A United Nations committee released a report on Wednesday stating the Vatican Catholic Church should take extreme measures against the nearly 400 priests found guilty of child sex abuse in the 2011-2012 investigation, CNN reported.
After the Vatican admitted an unprecedented amount of priests had been committing sexual abuse againt children, the Church seemed more worried about protecting their priests than past and future abused children, according to CNN.
The report was published by U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Vatican is a signatory to the Rights of the Child, meaning their should adhere to procedures benefiting the safety of children, CNN reported.
On Wednesday, the U.N. report said the Vatican should create an "independent mechanism for monitoring children's rights" in order to look into child sex abuse complaints, CNN reported. The report also says all 400 priests should be removed from their ranks.
"The Committee is gravely concerned that the Holy See has not acknowledged the extent of the crimes committed, has not taken the necessary measures to address cases of child sexual abuse and protect children, and has adopted policies and practices which has led to the continuation of the abuse by and the impunity of the perpetrators," the report says, according to CNN.
The report also mentions victims of child abuse being moved from one parish to another to keep the crime under wraps, CNN reported.
"The Holy See has consistently placed the preservation of the reputation of the Church and the protection of the perpetrators above children's best interests," the report also said.
In response, the Vatican said on Wednesday an analysis of the report the U.N's "commitment to defending and protecting the rights of the child," will be taken into consideration, and during questioning last month, a high Vatican official said he be "open to any suggestions on protecting children's rights," according to CNN.
"There is no excuse for any form of sexual violence or exploitation of children. Such crimes can never be justified, whether committed in the home, in schools, in community and sports programs, in religious organizations and structures. This is the longstanding policy of the Holy See," Monsignor Silvano Tomasi, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, told CNN.
Due to the very intimate and exclusive precedings, many of the priests will not be subject to criminal penalties, and according to the report, this "code of silence" in the clergy leads to more child sex abuse, CNN reported. Currently, child sex abuse cases are not reported to authorities, which the report also calls to be changed.
