Religious seek preventive medicine against clergy sex abuse

Published: 2004-01-13

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The next stage in fighting clergy sex abuse for religious communities in the United States is a good dose of preventive medicine, according to those who work in the field. This involves creating standards that stop abuse before it starts and training people to recognize telltale signs ranging from identifying predators to recognizing what is improper touching. The aim is "to get everybody up to snuff," said Marist Father Ted Keating, executive director of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men. Past policies were virtually limited to what to do after the fact, when an accuser came forward, he said. "Now, we are setting up prevention standards well back before something happens," said Father Keating. The Conference of Major Superiors of Men, known as CMSM, is an umbrella group for 317 religious communities in the United States and has been authorized by its membership to adapt the U.S. bishops' 2002 policies on clergy sex abuse to religious orders and communities.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .