The FGE will ask religious congregations for information on child abuse given the "very little" received from the dioceses

He says that they have only received a response from 29 of the 70 dioceses, which were basically "model" responses.

MADRID, 16 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The State Attorney General (FGE), Álvaro García Ortiz, has advanced this Thursday that in view of the "extremely scant information received" by the different dioceses on cases of sexual abuse of minors, he will send letters to certain entities and religious congregations to gather information on cases for which the Prosecutor's Office still lacks data.

This has been stated in his appearance before the Senate Justice Commission, where he presents the 2021 Public Ministry Report.

In line, he recalled that on November 24 and 25, 2022, each of the 70 dioceses was instructed to report the cases of which they were aware, advising them of their obligation to notify the Public Prosecutor of any fact that could constitute a crime against the sexual freedom of a minor.

And he has pointed out that they have only received a response from 29 of the 70 dioceses, which were basically "model" responses in which it was stated that they had no open cases in canonical processes. "While in other cases they referred to what had already been sent to the provincial prosecutors," he added.

In line, he recalled that from the FGE they decided to ask these dioceses after the Episcopal Conference in September 2022 did not send them new data "alleging that the victim assistance offices of each diocese had their own legal personality and that they did not have competition over them.

On the other hand, García Ortiz has explained that they are preparing a study on the procedural alternatives to repair the victims, in cases of prescribed acts and deceased perpetrators.

"This study will analyze the international and regional references, always keeping in mind that the central thing is to provide the victims with a platform for listening, recognition and subsequent reparation for the events suffered," he stressed.

In addition, he recalled that in January 2022 the FGE opened a coordination file for the follow-up of cases of sexual assault in the field of religious congregations, sending a letter to the prosecutors of the Autonomous Communities. The objective was "to be able to know and follow up on non-prescribed cases".

And he has added to this that the FGE, through its Technical Secretariat, participates in the Commission of Experts created by the Ombudsman whose purpose is to "prepare a report on the complaints of these sexual assaults and the role of the public powers .