In keeping with the recommendation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) has come out with guidelines for Church personnel connected with institutions to ensure a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults.
The guidelines emphasise special care to be taken to make all feel comfortable at Catholic presbyteries, churches, educational and religious institutions, houses of special care and Catholic organisations. It also says sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults are heinous and grave sins.
The guidelines are part of KCBC’s endeavor to put in place a safe environment program in Catholic faith communities. It also suggests periodical safe environment training for clergy, staff and volunteers. A Safe Environment Director and also a Safe Environment Committee to be set up for this purpose. All Church personnel have been advised to abide these guidelines.
Church personnel have been advised not to engage in physical, mental, psychological, written or verbal harassment of staff, volunteer or parishioners and shall not tolerate such harassment by other Church personnel. Harassment has been broadly defined which also includes sexual advances, touching, seeking sexual favours and sexual comments or jokes.
These procedural norms have been drafted in accordance with the Canon Law, the documents from Holy See, the Civil Law prevalent in India and after consulting the Conference of Religious in India and the CBCI.
A redressal system has also been suggested in addition to a National Review Board comprising three bishops appointed by the CBCI Standing Committee. If the issue involves civil authorities, the guidelines suggest full and complete cooperation to assist them in their investigations. In case a cleric is wrongly accused, provision to be made for his/her rehabilitation has also been suggested.