【明報專訊】During his visit to the UK last September, Pope Benedict XVI (教宗本篤十六世) openly expressed his sorrow for the "unspeakable crimes" that had occurred in the Catholic Church.
Child abuse by Catholic priests has long been a serious problem, but the Church has not been willing to talk about it. Many such cases have been covered up. In the past decade, the Church investigated about 100 such cases. However, it is believed that they were just the tip of the iceberg.
Recently, many victims gathered in Verona, Italy. They urged that child abuse by clergy (神職人員) be made a crime against humanity. They are planning to stage a protest together with victims from the US outside the Vatican.
Former victim and ex-priest Salvatore Damolo, the organiser, regards the protest as a platform on which victims can talk about their experiences. As there is a statutory 10-year time bar in Italy, it is often the case that, when a victim seeks help, legal intervention is no longer possible. Damolo believes justice is very important to abuse victims.
■Did you know...
Against Child Abuse (防止虐待兒童會, ACA) was officially established in 1980 in consequence of a serious child abuse case that happened in Hong Kong in 1978. ACA aims at promoting children's all-round growth and development in a caring and non-violent environment.
■Keywords
child abuse……侵害
