Post by coolplanet on Feb 5, 2014 11:31:25 GMT -5
UN demands immediate action from Vatican on child sex abuse
A scathing report urges the Catholic Church to ‘immediately remove’ clergy suspected of child abuse
February 5, 2014 7:52AM ET
america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/2/5/un-demands-immediateactionfromvaticanonchildsexabuse.html
The United Nations on Wednesday demanded that the Vatican "immediately remove" all clergy who are known or suspected child abusers and turn them over to civil authorities, in an unprecedented and scathing report that the Holy See accepted, but had some objections to.
The U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child also urged the Holy See to hand over its archives on sexual abuse of tens of thousands of children so that culprits, as well as "those who concealed their crimes,” could be held accountable.
The watchdog's blunt paper — the most far-reaching critique of the church hierarchy by the world body — followed its public grilling of Vatican officials last month. It blasted the "code of silence" that has long been used to keep victims quiet, saying the Holy See had "systematically placed preservation of the reputation of the church and the alleged offender over the protection of child victims."
It called on the Holy See to provide compensation to victims.
"The committee is gravely concerned that the Holy See has not acknowledged the extent of the crimes committed, has not taken the necessary measures to address cases of child sexual abuse and to protect children and has adopted policies and practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by, and the impunity of, the perpetrators," the report said.
It urged the sex abuse commission that Pope Francis announced in December to conduct an independent investigation of all cases of priestly abuse and the way the Catholic hierarchy has responded over time, and said the Holy See should establish clear rules for the mandatory reporting of abuse to police and to support laws that allow victims to report crimes even after the statute of limitations has expired.
No Catholic bishop has ever been sanctioned for sheltering an abusive priest, and only in 2010 did the Holy See direct bishops to report abusers to police where law enforcement requires it. Vatican officials have acknowledged that bishop accountability remains a major problem and have suggested that under Pope Francis things might begin to change.
Sections of the report also faulted the Vatican for its positions against homosexual activity, contraception and abortion.
The Vatican released a statement Wednesday that the Catholic Church is committed to protecting children from abuse, and that it will give the U.N. report a “thorough study and examination.”
However, the Vatican added that the U.N. was interfering with church teachings by criticizing its views on homosexuality, contraception and abortion.
Austen Ivereigh, coordinator of Catholic Voices, a U.K.-based church advocacy group, told the Associated Press that the report was a "shocking display of ignorance and high-handedness."
He said it failed to acknowledge the progress that has been made in recent years and that the Catholic Church in many places is now considered a leader in safeguarding children.
He also noted that the committee seemed unable to grasp the distinction between the responsibilities and jurisdiction of the Holy See and local churches on the ground.
"It takes no account of the particularities of the Holy See, treating it as if it were the HQ of a multinational corporation," he told the AP in an email.
But Barbara Blaine of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) called the report "a wake-up call." She told Reuters that "for the safety of children, we hope every head of state on the planet reads this and acts on it."
The committee's recommendations are nonbinding, and there is no enforcement mechanism. Rather, the U.N. asked the Vatican to implement the recommendations and report back by 2017. The Vatican was 14 years late submitting its most recent report.
While most attention has focused on child sex abuse, the committee's recommendations extended to issues about discrimination against children and their rights to adequate health care, issues that touch on core church teaching about life and sexual morals.
The committee, for example, urged the Vatican to amend its canon law to identify circumstances where access to abortion can be permitted, such as to save the life of a young mother. It also urged the Holy See to ensure that sex education, including access to information about contraception and preventing HIV, is mandatory in Catholic schools.
A scathing report urges the Catholic Church to ‘immediately remove’ clergy suspected of child abuse
February 5, 2014 7:52AM ET
america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/2/5/un-demands-immediateactionfromvaticanonchildsexabuse.html
The United Nations on Wednesday demanded that the Vatican "immediately remove" all clergy who are known or suspected child abusers and turn them over to civil authorities, in an unprecedented and scathing report that the Holy See accepted, but had some objections to.
The U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child also urged the Holy See to hand over its archives on sexual abuse of tens of thousands of children so that culprits, as well as "those who concealed their crimes,” could be held accountable.
The watchdog's blunt paper — the most far-reaching critique of the church hierarchy by the world body — followed its public grilling of Vatican officials last month. It blasted the "code of silence" that has long been used to keep victims quiet, saying the Holy See had "systematically placed preservation of the reputation of the church and the alleged offender over the protection of child victims."
It called on the Holy See to provide compensation to victims.
"The committee is gravely concerned that the Holy See has not acknowledged the extent of the crimes committed, has not taken the necessary measures to address cases of child sexual abuse and to protect children and has adopted policies and practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by, and the impunity of, the perpetrators," the report said.
It urged the sex abuse commission that Pope Francis announced in December to conduct an independent investigation of all cases of priestly abuse and the way the Catholic hierarchy has responded over time, and said the Holy See should establish clear rules for the mandatory reporting of abuse to police and to support laws that allow victims to report crimes even after the statute of limitations has expired.
No Catholic bishop has ever been sanctioned for sheltering an abusive priest, and only in 2010 did the Holy See direct bishops to report abusers to police where law enforcement requires it. Vatican officials have acknowledged that bishop accountability remains a major problem and have suggested that under Pope Francis things might begin to change.
Sections of the report also faulted the Vatican for its positions against homosexual activity, contraception and abortion.
The Vatican released a statement Wednesday that the Catholic Church is committed to protecting children from abuse, and that it will give the U.N. report a “thorough study and examination.”
However, the Vatican added that the U.N. was interfering with church teachings by criticizing its views on homosexuality, contraception and abortion.
Austen Ivereigh, coordinator of Catholic Voices, a U.K.-based church advocacy group, told the Associated Press that the report was a "shocking display of ignorance and high-handedness."
He said it failed to acknowledge the progress that has been made in recent years and that the Catholic Church in many places is now considered a leader in safeguarding children.
He also noted that the committee seemed unable to grasp the distinction between the responsibilities and jurisdiction of the Holy See and local churches on the ground.
"It takes no account of the particularities of the Holy See, treating it as if it were the HQ of a multinational corporation," he told the AP in an email.
But Barbara Blaine of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) called the report "a wake-up call." She told Reuters that "for the safety of children, we hope every head of state on the planet reads this and acts on it."
The committee's recommendations are nonbinding, and there is no enforcement mechanism. Rather, the U.N. asked the Vatican to implement the recommendations and report back by 2017. The Vatican was 14 years late submitting its most recent report.
While most attention has focused on child sex abuse, the committee's recommendations extended to issues about discrimination against children and their rights to adequate health care, issues that touch on core church teaching about life and sexual morals.
The committee, for example, urged the Vatican to amend its canon law to identify circumstances where access to abortion can be permitted, such as to save the life of a young mother. It also urged the Holy See to ensure that sex education, including access to information about contraception and preventing HIV, is mandatory in Catholic schools.