Portugal church sets up compensation fund for child sex abuse victims

RELIGIONS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – The Bishops Conference in Portugal is setting aside a fund to compensate victims of child sexual abuse within the church, acknowledging that no maximum amount has been set for each claim.

A report found at least 4,815 children had been sexually abused by clergy – mostly priests – over seven decades, and this was said to be the tip of the iceberg.

The head of the conference, Bishop Jose Ornelas, said requests for compensation will be filed from June to December this year and a committee will determine the amount to be given to each victim according to a set criteria, with the gravity of cases taken into account. This has been criticised by a survivors’ group which wants the same amount for all.