiliation with the archdiocese. “I do come in with a fresh outlook in that I am not involved in the church,” she said. “I have a more objective take.”

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