The Venezuelan Ministry of State announced the sentencing of four teenagers between the ages of 16 and 17 to prison terms of between 8 and 10 years for their involvement in a serious crime sexual abuse happened in the Diocesan Seminary of Saint Thomas Aquinaslocated in the state Tachiraon the border with Colombia.
This unfortunate event, in which a 14-year-old youth fell victim, was reported by the Religious Training Center on June 3, 2023, which shows the seriousness with which the case was approached from the beginning.
The investigation revealed that two of the youths received a maximum sentence of ten years in prison for directly committing the abuse, while the other two were sentenced to eight years for their complicity.
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This fact outraged not only the educational community, but also the entire Venezuelan society, especially because one of the attackers was identified as a close relative of a high official of the seminary.
The management of the seminary decided to refer the case to the relevant authorities after being informed of the incidents by the mother of the young man concerned, who reported ill-treatment as well as threats and physical attacks from older students.
The diocese of San Cristóbal, which is responsible for the facility, released a statement condemning the incident. “We reject this embarrassing incident (…). The seminary will continue to fulfill its mission of educating its students in Christian and civic values,” the organization said.
The four convicts and the victim were students at the Catholic center. Photo: AFP
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Sexual abuse in the Venezuelan Catholic Church
This fact is part of a broader context of sexual abuse scandals involving the Venezuelan Catholic Church, which had already been the focus of international attention following a Washington Post investigation in July 2022.
This report revealed the existence of cases of sexual abuse of children of priests, some of whom had been released early or even reinstated into ministry.
The Venezuelan Bishops' Conference reacted to these events with great dismay and committed to cooperating to investigate the cases and to take measures to prevent future abuses.
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Help channels in Peru
If you are or know someone affected by or involved in family or sexual violence, contact us free of charge at Line 100 ofMinistry of Women and Vulnerable Populationswhich has a team specializing in “providing information, guidance and emotional support.”
Line 100 is also authorized to refer the most serious cases of family or sexual violence to theWomen's emergency call centers or the emergency service.This service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year (including holidays).