We have to live with the frustration of knowing that we are members of a species with a significant number of morons and sick people in our ranks. Whatever time you read these lines, rest assured that at that precise moment someone will be sexually abusing a third party. Without leaving Spain, the statistics reflect two sexual crimes per hour. And yet, it is a natural requirement that even recognizing the impossibility of ending this epidemic, we do everything we can so that the number of victims is as small as possible. And also so that the abusers pay the bill for the harm caused and alleviate the pain of those who have suffered and are suffering from these humiliations.
The Ombudsman's report on sexual abuse within the Catholic Church was therefore necessary, as would be any other report that specifically covered other areas of social interaction. In particular, the family, ground zero for sexual abuse with 34.1% of cases, according to the aforementioned work. They are followed by public roads (17.7%), non-religious educational spheres (9.6%), non-family social spheres (9.5%), work (7.5%), internet (7.3% ), religious education (4.6%), leisure (4%), sports (3%) and health (2.6%).
Yes, it has been a shame that the translation of the report to public opinion has pivoted on an absurdity. The figure of 440,000 Spaniards abused directly by priests or in religious environments has no value. It is not an opinion to dismiss this quantitative projection based on a survey as botched. It is a fact, as attested by statistics professionals who have given their opinion on the projection that hastily, either out of innocent ignorance, or maliciously and self-interestedly, was disseminated through the media and which many institutional officials endorsed to draw political revenue.
The seriousness of an issue is not reinforced by exaggerating it with fanciful numbers, but by treating it with rigor and severe deontology, also journalistic. And it is true that we are facing a very serious matter. Because what is important is that regardless of the exact figure, the extent of sexual abuse in the church - which was the specific mandate that Congress had made - is neither anecdotal nor circumstantial. This is the case regardless of the fact that the investigation - also hasty in its execution and with methodological deficiencies - lists only 487 cases proven directly by the Ombudsman along with the 1,430 communicated directly to said institution by the ecclesiastical authorities. But beyond the numbers, let us agree that the church cannot be surprised that socially, using its own language, a penance that will necessarily be long is imposed on it. Its main errors for too long were the cover-up of the abuses and, even more serious, the neglect of functions when it came to removing the abusers who were part of it and of whom it was aware. In this way, he encouraged the number of victims to increase unnecessarily, while increasing the pain and mistreatment with a cloak of silence and complicity with the executioner. For this reason, the most worrying thing about the report is that at this point the Ombudsman states that the collaboration of some bishops with his work has left much to be desired and that in some ecclesiastical spheres silence and opacity continue to reign over the abuses.
As is normal, the church tries to defend and justify itself. Pointing out that it is not within them where the majority of abuses occur or attributing a political intention to depending on what accusations, are two of the most recurrent arguments. But being both things true, it is also true that his attitude still clearly could be improved. And so it will be as long as sex continues to be experienced as a dirty and sinful matter in its framework. There is no way to treat with transparency what can only be named in a confessional.
Examination of conscience, constriction, confession and penance. The church continues to fail, despite the efforts it has been making for some time now, in most phases of this sequence. Hence it is impossible to determine when his penance will end. Let's say mostly deserved. With or without a report from the Ombudsman.
