Vatican urged to prosecute priests over child abuse

VATICAN CITY. — A group representing victims of child sex abuse at the Catholic Church has called on the Vatican to prosecute offending priests.
In an interview with Italy’s edition of the English-language news publisher, The Local, on Wednesday, Barbara Blaine, president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), said more action needs to be taken by the Holy See concerning systematic child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. “Church officials have refused to take any action that will protect children. All Pope Francis has done is set up a commission but that does not protect children,” Blaine said.

A report by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child recently shed new light on decades of such scandals. The report criticised the Holy See for adopting policies that allow the clergy to sexually abuse children with impunity.

The Vatican, however, said in a statement that it was committed to “defending and protecting the rights of the child” and would submit the findings to “a thorough study and examination.” — Press TV.