The VITA group, created to monitor situations of sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults in the context of the Portuguese Catholic Church, has already received 57 requests for help since it began operating in May this year. 31 situations were brought to the attention of church structures, and 13 were transferred to the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office. On October 6 and 9, the group will hear from two more people.
“For the most part, these requests for help concern adults who were victims of sexual abuse as children or teenagers,” says Rute Agulhas, coordinator of the VITA Group, which is presenting on December 12 the first activity report along with guidelines for preventing abuse in the Church. Rute Agulhas also reports that VITA Group has already received 210 telephone calls and provided 35 consultations, most of them in person.
Meanwhile, D. Américo Aguiar, the future bishop of Setúbal, who became a cardinal this Saturday, stressed that the Portuguese Church “must make daily efforts to continue to be exemplary” in matters of sexual abuse. He also asked the public to “not give up” and take responsibility for reporting and acknowledging sexual violence in a “transversal” manner.
Author: Rogerio Chambel
Source: CM Jornal
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