Vatican fights sexual abuse with e-learning

In a bid to help safeguard victims from paedophile priests, the Vatican has revealed plans to establish an e-learning centre as part of its efforts to clear its image from damaging scandals of sexual abuse by priests, reports All Headline News.

The Roman Catholic Church is also gearing up for a major conference on abuse where the bishops will discuss the guidelines to combat abuse in accordance with local legislation.

The conference will be held in Rome in February next year. The centre will offer information and advice in five languages, including English, to responders of abuse cases.

“The e-learning centre will work with medical institutions and universities to develop a constant response to the problems of sexual abuse,” said Monsignor Klaus Peter Franzl of the archdiocese of Munich, writes the BBC.

Officials said private donors had pledged funds to maintain the database for an initial three years, the Associated Press reported.

Victims' groups have criticised the Vatican for its slow response to allegations of sexual abuse by clergy.

Baroness Sheila Hollins, who will be one of the main speakers at the conference, said she hoped the victims' point of view would be at the forefront of the debate.

The e-learning centre and the conference are the church's latest efforts to come to grips with the scandal that has rocked it around the world, says Reuters.

Two months ago, the Vatican sent a directive to all bishops telling them they must make it a global priority to root out sexual abuse of children by priests.

The Vatican has told the bishops that each diocese must draw up tough guidelines, based on a global approach but in line with local criminal law, to deal with cases of abuse.