The way the Catholic Church deals with perpetrators after cases of abuse triggers outrage - the management staff is threatened with punishment only under certain conditions. Bavarias Minister of Justice wants to change that.

Schwangau.

Leaders in churches, schools and associations allow further action after cases of child abuse because they should remain inactive according to the will of the chairman of the conference of justice ministers, they face penalties in the future.

"For these cases we propose a prison sentence of up to three years before," said Bavarias Justice Minister Georg Eisenreich on Wednesday before the spring conference with his colleagues from the federal and state governments in Schwangau in the Allgäu. "Its about protecting our children."

Bavarias proposal refers to "cases of serious failure" by supervisors, emphasized the CSU politician. Criminal penalties should therefore threaten if managers act in a negligent manner or remain inactive - and further abuse "would have been prevented or at least made more difficult by dutiful behavior". As a negative example, the Bavarian Ministry of Justice called clergymen who were allowed to continue to work in pastoral care in the Catholic Church even after cases of abuse became known be prosecuted if they intentionally - i.e. intentionally - promote child abuse, said Eisenreich. But that is difficult to prove. "In my view, the federal legislature must close this gap in protection."

In addition to the application on the subject of child abuse, the conference on Wednesday and Thursday should, among other things, deal with hate posts on social networks, the prosecution of human trafficking and the fight against anti-Semitism. The justice ministers want their decisions on Thursday (13.30 pm) at a press conference. (dpa)