Judging effectiveness of sex abuse policy raises thorny issues

Published: 2006-04-03

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- After three years of auditing dioceses to see if they have developed mandated programs to prevent child sex abuse, church officials now are looking to judge whether these programs are taking root. This re-evaluation involves the thorny issue of whether future auditors should be able to see clergy personnel files given right-to-privacy limitations to access in church and civil law. Experts said this often boils down to balancing the right to privacy with the right of the public to information for the common good. It also raises the practical questions: How do you judge if pastors and Catholics in the pew know what to do if someone comes forward with an allegation? How do you know if a child can handle himself or herself if approached by an abuser? "While the audit process records the presence of structures, policies and programs, it has not examined the effectiveness of these measures," said Patricia O'Donnell Ewers, head of the National Review Board established by the bishops as an independent monitor of how their policies are implemented.

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