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PA
UK News

Catholic Church apologises over abuse

The inquiry which was headed by former moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Very Revd Andrew McLellan suggests the church's safeguarding guidelines are updated and has called for survivors of abuse to be prioritised.

Eight recommendations have been put foreward for the Church.

Mr McLellan, was given the job of evaluating the procedures in place to protect vulnerable children and adults with the main aim of ensuring that the church is a safe place for all.

Speaking at a press conference in Edinburgh to set out the findings of his investigation, he said: "Support for the survivors of abuse must be an absolute priority for the Catholic Church in Scotland. The Bishops' Conference of Scotland should make a public apology to all survivors of abuse within the church.

"An apology must be made in a way that is unmistakeable and unequivocal."

"The Bishops have said from the outset that they will accept our recommendations. That means that three things will happen. First and most important a beginning will be made to heal the hurt and address the anger which so many survivors feel. Second, the Catholic Church in Scotland will begin to confront a dark part of its past and find some healing for itself. Third, a significant step will be taken in restoring public credibility for the Catholic Church."

The eight suggestions:

- Support for survivors of abuse must be an absolute priority for the Catholic Church in Scotland in the field of safeguarding.
- The policy and practice manual "Awareness and Safety in our Catholic Communities" should be completely revised or rewritten.
- There must be external scrutiny and independence in the safeguarding policies and practices of the Church.
- Effectiveness and improvement must be measured at every level of safeguarding in the Church.
- A consistent approach to safeguarding is essential - consistent across different parts of Scotland and consistent across different parts of the Church.
- Justice must be done, and justice must be seen to be done, for those who have been abused and for those against whom allegations of abuse are made.
- The priority of undertaking regular high-quality training and continuous professional development in safeguarding must be understood and accepted by all those involved in safeguarding at every level.
- The Church must set out a theology of safeguarding which is coherent and compelling.

Speaking at a mass at St Andrew's Cathedral in Glasgow, in response to the findings, Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of the Scottish Catholic Bishops' Conference said: "As the president of the Bishops' Conference, and on behalf of all the Bishops of Scotland, I want to offer a profound apology to all those who have been harmed and who have suffered in any way as a result of actions by anyone within the Catholic Church.

"Child abuse is a horrific crime. That this abuse should have been carried out within the Church, and by priests and religious, takes that abuse to another level.

"Such actions are inexcusable and intolerable. The harm the perpetrators of abuse have caused is first and foremost to their victims, but it extends far beyond them, to their families and friends, as well as to the church and wider society."

PA

Prior to the release of the report, the Scottish Catholic Church revealed figures on abuse allegations within it. Between 2006 and 2012, 46 allegations of abuse were made, more than half of which (55%) were sexual abuse.

19% of allegations were of physical abuse, while 11% were verbal abuse and 15% regarding emotional abuse.

There have been no prosecutions in relation to 61% of all cases reported, the church said.

It also said findings from a review of all cases of historic abuse allegations between 1947 and 2005 will be published in the future.

Listen to Premier's Marcus Jones speak to Tina Campbell,  the Church's National Safeguarding Coordinator, here:

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