Vatican gives bishops manual on reporting sexual abuses within the clergy

The Vatican has issued new advice to bishops on reporting cases of sexual abuse of minors by priests. A new 30-page manual published on Thursday tells bishops they must report abuse to civil authorities even if they are not obliged to by local law, strengthening its official guidance on an issue that has caused significant damage.

The much-awaited vademecum doesn’t introduce new legislation on the issue, but represents a key step forward in the Vatican's efforts to fully report and investigate cases of priests accused of raping and molesting minors or vulnerable adults. 

The request for this new tool was made during the global summit of the presidents of the episcopal conferences on the protection of minors, organized by Pope Francis in February 2019 to address what he called one of the deepest wounds in Church history. 

In the new document, issued in six languages, the Vatican tells bishops and high prelates to report possible sex crimes even when not obliged by local laws, strengthening the current policies that require Church authorities to report allegations only when legally bound. 

“Even in cases where there is no explicit legal obligation to do so, the ecclesiastical authorities should make a report to the competent civil authorities, if this is considered necessary to protect the person involved or other minors from the danger of further criminal acts," the manual says. 

The guide seems aimed at stripping clerical authorities of any excuse not to launch a preliminary investigation into alleged sex crimes or not to cooperate with law enforcement.

The manual states that allegations should not be dismissed even if there has not been a formal complaint, or if the news was first published via mass media or social media, or even if the source is anonymous. Even in these cases, the guide suggests an “attentive evaluation of any type of information received.”

The manual stresses that the protection of the victims is the top priority. It calls for ecclesiastical authorities “to ensure that the alleged victim and his or her family are treated with dignity and respect”. They have to be offered “welcome, attentive hearing and support, also through specific services, as well as spiritual, medical and psychological help, as required by the specific case.” 

The guide adds, however, that “the same can be done with regard to the accused,” who must always be guaranteed the right to self-defense. 

The definition of sex abuse provided by the manual is quite broad and can include “sexual relations (consensual or non-consensual); physical contact for sexual gratification; exhibitionism and masturbation; the production of pornography; inducement to prostitution and conversations and/or propositions of a sexual nature, which can also occur through various means of communication.”