CHILE
The Associated Press
August 14, 2018
– Marist Brothers accused of dozens of cases of abuse
– ‘The impunity of the Chilean hierarchy has ended’
Chilean authorities have raided the headquarters of the Catholic church’s Episcopal Conference as part of a widespread investigation into sex abuse committed by members of the Marist Brothers order, prosecutors said.
The raid by investigating prosecutors and ’s equivalent of the FBI took place at one of the most important buildings of the Chilean church in the capital, Santiago. Prosecutor Raul Guzmán, who confirmed the raid, is investigating more than 35 accusations of abuse committed against former students at schools run by the Marists, who are religious brothers, not priests.
“The impunity of the Chilean hierarchy has ended. In Chile, we’re seeing what happens when the Catholic church is treated as an ordinary corporate citizen,” said Anne Barrett Doyle of the online abuse database BishopAccountability.org.
“Prosecutors in Chile have raised the bar for civil authorities in other countries. The children of Chile will be safer, survivors more likely to find justice, and the church ultimately stronger.”
Church authorities had no immediate response to requests for comment.
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