“There are victims who have never dared to speak because there are bishops who do not believe in these things, so we can say: ‘Look, there have not been enough victims who have spoken.’ I tell you that I would not be here if we did not care and if the victims were at the center of our concerns Juan Carlos Cruz, one of the victims of the pedophile Karadina in Chile, is one of the members of the. Vatican Anti-Pedophile Commission which, after ten years of work, presented this afternoon its first global report on abuse in the Church A report which does not provide figures on cases at the global level, but which asks. up to the institution itself to improve its action with victims of abuse within the Catholic Church.
“The victims are demanding justice,” acknowledged Cardinal Sean O’Malley, former archbishop of Boston and one of the main leaders in the fight against pedophilia in the Church, during the presentation of the report, which includes a series of recommendations, in particular which highlight “the rationalization and acceleration of the resignation process” for the aggressors, as well as “rigorous reparation measures” for the victims.
In fact, the study requires “studying compensation policies” at the global level to apply “rigorous” reparation measures in the process of “healing” victims, while admitting “a worrying lack” of compensation structures. reporting and support for survivors of sexual abuse. Furthermore: it is confirmed that victims are still undergoing civil and canonical procedures that are “difficult, slow and a source of continued victimization”, which prevent them from developing a normal life.
To date, and despite reforms to canon law, there is still no status for victims, who do not have full access to their legal procedures. Sometimes even, the complainants only learn verbally the results of the canonical trials, which must change radically, according to the opinion of the Commission received in recent days by Pope Francis.
To achieve this, the report asserts, the Catholic Church must promote victims’ access to information in order to confront the “problem” of the opacity of canonical processes. “Measures should be explored to guarantee the right of each individual to access any information that concerns them, particularly in cases of abuse and liability,” the report reads.
“There are people who do not have the means to hire a lawyer, who fear the cover-up of certain bishops, who do not believe them, insult them or destroy their careers,” deplores Juan Carlos Cruz, who suggests that the The Church gives voice “to the good, so that we can silence the wicked”, and asks the institution “not to blindfold us”. “The Church must make a firm commitment to conversion, to ensure that this does not happen again,” he concludes in his dual role as survivor and member of the Commission.
The report published this Tuesday calls for “ensuring effective, rapid and rigorous management” of each case of abuse, and for “streamlining and accelerating the resignation process” of ecclesiastical leaders accused of abuse, “whenever justified.” “.
Something that, although already possible with the Code of Canon Law in hand, has barely been achieved.
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