Justice Department investigating new WA law requiring clergy to report child abuse
DOJ investigating new WA law requiring clergy to report child abuse
Clergy in Washington state are now mandatory reporters of child abuse under a new law.
OLYMPIA, Wash. - The Justice Department is investigating a newly enacted Washington state law that mandates Catholic clergy to report instances of child harm, similar to requirements for doctors and teachers.
The law has sparked controversy, with concerns about potential violations of the First Amendment right to freedom of religion.
The law includes clergy among the professionals required to report child abuse to authorities, even if the information is disclosed during confession—a practice considered a sacred covenant of confidentiality within the Catholic Church.
What they're saying:
Seattle's Archbishop has criticized the law as legislative overreach, urging people to be alarmed by its implications.
Senator Noel Frame, a sponsor of the law and a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, emphasized the state's responsibility to prioritize children's safety.
"They need to know that if they tell somebody they're being abused, like I told my teacher in the fifth grade that I was being abused, that they can trust that that person will make it stop," Frame said.
The other side:
Opponents of the law argue that it forces clergy to choose between religious obligations and legal requirements.
"It is forcing somebody who's given their entire life, raised their hand, made an oath with God Almighty to choose between God's law and man's law," said Sen. Leonard Christian.
Washington is now one of five states requiring clergy to report abuse, even if learned in confidentiality.
The archbishop has assured Catholics that their confessions remain sacred, secure, confidential, and protected by church law, warning that violating the seal of confession could lead to excommunication for priests.
The Source: Information in this story came from the United States Department of Justice, the Washington State Legislature and the Archdiocese of Seattle.
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