The Ukraine government has passed new sex abuse legislation that clears the way for paedophiles to be chemically castrated, jailed for lengthier periods and monitored for life. The castration process – which is confined to offenders aged between 18 and 65 – will involve “coercive chemical castration” by injecting anti-androgen drugs to reduce libido and Read more
Poland is planning to double jail terms for convicted paedophiles after a documentary on priest sex abuse sparked outrage in the country. The documentary includes harrowing testimonies from victims and has been viewed more than 18 million times. Convicted paedophiles could now face up to 30 years or even life in prison. Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Read more
News of George Pell’s conviction was a fitting end to a papal summit on child abuse which achieved nothing and began with other cardinals attributing the problem to homosexuals in the priesthood. The reality is that priests abuse small boys not because they are gay but because they have the opportunity. Most are not even Read more
Brisbane’s Anglican diocese is to investigate a parish which allowed two convicted paedophile former priests to be lectors. Barry John Greaves and Robert Francis Sharwood were both given recurring roles doing readings at services at the Holy Trinity Church, Fortitude Valley, after serving time in jail for sexually abusing children. Brisbane Anglican diocese regulations introduced Read more
Human rights must apply to everybody – even to those who have abused others’ rights. This is the uncomfortable underpinning of the Police Minister’s proposed register for the close monitoring of sex offenders in the community. Anne Tolley has, however, struck the right balance in, first, piloting the monitoring system with about 300 convicted child Read more
A retired Australian bishop has told a Victorian parliamentary inquiry that his predecessor “effectively facilitated” child sexual abuse by leaving known paedophiles in ministry and this was “absolutely” unChristlike. Bishop Peter Connors said his predecessor in Ballarat diocese, Bishop Ronald Mulkearns, made “terrible errors” and showed “great naivety” in moving paedophiles Gerald Ridsdale and Paul Read more
The vast majority of German priests accused of sexually abusing minors were psychologically normal, according to research commissioned by the Catholic Church. Only 12 per cent of those studied were diagnosed as paedophiles, according to a report released by Bishop Stephan Ackermann of Trier, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference spokesman on abuse cases. Psychological testing showed Read more