Washington D.C., Sep 19, 2018 / 13:30 pm
The U.S. bishops' conference has announced new accountability measures in response to recent clerical sex-abuse scandals. The reforms include the establishment of an independent reporting mechanism to receive complaints against bishops, and the development of a Code of Conduct for bishops.
A statement released Sept. 19 by the USCCB's Administrative Committee said that the new steps being taken to combat abuse are "only the beginning," and that consultations were underway with laity, clergy, and religious on how better to "repair the scandal and restore justice."
The Administrative Committee's statement announced four key policies.
The first is the creation of a confidential, third-party reporting mechanism to handle "complaints of sexual abuse of minors by a bishop and sexual harassment of or sexual misconduct with adults by a bishop." This system, the statement said, will direct those complaints to the appropriate civil and ecclesiastical authorities.