Can the next Pope finally eradicate sexual abuse in the Catholic Church? | DW News

Key Concepts:

• Sexual abuse by clergy members
• Cover-ups and lack of accountability within the Catholic Church
• Zero tolerance policy
• Independent oversight panel
• Pontifical Secret
• Systematic change vs. individual changes

The Demand for Action Against Sex Abuse in the Catholic Church

Following the death of Pope Francis and the upcoming election of a new pope, survivors of sexual abuse by clergy members are demanding more decisive action to eradicate sex abuse within the Catholic Church. Despite some progress under Pope Francis, cover-ups and a lack of accountability remain significant challenges. The issue is described as "widespread," "accommodated," and "integrated" into the Church's operations.

Specific Demands from Survivors

Survivors are urging the cardinals participating in the conclave to elect a pope who will implement a zero-tolerance policy. This includes:

• Permanent Removal from Ministry: Any individual, including priests, nuns, deacons, members of religious orders, and lay people in positions of authority, proven to have abused a child or an adult should be permanently removed from any leadership role within the Church.
• Independent Oversight Panel: An external, independent panel should be established to oversee the management of abuse cases by authority figures within the Church.

Historical Context of the Crisis

The Catholic Church has faced a growing crisis of sex abuse for decades. The video highlights the Boston Globe's investigation 25 years ago, which exposed the massive scale of sexual abuse in the Boston Diocese and the subsequent cover-up. Independent inquiries have since revealed that hundreds of thousands of children and adults may have been abused by priests or members of the clergy worldwide, including in Ireland, Chile, and Australia.

Pope Francis's Efforts and Their Shortcomings

Pope Francis attempted to address the problem by:

• Creating a Commission on Sexual Abuse: This commission was intended to provide advice to the Church on prevention and best practices.
• Introducing a Law Requiring Reporting: All Church staff were required to report suspected cases to their superiors.
• Abolishing the Pontifical Secret: The Vatican's highest level of secrecy was abolished for cases of sexual abuse.

However, critics argue that these measures failed to produce tangible results. The commission lost influence, and its most impactful recommendation—a tribunal to judge bishops who covered up sexual abuse cases—was never implemented.

The Need for Systematic Change

Survivors believe that a new pope with a fresh approach could help combat sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. However, they emphasize that the entire institution requires a serious overhaul to truly eliminate the problem. The focus should be on "real systematic change" rather than simply changing individuals, such as popes or cardinals. Changing individuals "doesn't mean anything if you haven't changed the [institution]."