Nov. 8 (UPI) — The French Catholic Church said on Monday that it would fully compensate all victims of sexual abuse by clergy members.
After an independent commission found that more than 330,000 minors were sexually abused by clergy members in France over 70 years, the church claimed an institutional responsibility to make reparations.
Though a compensation amount wasn’t noted, the bishops of France agreed to sell real estate or take out loans to fund the move.
They also decided to establish nine working groups that will undertake individual missions and report to the Plenary Assembly. Some groups will focus on the analysis of the causes of sexual violence within the Church, the sharing of good practices of reported cases, and the accompaniment of implicated priests.
“The bishops of France decide on an external audit of the listening units for victims, resulting in a common charter and a regular evaluation method to be entrusted to the Council for the prevention and fight against pedophilia,” the Church said in a statement.