Experts' Report At Vatican Faults Sex Abuse Policy

udawg · February 25, 2004

A group of scientists and psychiatrists have released a report for the Vatican that denounces the "American bishops' zero-tolerance policy of seeking to remove from the ministry any Roman Catholic priest who has abused a child."

The report included expressions of concern that sexually abusive priests who are cast out of the ministry and pushed away from the church might be more likely to continue their abusive behavior because they would be isolated and their behavior would be less likely to be monitored.....If an abuser is at high risk of hurting another child, Dr. Hanson said, "he may be better off in the church, where there are strong supervisory structures, than in somebody else's backyard."

To start the debate: there should be zero tolerance for sexual abuse in the church. A person who sexually abuses children should never be in a position of power and trust and influence, like a priest to a child. To suggest that children would actually be safer if the priest is allowed to keep their job is utterly ridiculous. A person who has demonstrated a breach of trust in their capacity as religious and moral leader should have absolutely no second chance. If you want them to be monitored after you kick their filthy arses out of the church, call the police and tell them to monitor the bastards. They should not be allowed to remain in this position of power and in easy/close contact with children. This is only asking for trouble.

I fully approve of the American bishops' policy of zero tolerance.