Chilean Catholic Bishop accused of sexual abuse

Chile: Katholischer Bischof des sexuellen Missbrauchs beschuldigt » Chile » latina press Nachrichtenportal

Anonymous e-mail to authorities

The Chilean judiciary and a Catholic educational institution according to local media have been sent complaints of sexual abuse of students by the Bishop of Chillán, Carlos Pellegrin Barrera. Pellegrin who Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop on 25 March 2006 was, from 1999 to 2006, Rector of the prestigious school Verbo Divino . He is said to have behaved indecently to children in his car. The authorities who were notified by an e-mail about the incident,have now launched an investigation.

And also seven children have allegedly been sexually abused in the Dominican Republic. The incident occurred at the "Centro Educativo Mis Dos Tesoros", a Catholic educational institution in Higuey, Altagracia province. According to local media reports, the Interim Director, Mateo Montilla, a Catholic priest is also alleged to have raped the minors.

In the Dominican Republic, according to a study by UNICEF in just six months last year, 1686 cases of abuse of young girls between 12 and 17 years were reported to the prosecutor. Of the reported cases, 35.6% of sexual crimes were committed in Santo Domingo, 35 cases being registered in Samaná. The real figure is likely to be much higher. Surveys indicate that many minors are sold on the beaches of the popular holiday paradise to mostly European sex tourists