The Safeguarding Commission of the Church in Malta last year concluded that nine of 21 cases involving vulnerable adults were substantiated, Head of Safeguarding Mark Pellicano said at the presentation of the 2024 Commission’s Annual Report.
Four of these involved two Religious and were of a sexual nature; however, only one clergyman was referred to the authorities since the victims in the other case, which happened more than 10 years ago, declined to file a police report in spite of the Commission’s offer of assistance.
The remaining substantiated cases related to emotional abuse, breach of boundaries, spiritual abuse and abuse of power.
The Commission also dealt with 20 cases involving minors and referred one layperson to the civil authorities. However, the State concluded that the individual’s actions did not warrant further investigation. The Safeguarding Commission substantiated claims of poor professional practice.
Regarding the other allegations involving minors, the Commission found that one case was unsubstantiated, and one was unfounded, while the remainder were either not safeguarding concerns or could be dealt with internally by their respective HR departments since they did not fall under the Commission’s remit.
During the course of 2024, the Commission also received 33 referrals. Of these, 19 involved minors at the time of the alleged abuse (under 18), while a further 14 related to adults who claimed to be in a vulnerable position when the alleged incidents took place. Five of the referrals involved allegations going back 10 years or more.
Mr Pellicano said the Commission – which comprises three safeguarding teams tasked with prevention and training, victim care and advocacy, and investigations and assessments – had been bolstered over the past year with the addition of two full-time officers focused on investigations and victim care and advocacy. It has strengthened the support framework for subjects of complaint.
Mr Pellicano said: “Our aim is to ensure safeguarding concerns are handled in line with an established procedure in a fair, transparent and efficient manner; however, we also believe safeguarding practices should be recognised as a priority by all the entities in Malta working with minors and vulnerable adults, not just by Church entities.”
In fact, the Commission has also been active in the prevention and training, last year delivering around 60 training sessions and seminars which benefitted more than 2,360 individuals, including non-Church personnel.
It also executed vetting and compliance exercises to ensure all Church personnel meet safeguarding requirements. More than 100 background check applications covering 3,632 individuals were submitted to the Courts of Malta to verify whether individuals being considered for positions within the Church were listed on the Offenders’ Register under the Protection of Minors (Registration) Act (POMA).
Mr Pellicano also explained that the Commission is today working in accordance with a new Safeguarding Policy introduced at the end of last year, which sets higher standards for Church entities and places the holistic well-being of alleged victims at the centre of investigations.
Key measures include setting up structures to ensure impartial preliminary investigations and risk assessments, improved recruitment procedures, and a new code of conduct setting clear expectations for appropriate behaviour and interactions by Church personnel, both online and in person.
The Safeguarding Commission’s report covers the Archdiocese of Malta and the Religious communities in Malta (Conference of Major Religious Superiors). The report does not cover the Diocese of Gozo, which, in 2022, set up its own Safeguarding Commission.
Further details and explanations can be found in the 2024 Safeguarding Commission report on safeguarding.mt.
About the Safeguarding Commission
The Safeguarding Commission is responsible for promoting safe environments within the Church in Malta. This is accomplished through the implementation of preventive practices and training, as well as the provision of victim care and advocacy.
The Commission is responsible for handling complaints, conducting preliminary investigations and risk assessments, and ensuring the well-being of those who have filed complaints, the alleged victims, as well as those who are the subjects of complaints.
The Safeguarding Commission upholds its mission to establish a secure Church through prevention programmes, personnel screening, investigation of safeguarding concerns, and support for victims.
The Church in Malta is dedicated to fostering a safeguarding culture, with minors and vulnerable people being given priority in the development of policies, practices, and procedures.
The Safeguarding Commission is dedicated to upholding the Church’s mission of ensuring a secure and hospitable environment for all individuals who interact with it.
Safeguarding concerns referred to the Safeguarding Commission are investigated and assessed by a team of professionals, who draw up a report which is scrutinised by the Safeguarding Advisory Board. The Board, composed of professionals from various fields – including psychiatry, psychology, social work, paediatrics, and counselling – is entrusted by the Church in Malta to work autonomously from the structures of the Church.