NEW HAMPSHIRE
Nashua Telegraph
By Stephanie Hooper, Telegraph Staff
hoopers@telegraph-nh.com
Published: Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003
Catholic Bishop John McCormack released the Diocese of Manchester’s revised sexual misconduct policy Monday, implementing all recommendations submitted to the diocese by a 12-member sexual misconduct policy task force almost a year ago.
“This policy is intended to ensure that every suspicion or report of child sexual abuse is taken seriously and that the first response will be to the person who reports being harmed as a child, even if he or she is now an adult,” McCormack wrote in a letter accompanying the 17-page document.
Along with examples of inappropriate conduct with minors by church personnel, the revised policy, titled “Promise to Protect, Pledge to Heal: The Protection of Children and Young People,” makes reporting all inappropriate behavior toward or around minors mandatory among church personnel.
“Inappropriate behavior toward or in the presence of a minor may be an early warning indicator of sexual abuse of a minor,” the policy states.
