Washington D.C., Jan 24, 2019 / 13:00 pm
A law has been proposed in the District of Columbia which will broaden the classification of those required to report instances of child abuse or neglect. The bill would apply to clergy but make exceptions for the sacrament of confession.
"Teachers, health professionals, and clergy have a special responsibility to protect children, but far too often abuse goes unreported or is covered up," said Attorney General Karl Racine in a statement to the media.
"To help stop child abuse in the District, this bill requires more adults to report it and trains them on how to spot it."
A spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Washington released a statement saying that the archdiocese was aware of the draft bill but had not yet seen a final version. Director of Media and Public Relations Chieko Noguchi noted that the archdiocese had "long been supportive" of such policies.