Pope Francis issues new Vatican City law for reporting sex abuse allegations
Source: NBC News
Pope Francis issues new Vatican City law for reporting sex abuse allegations
If the allegations are not immediately reported, church officials can be fined or face jail time.
March 29, 2019, 7:44 AM EDT / Updated March 29, 2019, 10:55 AM EDT
By Minyvonne Burke and Claudio Lavanga
Pope Francis on Friday issued a new law that for the first time requires Vatican personnel and diplomats of Vatican City to immediately report allegations of sexual abuse to authorities.
Outside of minors, the legislation also applies to "vulnerable adults" with mental and physical challenges or those who cannot defend themselves against a crime. This is the first time the Vatican has made it a requirement for officials in the Roman Catholic Church to report sex abuse claims. The policy applies only to Vatican City, but is aimed at being a model for the church worldwide.
If the allegations are not immediately reported, they can be fined or face jail time.
The pope also created a counseling service for victims of sexual abuse so they can receive psychological and medical help from qualified personnel."
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