On Thursday, the Spanish Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo, presented a comprehensive report on sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, urging both Parliament and Church authorities to take immediate, concrete action.Speaking before Congress, Gabilondo emphasised the importance of prioritising victim support over ideological divides. “Victims deserve a concrete response to their situation that cannot be postponed,” he stated. Gabilondo called for the Church and the Spanish state to adopt joint commitments, recognising that meaningful progress requires a united front. He urged Parliament to put aside ideological differences and focus on the needs of survivors, stressing that it is time for reparative measures to be implemented swiftly.
Presentación en @Congreso_Es del Informe sobre abusos sexuales en el ámbito de la Iglesia católica y el papel de los poderes públicos
Ángel Gabilondo insta a “anteponer la reparación a las víctimas a cualquier otra diferencia ideológica o de creencia”https://t.co/TvaZWkpniG pic.twitter.com/sYlpwYP2C9
— Defensor del Pueblo (@DefensorPuebloE) November 21, 2024
Coordination between church and state needed
During his address, Gabilondo highlighted the need for coordination between Church offices dedicated to child protection and those managed by the Ministry of Justice. This would help avoid “confusion” among victims and provide a clear path for support. He acknowledged recent efforts by the Church, such as the implementation of the PRIVA Plan, a measure aimed at improving protocols for preventing and managing abuse cases, which includes better reporting processes and training for Church personnel. However, he stressed that much more needs to be done. According to Gabilondo, the Church has moved from minimising the problem as merely a few “bad apples” to an “implicit and progressive acknowledgment” of the true scale of abuse.
Silence and suffering
Gabilondo spoke about the years of “suffering and solitude” endured by victims. Furthermore, he criticises the persistent “unjust silence” of those who could have acted sooner. He commended the bravery of victims who have come forward, helping to break this silence. However, he maintained that recognition must be followed by concrete measures. Among the 24 recommendations in the report are proposals for the establishment of a state fund to compensate survivors, particularly those unable to pursue their cases in court due to the statute of limitations.
Transparency and public recognition
The Ombudsman also called for public acknowledgment of the abuse scandal, suggesting an official ceremony to recognise the harm done. He pushed for greater transparency from the Church, including opening ecclesiastical archives to investigate the true extent of abuse. Additionally, he recommended changes to civil liability laws concerning paedophilia to allow victims more time to seek justice. Gabilondo further announced plans for an updated report to include new testimonies gathered since the initial findings were published over a year ago.
The scale of the crisis
The report reveals the significant scope of abuse: 487 victims initially came forward to the Ombudsman’s office, with a further 188 testimonies added over the past year, bringing the total to 674. The majority of these survivors are men, with most incidents occurring during the 1960s and 1970s. The devastating impact of these abuses has, according to Gabilondo, been compounded by an “insufficient response” from the Church.
Sexual abuse within the Spanish Catholic Church appears to be much more extensive, according to a large-scale survey conducted by Gabilondo in October 2023. According to these figures, Spain is the country with the highest official projection of victims.
“It is time to adopt concrete measures,” Gabilondo concluded. The Ombudsman made it clear that symbolic gestures are not enough. The victims deserve real action and an end to the silence that has surrounded this issue for decades.