Pope Francis toughens laws against child abuse in the Vatican

Pope Francis has decided to toughen laws to prevent and fight crimes of child abuse committed by members of the curia or the Vatican.

The measures include extension of the limitation period to 20 years where the obligation to report if a case is known, reported the Holy See.

Pope Francis wants to give the example of the behavior to follow Episcopal Conferences around the world to eliminate clergy abuse.

Significant innovations of the text are numerous. The first concerns the fact that now all crimes related to the abuse of minors, not only those of a badual nature, but also, for example, abuse, "persecuted by commerce", that is, even in the absence of an ex officio report.

The second, according to what she collects Vatican News, is the introduction of a 20-year prescription that begins "in case of crime to a minor, from 18 years"

Another novelty concerns the obligation to denounce and punish the public official who does not denounce the Vatican judicial authority the abuses of which he has been acquainted, without prejudice to the sacramental seal, which is the inviolable secret of confession. This means that all those who, in the state and by extension in the Roman Curia, but also among the diplomatic staff in the service of the non-religious, play the role of public official the Holy See) will be sanctioned in case of non-declaration.

(With EFE information)