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POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS VIEWS

POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS VIEWS. THE SITUATION OF 2010.

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POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS VIEWS

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  1. POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS VIEWS

  2. THE SITUATION OF 2010 • The Evangelical-Lutheran Church has had years to amend ecclesiastical legislation so that the confidentiality normally extended to conversations between clergy and parishioners might be revoked in chases in which the safety and well-being of child is at stake.  • When the law on child protection was changed in 2008, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health held discussions with the Lutheran Church aimed at obliging clergy to report disclosures of sexual abuse of children. 

  3. THE MINISTER OF SOCIAL SERVICES • PAULA RISIKKO, the Minister of Social Services PROTECTING CHILDREN MORE IMPORTANT THAN CONFIDENTIALITY IN PASTORAL CARE • “Officials assumed that the Church itself would initiate such changes in the Church Law. Now that it has not done so, we will hold talks with the Church on which of us will do it”, says Minister of Social Services (Nat. Coalition Party), who is responsible for the law on child protection.  If the Church does not want to  change its rules on confidentiality, legislation on child protection will be amended accordingly, Risikko says.  • The options are that the sexual abuse of children would be added to the Church Law as a factor that justifies breaking confidentiality, or that child protection legislation would be changed by removing the part that states that the obligation of disclosure of child welfare violations does not apply to discussions with clergy.  • “If the change is made in child welfare legislation, the Church will have to recognise that this is newer legislation which is in conflict with the Church Law. The situation is completely analogous to doctors”, notes Doctor of Laws, Sami Mahkonen, who is specialised in children’s legislation. The complete confidentiality of doctors, psychologists, and therapists was overturned in 1994.  

  4. THE BISHOPS OPINIONS • HelsinginSanomat wrote on May 9th on the view of TuijaBrax, the Minister of Justice (Green), who called on the Church to launch a debate on child protection, using any means possible.  • The Bishop of Mikkeli, SeppoHäkkinen , wrote in HelsinginSanomat on May 11th that he still wants to keep full confidentiality.       “Absolute confidentiality can bring some people to make revelations their situations, which they would not be able to talk about to anyone else. In this way cases can come out that would otherwise be completely hidden away”, Häkkinen wrote.  • Samuel Salmi, the Lutheran bishop of Oulu is in favour of breaking confidentiality on the basis that abuse of children is above all, a serious crime against humanity:       “If someone confessed to me about paedophilia, I would tell him that he will be forgiven before God, but that he must bear all criminal consequences of his action. If the person in question does not report to the police, it is the obligation of a minister to report to officials that a child is in danger.”       At present, a minister who hears a parishioner reveal aggravated sexual abuse of a child is obligated to report it to official.

  5. RELIGIOUS GROUP ADMITS CHILD ABUSE BLUNDERS • Leaders of a religious movement in Finland have admitted that cases of child abuse within its ranks have not been handled properly. An internal study into the Central Committee of Conservative Laestadian Congregations (SRK) – a revival group within the Evangelical Lutheran Church – has identified between 70 and 100 members as child abusers in the last 30 years. • At a press conference last Thursday, SRK leaders conceded that they did not always act on allegations of abuse within the movement. Most of the cases are believed to have taken place within families, with some of the crimes happening so long ago that they can now no longer be prosecuted. • The probe concluded that matters were not investigated early enough by SRK administrators and that the guidance given to those involved in child abuse cases was often contradictory or wrong. “There are situations in which forgiveness has been misunderstood, and where people have not been guided to take responsibility before the law,” said SRK Secretary-General TuomasHanninen at the press conference. • The SRK also expressed regret that previous statements were deemed to be protecting the perpetrators while downplaying the status of the victims. “We have not had a sufficient overall picture in the matter,” said SRK deputy chairman MattiTaskila in a HelsinginSanomat report. • The internal inquiry was launched at the end of last year after allegations of extensive child abuse began to emerge from the Lutheran Church and its revival movements. Of the cases which were reported, around 30 have been put through court or have legal proceedings pending. • Between 10 and 15 of the alleged abuses are preachers, all of which have now lost their positions, according to Conservative Laestadian administrators. The management of the movement has, however, not been changed.

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