Episcopal commission for reparation for victims of abuse begins its work

The Advisory Commission to implement the reparation plan for victims of abuse in the Catholic Church has begun its work this Wednesday, as reported today by the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE).

The Comprehensive Reparation Plan for Victims of Sexual Abuse (PRIVA) was approved in an extraordinary Plenary Assembly of the EEC that took place last July with the objective of giving approval to the documents prepared by the Advisory Service to Child protection offices.

In addition to PRIVA, a document was ratified with the lines of work of the institutions of the Catholic Church in Spain about abuses and guiding criteria for comprehensive repair.

The Advisory Commission that began its work this week after the ratification of the appointment of its members by the Permanent Commission of the EEC, which is holding its 268th meeting this Thursday and Friday.

Its mission is to focus on “those victims whose cases have not been able to be treated in legal settings,” as detailed by the CEE, with the stated purpose of “always putting the victim at the center, trying not to re-victimize them.”

To this end, “the information available about each case will be offered to the Commission without the need for the victim to have to retell their story.”

Once the information is received, the commission “through a non-judicial procedure, will try to verify the case and recommend the possible framework for reparation, based on what the victim herself requests for her healing and always seeking comprehensive reparation.”

The recommendations relating to each case are not binding, so it will be the dioceses and religious entities that will decide whether to freely assume them as their own, although it is stated that “the CEE and the CONFER (Confederation of Religious) will support this process.” subsidiarily.”

Law experts, psychiatrists, psychologists and specialists in care for victims of abuse are part of the Advisory Commission. These are their names and positions:

• On behalf of the EEC: Cristina Guzmán Pérez, doctor in Civil Law, associate professor (retired) at the Faculty of Law of the Universidad Pontificia Comillas.

• On behalf of the CONFER: Samuel Segura Valero, sdb, vicar of the Salesian Province “Santiago el Mayor”.

• Milagros Calvo Ibarlucea, former judge of the Supreme Court, room IV.

• Benito Gálvez Acosta, former judge of the Supreme Court, room V.

• Eduardo de Urbano Castrillo, former magistrate of the Provincial Court of Madrid.

• María Concepción Molina Blázquez, ordinary professor of Criminal Law. Comillas Pontifical University. Legal Guidance Area in the Betania Reception association.

• José Manuel Suárez Robledano, magistrate. Counselor of the Court of Accounts.

• Carlos Chiclana Actis, doctor in Psychiatry.

• Montserrat Lafuente Gil, doctor in Psychiatry.

• Mª José Díez Alonso, forensic psychologist and general health psychologist.

• Juan Carlos González Martín, Association Ashma. Welcome, listening, reparation to victims.

The president of the EEC, Mons. Luis Argüello, Archbishop of Valladolid, and the secretary general of the episcopal institution, Mons. Francisco César García Magán, Auxiliary Bishop of Toledo, attended the first meeting of the Advisory Commission.