ROME
Catholic News Agency
By Estefania Aguirre
Rome, Italy, Jun 6, 2013 / 06:35 am (CNA/EWTN News).- An expert on dealing with sexual abuse cases within the Church says prevention guidelines being developed with Vatican oversight should vary from country to country.
“We’ve realized learning habits and how people respond to some questionnaires and comply to rules varies from country to country,” said Father Hans Zollner, a German Jesuit who heads the Gregorian University’s Centre for Child Protection.
“It is most interesting and most inspiring to see this across the different cultures,” Fr. Zollner told CNA June 5.
He explained that some guidelines should apply to all countries equally, since “sexual abuse is sexual abuse, no matter what.”
“But in the Philippines, for example, there is the ‘culture of touch.’”
“It means that if you don’t touch children, hugging and kissing them, there is something wrong and pathological,” Fr. Zollner said.
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