The Spanish Episcopal Conference has published a note in which it regrets the unjust accusation launched by a political representative in the context of the approval of the Law against violence against children. It also recalls the work being done by the Spanish Church in the field of prevention and reparation of child abuse.
Note from the Cee
Yesterday, the Law against violence against children was approved in the Congress of Deputies. It is good news that the Congress echoes a problem that affects Spanish society. During the parliamentary debate, the Minister for Social Rights and Agenda 2030, Ione Belarra, accused the Church of being an accomplice to these abuses through cover-up. It is a seriously unfair accusation that seeks to sully the activity of millions of people for decades and that does not correspond at all with the truth.
Recent independent studies have highlighted the seriousness of this problem in our country. These studies have pointed out that 0.2% of the cases have occurred in religious activities, something that being serious for us, shows the magnitude of the problem and points out the environments in which abuses mostly occur, which should have special attention and protection.
The Church and its commitment to the protection of minors
The Catholic Church began a long process of updating its protocols and code of law as early as 2002, especially in matters of statutes of limitations for these crimes and the prevention of abuse in the present and in the future, aspects that are now incorporated into Spanish law. Since that year, protocols and safe environments for minors have been developed in the places where the Church carries out its activity. Religious congregations have deployed a significant number of initiatives to care for minors in a safe manner and the diocesan Church is also following this path and has set up offices for the protection of minors and the prevention of abuse in all Spanish dioceses.
As part of its mission, the Church is firmly committed to the integral promotion of minors and develops thousands of initiatives each year that seek to form them in values as relevant as solidarity, respect for differences, service to the common good or care for the environment according to the principles of Christian humanism.
Thousands of lay people, priests and religious work for this purpose with effort, training, dedication and responsibility. Their work cannot be tarnished either by the actions of some of its members who are unworthy of that work or by the assessments of politicians who, prey to a rancid anticlericalism, use the Church for political confrontation in a strategy of rupture and confrontation.
Finally, we want to renewing the commitment from the Church with the protection of minors that it will continue to take steps forward and thank the work of all those inside and outside the Church who work in the care of minors and in their formation, for a better future.
