Mandatory reporting of allegations of sexual abuse

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Thursday December 29, 2022, 05:38 Press release: SNAP

New Zealand’s Aotearoa abuse survivor group, SNAP, has called on the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care to carefully review the American Catholic Churches’ charter on sexual and religious child abuse, known as the Dallas Charter, 20 years after the Charter was published.

SNAP leader Christopher Longhurst said while the Charter may have been a well-meaning attempt to reduce serious instances of clergy and religious child sexual abuse in the U.S. Catholic Church, it also failed because bishops retained oversight of all processes.

The American Church was also vague on reporting child abuse saying it should be reported to public authorities, but should have been clearer and said report to the police.

Another ambiguity was the reporting of current and past sexual abuse crimes, some dating back years. Some law enforcement authorities will only investigate ongoing cases.

SNAP asked the Commission to make a clear recommendation to the government that mandatory reporting of all allegations of sexual abuse, regardless of time period, always be made to the police.

It is the public safety bar of children and vulnerable adults that should form the basis of what mandatory reporting should look like.

When some people do not want to go to the police, they inevitably complain to the institutions concerned or to family members or friends. This means that perpetrators sometimes get away with their crimes.

It is clear from the Commission’s report to the government that state and faith-based institutions have resorted to deceptive practices to evade discovery of abuse. According to SNAP, the current clergy-focused response from New Zealand Catholic bishops remains a major cause for ongoing concern.

SNAP wants an independent, survivor-led targeted public alternative where abused people report to an independent body in a safe space.

SURVIVOR NETWORK OF PEOPLE ABUSED BY PRIESTS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND TRUSTWeb page: http://www.snapnetwork.org/aotearoa_new_zealand

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