The Church in Spain acknowledges that 82% of abuses are homosexual in nature

Presentation of the Instruction on the abuse of minors and the report "To Shed Light" Presentation of the Instruction on the abuse of minors and the report "To Shed Light".

The Spanish Episcopal Conference (SEC) yesterday presented the "Instruction on sexual abuse", which was approved at the April Plenary Assembly, which is part of the framework protocol for prevention and action approved at the November Plenary, and also presented the report on sexual abuse in the Church "To Shed Light".

The Spanish bishops emphasise that this Instruction "the first of its kind issued by an Episcopal Conference in the world, unifies and is valid for the whole Church in Spain. In this way, the proliferation of particular norms is avoided and juridical guarantees are reinforced".

"The instruction places the protection of the complainants at the centre, without prejudice to the rights of all parties", the SEC assures. The child protection offices receive the testimonies and the first steps are taken, including counselling and guidance for possible legal proceedings. In addition, during preliminary investigations, the preliminary investigation provides for spiritual, medical and psychological support for the complainant and their families. It also extends communication with victims and complainants at different stages of the proceedings, so that they can assert their rights.

It brings together in a single document all the current canonical regulations governing ecclesiastical action, as well as the communication of the facts to the civil authorities. In particular, it clarifies the statute of limitations periods for offences, legislative changes in recent years and reinforces the principle of writing to guarantee the entire process.

This SEC document reinforces criminal law, but does not replace it. The instruction insists on the obligation of bishops, priests and consecrated members to collaborate with the criminal justice system of each state, including reporting and testifying during the process.

It also points out the obligation to cooperate with the Prosecutor's Office. If, in the course of the investigation, evidence or prima facie evidence of a crime is obtained, the local superior is obliged to inform the prosecutor's office.

927 cases of abuse since 1940

The report confirms that there are a total of 927 victims who have testified about 728 perpetrators who committed sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. Furthermore, in relation to sex, although more than 99% of the aggressors are male, the victims are male in 82.62% of the cases and female in 17.38% of the cases. These data once again confirm the problems that exist in part of the clergy due to homosexuality. Will the Church ever dare to confront this problem by going to the root of the problem?

In terms of church membership, of the 728 perpetrators, the majority, 378, are clerics, or 52%. In addition, there are 208 religious men (or women) who are not ordained priests, 92 lay people. There are also 23 testimonies in which the complainant did not know the ecclesiastical status of the aggressor, or a deacon.

In those perpetrators where the victims know their life situation, 63.60% of the perpetrators are deceased and 36.40% are alive.

In relation to the date when the abuses were committed, ordered by decades, more than 80% of the cases occurred in the 20th century, and 75% before 1990. The highest number of abuse cases counted occurred between 1960 and 1990.

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