As reported by media, Pope Francis tabled a new law which would require the Catholic priests and nuns to report clergy sexual abuse by their superiors to church authorities.
“New church law provides whistle-blower protections for anyone making a report and requires all dioceses around the world to have a system in place to receive the claims confidentially. And it outlines procedures for conducting preliminary investigations when the accused is a bishop, cardinal or religious superior.”
It is procedural law and not criminal in nature.
“The law defines the crimes that must be reported as performing sexual acts with a minor or vulnerable person; forcing an adult “by violence or threat or through abuse of authority, to perform or submit to sexual acts”; and the production, possession or distribution of child pornography. Cover-up is defined as “actions or omissions intended to interfere with or avoid” civil or canonical investigations.”
[Source: TIME]
[Picture Credits: TIME Magazine]