Sex abuse audit report includes national recommendations

Published: 2004-01-06

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The nationwide audit of sexual abuse policies and practices of Catholic dioceses went beyond assessing each diocese's current performance against the standards of the bishops' "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People." As a result of their meetings with bishops, diocesan personnel, abuse victims, law enforcement and social service personnel and other interested persons, the independent auditors came up with a substantial list of nationwide recommendations to improve the church's response to the sexual abuse issue in the future. Its recommendations included a number of proposals that could strengthen the charter itself or its implementation procedures when the bishops consider possible revisions later this year. It also recommended that the bishops sponsor a new national study -- "an external study of (voluntary) victims/survivors for the purpose of identifying better methods for responding to complaints of sexual abuse by clergy or other church personnel." At a Jan. 6 press conference introducing the report, Kathleen McChesney, executive director of the bishops' national Office for Child and Youth Protection, said, "We are in the process of initiating" the victim study recommended by the report.

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