New Delhi (Sputnik): The KCBC has promulgated firm directives for church clergy, religious orders, church employees and lay volunteers to "refrain from viewing and exhibiting any sexually explicit or morally inappropriate material in the presence of minors and vulnerable adults", reported Indian media daily Deccan Chronicle. It has defined a vulnerable adult as a person who is physically, mentally, or emotionally impaired, or is otherwise unable to function as typical adults.
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People engaged in church activities are required not to indulge in or encourage sexually offensive conversations, whether humourous or otherwise, in the presence of minors and vulnerable adults. They are not to engage in actions that constitute harassment, which may include physical or mental abuse, unwelcome sexual advances, promiscuous touching, sexual comments and jokes, soliciting sexual favours in exchange for employment, promotion or any such benefits, the new church directive for Catholics says.
KCBC guidelines stipulate that on encountering cases of sexual abuse of minors the church personnel are required to report them to the relevant civil authorities and cooperate with them in investigations.
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The directives have defined a minor as anyone who is below the age of 18, and church personnel are clerics, lay employees, church volunteers, religious people and seminarians. Sexual abuse was defined as any sexual assault or harassment defined in The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 as per Indian law.