U.N. report on Catholic Church draws hard line on child sexual abuse
U.N. report on Catholic Church draws hard line on child sexual abuse
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The U.N.Committee on the Rights of the Child announced its findings from a report on Vatican policies toward child sexual abuse. The report declared that the Vatican should take steps to “immediately remove” clergy who are proven to be or suspected as child abusers. The U.N. committee also expressed deep concern, “that the Holy See has not acknowledged the extent of the crimes committed, has not taken the necessary measures to address…sexual abuse and to protect children, and has adopted practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse.” The Vatican responded that the report was beyond the U.N. mandate and “prejudiced.” Doug Cassel from the University of Notre Dame Law School will tell us how he thinks the report will impact Vatican policies, if at all. Barbara Blaine, the founder and president of the Survivor’s Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) explains why victims of sexual abuse felt it was necessary to bring their case to the United Nations. (AP PhotoAlessandra Tarantino)