“Unconditional information, aid and counselling to victims, and appropriate provisions to deal with offenders”: these are the main measures identified by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, archbishop of Vienna and president of the Austrian bishops, as ways of countering cases of sexual abuse in church. Schönborn issued a “Declaration on the procedural questions relating to sexual abuse in the Church” on Friday, 7 November, on the occasion of a meeting of the office of defending counsel instituted by the archdiocese of Vienna for the victims of such abuses. “Each accusation or evidence of abuse must be taken seriously”, declared Schönborn, “not only in the interest of the victim, but also in the interest of those who consider themselves wrongly accused. Vigilance and courage are needed to cooperate in the discovery of abuses and in the prevention of further risks”. In his Declaration, the Cardinal also renewed the plea for forgiveness to the victims of abuse in the Church, even if “Church leaders have hitherto done little or nothing to tackle those cases of abuse that have come to light”. Ample information on parish priests and ecclesiastical communities, “particular care” in the selection of staff, a “greater attention” to personal and sexual maturity in the educational process, are some of the provisions identified to prevent sexual abuses. Schönborn has also set up a commission of experts for the formulation of “further procedures and appropriate provisions to deal with the perpetrators of abuses”.
