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Vatican City | Pope Francis introduces new “Church Law” with respect to “clergy sexual abuse”

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]

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