The financial compensation commission for victims of sexual abuse should have commenced its work on the first day of September, said António Grosso from the Coração Silenciado. Though the Portuguese Episcopal Conference (CEP) stated that the commission will begin functioning this month, details on when it will be fully operational remain unclear due to the seven-member composition requirement.
CEP has validated 77 out of 84 financial compensation requests received so far, and the commission to determine compensation is set to start this September. It will include a panel of seven jurists, comprising lawyers and appellate judges.
Grosso highlighted the lack of transparency from CEP regarding the available compensation amounts, minimums, maximums, and the number of compensation brackets.
In a statement, CEP mentioned that compensation payments will be sourced from a new fund being established by the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, supported by contributions from dioceses and institutes of consecrated life.
The Coração Silenciado member criticized CEP’s interview process with victims over recent months, calling it a harsh “re-victimization process” as victims were compelled to recall their traumatic experiences.
A protest is scheduled in front of the Assembly of the Republic to oppose the perceived “inert attitude” of the Portuguese State, which António Grosso claims has neither implemented nor promoted significant measures regarding the issue.
The association also called for changes in the statute of limitations for crimes of sexual abuse against minors, emphasizing that “suffering and trauma do not expire.”
