Friday, March 29, 2019

Pope Issues New Abuse Laws for Vatican City; Employees Must Report Abuse or Face Prison

Pope Francis issued stringent child abuse legislation for Vatican City employes today (March 29, 2019), as part of the Church's bid to address a wave of sex abuse allegations against priests, according to the AFP (Agence France-Presse) website.

The legislation requires officials and employees in the Vatican City and Roman Curia -- the central administration of the Catholic Church -- to immediately report any abuse against minors and vulnerable people, or face fines or a prison sentence.

Anyone convicted of abuse be "removed from office" under the new rules, which set a statute of limitations for such crimes at 20 years from the date victims turn 18.

Previous church guidelines on handling sexual abuse cases did not cover officials and employees in Vatican City or the Curia.

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