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They have the freedom to practice their religion. But if we’re not holding people accountable for knowing about sexual abuse and not reporting it just because they belong to a religious institution then that institution needs to pay taxes (because of the burden the sexual abuse they enable puts on the system when the victims need help or services). Additionally, since when does religion protect you from criminal acts in the eyes of the law?
Such a change to think scumbags would hide illegal behaviors behind a cross. I’ll need a moment.
A lot of my ire comes from the fact that generally I can understand wanting to protect the “sanctity of the confessional”. By that I mean it is a rather direct and… Substantial portion of their religion that they should confess their sins so that those sins can be forgiven by God.
I don’t like or condone this for several reasons up to and including that the idea behind confessional is that you have sinned, you confess, make amends, and don’t do it anymore/promise God you won’t do it anymore.
Quite frequently sexual abusers are repeat offenders, so there’s that. But also it happens fairly often that sexual abuse is an open secret among the members of the church and this ruling basically stipulates that none of those people (none of whom would be protected by the whole confessional mumbo jumbo) also can’t be held accountable.
And like. Do I know that religion is about abusers paradise? Yes. Do I think that had this law been allowed to go into effect it would have changed that? No. But if prevention isn’t an option I’m all for holding people accountable. String them up by their thumb having ass hands.