Portugal: prepare a list of offenders of the Catholic Church and demand justice for 4,800 victims

Portugal this was no exception. More than 4,800 priestly victims are protected by the silence now broken by complaints and the preparation of a list, according to an investigation into the abuse of minors in the Catholic Church. offenders inactive.

An independent commission investigating abuses throughout the year was able to confirm 512 victim testimonyalthough he admits that the “minimum” exceeds 4815 and his coordinator, Peter Strechtacknowledged today that “it is impossible to quantify the total number of crimes,” during the presentation of the final report on his work.

Of the total number of complaints received, the commission sent to Justice only 25 cases, because most of them have already been discharged, although the commission is preparing a list with still active rapists, which, as they note, can be completed in the coming weeks and that it will not be made public, but will be sent to the prosecutor’s office.

The findings of this investigation should lead to a “change,” Strecht said in the presence of Manuel Clemente, Cardinal of Lisbon and President of the Bishops’ Conference. Jose OrnelasBishop of Leiria Fatima, among other members of the leadership Portuguese Catholic Church.

Main part abuse were committed between the 1960s and 1990s, so the commission created Bishops’ Conference and made up of six members, including psychologists, sociologists, lawyers and even a filmmaker, is calling for laws to be changed to extend the statute of limitations for these crimes to 30 years.

VICTIMS AGED 11

The vast majority of victims were ill-treated more than once, and about a third suffered abuse not less than a year, and in some cases up to seven years, concludes the investigation.

About 53% are children, and they began to suffer abuse between the ages of 10 and 14, although the average age is barely over eleven. Most today are about 52 years old, and about 20% are over 40.

Nearly 60% lived with their parents, and only a few disclosed what was going on. On average, it took ten years, and more than a quarter hardly dared to speak when this investigation began last January.

Silence was an accomplice of the offenders: 77% of the victims never complained to the church and only 4% complained to justice.

Many victims who revealed abuse their families were not believed or even rejected.

PROFILE OF A RAPIST

victims Suffered violations and all kinds of violence: penetration, anal and oral sex, touching, masturbation, offensive words… Most of the rapists were men (96%) and priests – about 77%-.

abuse They were held in seminaries, church institutions, including the altar and sacristy, confessionals, parish houses, orphanages, schools or sports facilities.

by zones, crimes registered throughout the country, especially in Lisbon, Porto and Braga, and affected victims of all social classes.

END OF SILENT NIGHT

” reviews they are emotionally very intense” and should end the “long night of silence, shame, fear and guilt,” Strecht said today.

Research confirms that Portugal was no exception, and that the extent and severity of the abuses in the Portuguese church were similar to those condemned in neighboring countries.

Although experts highlighted the Catholic leadership’s “will” to cooperate by opening files to document violations, sociologist Ana Vasconcelos, a member of the commission, cautioned against “an attitude of banality of evil.”

The findings of this investigation are published in Portugal five months before the celebration world youth dayscheduled for August next year in Lisbon, where the visit will take place Pope Francisco.

Bishops’ Conferencewhich has already received the report, will review the investigation at an extraordinary meeting on March 3.

In bulky documentation, more than 500 pages, reviews victims.

Like a girl who was abused by her foster family, who today claims Justice: “I’m not a number, I’m a man.”

EFE