The commission tasked with investigating suspected cases of sexual abuse within the Church and improving prevention will start its work next month.

The Curia’s Safeguarding Commission, as it is called, will inherit five cases – three of which involve minors – from the Response Team it is replacing.

“Our work will not be limited to investigating cases of abuse but will include measures to prevent abuse and create a culture where children and vulnerable adults feel protected...” said Andrew Azzopardi, who will be heading the five-member commission.

“Child abuse happens in dark corners. Our job is to shed the light.”

The other members are psychologists Roberta Attard and Clarissa Sammut Scerri, medical doctor Kevin Borg, and Fr Antoine Farrugia, an educator and social worker.

The outgoing Response Team, set up in 1999, recently faced renewed criticism for delays in dealing with allegations that Dominican priest Charles Fenech committed sexual abuse.

In 2006, a woman in her 40s filed a report to the Curia claiming she had been abused during the course of a relationship with Fr Fenech while she was receiving treatment at Mount Carmel Hospital. Nine years later, the investigation is still open.

Apostolic Administrator Charles Scicluna said that the Commission would adopt a clear procedure.

The procedure would apply to allegations of sexual abuse by people falling under the responsibility of the Church: members of the clergy as well as lay people.

“This is not an inquisition,” Mgr Scicluna stressed. The procedure, he said, would ensure that preventative action becomes part of the new culture.

Mr Azzopardi said the commission would not have a stipulated timeframe within which to conclude an investigation, as it often depended on other factors such as magisterial inquiries and police investigations.

However, he made a commitment to drawing up an initial assessment – which would outline the plan of investigation – within a week.

Child abuse happens in dark corners. Our job is to shed the light

The commission could recommend the temporary suspension of the suspected person pending the outcome of the investigation.

Mr Azzopardi said that the commission’s role was not to do the work of the police but it would help and cooperate if required. It would abide by the law of mandatory reporting to the police.

“We are here to investigate and to establish whether a person is a risk to children... we are not here to determine whether a person is innocent or guilty,” he said.

He explained that the commission could decide to manage risk through, for example, supervision, mentoring and training. He gave the example of a report made by a parent concerned over inappropriate text messages sent to a minor.

If the messages were sent out of lack of awareness, the person responsible could be educated and supervised.

If the risk, however, could not be managed, the person would be suspended.

The commission’s procedures will be transparent but it will maintain “100 per cent confidentiality” about individual cases.

Turning to the preventative role, Mr Azzopardi said this would include reaching out through training and education. As was already the practice, special attention would be paid when recruiting priests.

The Safeguarding Commission can be contacted on safeguarding@maltadiocese.org or through helpline 2590 6421.

What is sexual abuse?

In its policy document, the commission defines sexual abuse of minors, under 18, to be improper exposure to sexual contact, activity or behaviour. The possession or distribution of child pornography would be dealt with in the same manner.

Sexual abuse of adults means any form of behaviour that is sexual by nature or connotation with a non-consenting adult.

Failure to reject such behaviour does not imply consent. Whenever a member of the Church engages in sexual behaviour where there is a power imbalance, it will be considered abusive.

What is the procedure?

Allegations are referred to the head of safeguarding who will start by obtaining a signed statement from the complainant. If the claim is made against a member of the clergy, he will inform the Diocesan Bishop and the Religious Major Superior.

The head will appoint an investigator and set a deadline to gather all relevant information and establish facts.

The investigator will then present a report to the head stating the probability that abuse has been committed.

The commission will then draw up recommendations. The Diocesan Bishop will consider them and take action. If the abuser is a cleric the case will be referred to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the Vatican.

What victims want

Victims of sexual abuse need to be assured that immediate steps are taken by the Safeguarding Team once a report is filed, according to a woman who experienced the previous Response Team.

“I welcome the fact that action is being taken, even though it saddens me that it has taken so long. I can only tell you what I’m hopeful for. I am hopeful that, as soon as there is an allegation of abuse, immediate steps are taken and there is no form of cover-up,” said the woman, who preferred to remain anonymous.

She also hoped the new team would listen to victims in a sensitive manner and they would be mindful of the need of child participation, ensuring that children are placed in the right environment to have their say. “I felt that the environment was not sensitive enough for me, let alone for children,” she said.

Another of her hopes is that effective solutions are provided so that the perpetrator is not simply transferred from one place to another, but denied access to vulnerable people.

Victims should be given validation and kept informed about what steps and measures were being taken. “Victims need closure,” she said, insisting that access to counselling services was important.

Finally, she said, the Church should be more proactive when it came to screening.

“This should not be limited to prospectives but should be extended to those who are already holding positions. Priests need to be screened at different stages since you never know at which point they will fall,” she said.