Anti-pedophile training for Belgian priests to protect children

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Published time: August 27, 2012 13:32
Edited time: August 27, 2012 17:32

Psychiatrists will be helping trainee priests in Belgium to avoid potentially dangerous situations at work. Special “anti-pedophile” training is the new measure to help prevent child abuse by priests.

­According to Belgium’s RTL online, psychiatrists will teach aspiring priests “the correct attitude in the presence of a child”.

“The goal of the training? Not to repeat the errors of the past,” Guy Harpigny, Bishop of Tournai told Belgium’s SudInfo daily.

“The challenge is simple: prevention and protection of our young ones,” he added.

Several years ago Belgium was shocked after it turned out the Bishop of Bruges had sexually abused one of his nephews for over a decade.

“What can be done with a child, what cannot be done? When you are alone with a child, there are, for instance, certain places to avoid, like shower rooms or lavatories,” Guy Harpigny was quoted as saying.