MIAMI (FL)
Abuse Survivors Coalition [USA]
June 12, 2026
Yesterday in Miami the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) voted to accept the revisions to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People proposed by Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond, Virginia. The document, commonly known as the “Dallas Charter,” was a set of procedures originally established in 2002 to address accusations of the sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy.
The Abuse Survivors Coalition (ASC) is deeply disappointed by the changes made, and not made, to the Dallas Charter. The group believes that the revisions are not in the best interests of survivors abused in the Church, whether as children or adults, abused by priests or others. In the words of ASC Virginia/DC Contact, Becky Ianni, “The Bishops voted to protect themselves, not to protect victims.”
The Key revisions to the Charter included:
- · The explicit integration of the “right of an accused to the presumption of innocence;”
- · Additional references on the protection of information under the seal of confession;
- · Identifying “mandatory Church reporters” to complement mandatory civil reporting laws;
- · Authorization for the use of “electronic letters of suitability;
- · A new, comprehensive glossary of terms.
Missing from the updates was the expansion of the Dallas Charter to include other types of abuse, in particular, the abuse of adult men and women by Catholic clergymen. The ASC believes that this was a grave mistake, particularly since those who prey on adults sometimes also assault children.
A survivor of abuse by a Catholic priest as an adult who is associated with the ASC, “Jane Doe,” added that while public awareness of the horrible effects of child sexual abuse on the lives of boys and girls is beginning to be widespread, the sexual abuse of adults remains a largely hidden topic. “This type of abuse is renamed and twisted into being called ‘affairs’ or a ‘love-sick obsession.’ Even the term used by the Vatican in VOS ESTIS LUX MUNDI, which expanded protections from harm to ‘vulnerable adults’ suggests there is something not quite normal about adult victims.”
Melanie Sakoda, ASC California Contact, observed that in the decades she has worked with the abused, among those assaulted by trusted religious authority figures as adults two took their own lives in their pain, and others contemplated suicide. The differential of power between a clergyman and a believer is such that a member of the community can never truly consent to a sexual relationship.
The ASC also fears that the heightened emphasis on the “presumption of innocence” may mean that the accused will be allowed to remain in ministry, despite the fact that false accusations of sexual abuse are extremely rare. Such a response is most likely to put more innocent lives, both children and adults, in danger.
The group is also concerned that expanding the protection of the “seal of confession” will allow the Church to hide information about sexual abuse in both criminal and civil cases. This flies in the face of the original Dallas promises for more, not less, openness and transparency.
Susan Vance, a member of the ASC Operations Team as well as a Tennessee Contact, sums up the group’s take on these recent developments. “We are cognizant that not all of the USCCB members agreed with the actions taken, and we wish to honor those voices. In particular we wish to commend Archbishop Shawn McKnight of Kansas City, Kansas, who told “EWTN News In Depth” that the vote was “a missed opportunity,” observing that the revised Charter does not address the abuse of adults, abuses of power, and episcopal misconduct or cover-ups. However, the ASC cannot help but express our deep disappointment with the actions of the majority of Catholic prelates.”
The ASC hopes that the folks in the pews will speak up and also express their dissatisfaction with the USCCB’s decision on Charter revisions. The survivors group urges believers to join them in sharing their displeasure in a development that puts the needs of the hierarchy front and center, and ignores the needs and voices of victims and their supporters.
We cannot help but feel that this is a giant step backward.
CONTACT: Becky Ianni, ASC Virginia/DC Contact (rianni@cox.net,703-801-6044), Melanie Sakoda, ASC California (melanie.sakoda@gmail.com, 925-708-6175), Susan Vance, ASC Operations Team, ASC Tennessee Contact (Susan8324@gmail.com, 865-748-3518)
(The Abuse Survivors Coalition is a survivor-led, peer-run organization dedicated to supporting individuals affected by abuse and advocating for accountability within institutions where abuse has occurred. ASC is informed by decades of collective experience in survivor support, advocacy, and public education. The organization focuses on facilitating peer support, sharing information about available survivor resources, and engaging in advocacy efforts centered on survivor-led principles. Survivors remain the central priority of ASC’s work. Our website is: www.ascoalition.org)