GENEVA
euronews
In Geneva – and in the glare of the public for the first time – the Vatican is answering questions from the United Nations on child sex abuse by clergy.
The Holy See is a signatory of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. That requires it to answer questions about the scandal.
It was alleged the Church enabled the sexual abuse of thousands of children by protecting pedophile priests at the expense of its victims.
“The Holy See has also committed to listen carefully to victims of abuse and to address the impact such situations have on survivors of abuse and on their families,” Archbishop Silvano Tomasi told the hearing.
There was anger that the Vatican had earlier refused a request for data on abuse. Victims hope the hearing will prompt the Church to end what they see as secrecy.
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