They are based on the report of the Ombudsman, which contrasted more than 500 cases at different ages and in all parts of the country
The parliamentary groups of PSOE and add in the Congress of Deputies have registered on Tuesday a research subcommittee for the recognition and repair of victims of child sexual abuse in the field of the Catholic Church. The objective is “to agree on measures that reinforce prevention, increase protection and establish the necessary mechanisms for repair.”
As explained from PSOE and add, the Victims Attention Unit enabled by the Ombudsman has been able to verify more than 500 cases to multiple ages and in different parts of Spain. But they regret that few become prosecuted. They want this to be a first step for repair and the assumption of responsibilities by the Church.
Aina Vidal, a spokesman to add, explained that “this subcommission responds to the demands of the victims and the work of the Ombudsman, when he appeared a month ago and demanded more data and more capacity to reach dioceses that have not provided data at the time.” Vidal has insisted that “it is not a symbolic investigation” and that we must begin with “repair” and “demand responsibilities” to the Church, as well as “economic reparation.”
The new parliamentary body has its foundation in the report that the Congress of Deputies commissioned the Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo, in March 2022 and that the institution presented a few months ago before the Plenary of Congress.
The ‘report on sexual abuse in the field of the Catholic Church and the role of public authorities. A necessary response ‘consists of a total of 777 pages that collect the areas of action, the methodology and testimonies of victims since 1950. As ABC explained the day of its publication, the high commissioner of the General Courts points to the figure of 487 victims of which, directly, could collect “relevant information.”
The specialists of the Ombudsman attended 373 testimonies, of which they consider direct 334, and indirect 39. A total of 487 victims are extracted from these cases, some of them abused on several occasions. So they understand a figure of 522 acts of abuse. On the other hand, the 1,430 cases that the Church itself communicated to the institution also give valid. And they warn that some dioceses did not want to provide information so they are sure that the figure is greater.
“Our country has a problem with the sexual abuse committed within the Catholic Church,” explained Veronica Barbero, one of the Sumar spokesmen, in the press conference after the Board of Spokespersons. «A problem that administrations have ignored for too long. Today we take an important step to repair that error, promoting from Congress a subcommission for the recognition, repair and prevention of these abuses, ”he continued.
#PSOE #add #Congress #subcommission #research #sexual #abuse #Catholic #Church
