Though child abuse is already designated as a criminal act, the pope has moved to strengthen Vatican law,to sexually or physically abuse children specifically within the Vatican City limits, according to CNN. Hundreds of people live in the Vatican, while millions visit every year. The new law will also broaden the definition of child abuse to include child prostitution and child pornography.
The legal changes were issued in a directive the pope launches himself, writes Reuters. The pope also announced his intention to increase the Vaticans support of international laws against crimes such as money laundering and terrorism.
The laws comes as part of an overall reform process started underand prompted by scandals revealingin the Vatican bureaucracy, reports Agence France-Presse.
The pope's reform "extends the reach of the legislation contained in these criminal laws to the members, officials and employees of the various bodies of the Roman Curia," the central body of the Catholic Church, Mamberti said.
"This extension has the aim of making the crimes included in these laws indictable by the judicial organs of Vatican City State even when committed outside the borders of the state," he said.
When Pope Francis was elected in March, the church was beset by accusations of covering up child sex-abuse cases. Pope Benedict came under harsh criticism for his perceived lack of action against pedophilia among clergy.
As a result of these allegations, the(CRC) has requested information onchildrens rights abuses globally, including sexual abuse cases, reports the Globe and Mail. The CRC monitors adherence to the 1990 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which the Vatican has both signed and ratified.
The demands include confidential information on church investigations into child-abuse cases and mark the first time that the Vatican has been probed by an international body.
Highlighted on the List of Issues presented to the Holy See by the CRC is the question of what steps have been takenaccused of sexual abuse from contacting their alleged victims, writes the Washington Post. The Vatican is also being asked to answer questions regarding the purported transferring of clergy members accused of abuse.
The questioning comes in advance of the Vaticans scheduled meeting with the committee in January 2014.
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