Catholic church claims 'seismic shift' after child sexual abuse scandals

Church says standards body will mean better accountability, consistency and public transparency on its dealing with children

Australian Associated Press
Saturday 18 February 2017 16.05 EST

The Catholic church says it has made a seismic shift in holding its leaders accountable for protecting Australian children after decades of abuse by hundreds of pedophiles.

The church says its new national professional standards body will ensure consistency across its autonomous dioceses and orders.

Each bishop and religious leader will sign a contract agreeing to abide by the standards and be monitored, audited and subject to public reporting, the church’s Truth Justice and Healing Council chief executive, Francis Sullivan, said. “It is quite a seismic shift for the Catholic church in holdings leaders to account,” Sullivan said. “It is necessary in order to achieve consistency for survivors.

“It is the biggest learning we’ve had over this whole time – that what the church had previously put in place was rather toothless.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/feb/19/catholic-church-claims-seismic-shift-after-child-sexual-abuse-scandals