Agreement between the Spanish Church and the Government to address the reparation of victims of sexual abuse through the Ombudsman
January 8, 2026
On January 8, the Government of Spain, the Spanish Conference of Religious and the Episcopal Conference signed an agreement for the care of victims of sexual abuse through the Ombudsman.
The Church in Spain and the Government have agreed to open a channel through the Ombudsman for those victims of abuse who do not wish to go directly to the PRIVA Commission established by the Church.
For the signing of the agreement, the Government has committed to addressing the comprehensive reparation of victims of abuse in any area of social life , as requested by the Church.
Furthermore, the Government has agreed that financial reparations will be exempt from income tax.
This agreed system of recognition and reparation will have the technical criteria of the Ombudsman's Office, the evaluation of the PRIVA Commission , the consensus of the Catholic Church-State and the participation of the victims.
The established system is not based on the imposition of a legal obligation, but on the moral commitment of the Church and the mutual agreement of the parties.
It is a temporary route with a duration of one year (renewable for one year), for those cases that have not had and cannot have a judicial process either due to the statute of limitations for the crime or the death of the perpetrator.
The Ombudsman's Office will study the cases presented and propose a course of redress, which will be reviewed by the PRIVA Commission established by the Church . In the event of disagreement regarding the assessment, a joint commission will study the case, and the final decision will be made by the Ombudsman after hearing from the president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) or the Conference of Religious (CONFER), as applicable.
The Ministry of Justice , the Spanish Conference of Religious (CONFER) and the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) today, January 8, sign the agreement for the care of victims of sexual abuse whose cases have not gone to court through the Ombudsman .
The Church in Spain and the Government have agreed to open a channel through the Ombudsman for redress for victims of sexual abuse who do not wish to go directly to the PRIVA Commission established by the Church . The agreement was signed by Félix Bolaños, Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes; Bishop Luis Argüello, President of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE); and Jesús Díaz Sariego, President of the Conference of Religious (CONFER).
For the signing of the agreement, the Government has committed, as requested by the Church, to address the comprehensive reparation of all minors who are victims of sexual abuse in any area of public life.
This agreed-upon system of recognition and reparation will incorporate the technical expertise of the Ombudsman's Office, the evaluation of the PRIVA Commission , consensus between the Catholic Church and the State, and the participation of victims. The Ombudsman's Office will study the cases submitted and propose a reparation plan, which will then be reviewed and evaluated by the PRIVA Commission established by the Church. The criteria for assessing cases and determining reparations used by the Ombudsman's Office and the PRIVA Commission will be consistent. In the event of a discrepancy in the assessment, a joint commission will review the case, and the final decision will be made by the Ombudsman after consulting with the President of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) or the Conference of Religious (CONFER), as applicable.
Furthermore, the Government has agreed that financial reparations will be exempt from taxation , especially income tax.
The established system is not based on the imposition of a legal obligation, but on the moral commitment of the Church and the mutual agreement of the parties.
It is a temporary route with a duration of one year (extendable for another year), for those cases that have not had and cannot have a judicial process either due to the statute of limitations for the crime or due to the death of the perpetrator.
Speeches by the presidents of the EEC and CONFER
Following the signing, Monsignor Luis Argüello and Jesús Díaz Sariego explained their assessment of the agreement at a press conference .
The president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) described this agreement as a "new step" in the long journey the Church in Spain has been undertaking in recent years , for which he expressed his satisfaction. Bishop Argüello also emphasized that canon law allows, in serious cases, the lifting of the statute of limitations for crimes, something that does not occur in civil law.
As part of the process the Church in Spain began years ago, 70 diocesan offices for victim support have been established, in addition to those created within religious congregations. These offices, besides receiving complaints, have made progress in training staff to better support victims and improve prevention efforts.
Another important step was the creation of the Advisory Commission for the Comprehensive Reparation Plan for Minors and Persons with Equivalent Rights, Victims of Sexual Abuse (PRIVA) , in September 2024. This commission focuses on victims whose cases could not be addressed through legal channels due to the statute of limitations or the death of the perpetrator. Since then, more than one hundred victims have received assistance, and nearly two million euros have been distributed.
The Church in Spain's "moral obligation" to victims took another step forward today . Bishop Argüello expressed his satisfaction that this includes victims from other sectors, such as education and sports; that it provides tax exemptions on compensation for victims; and that it supports the PRIVA Commission, which will make the decisions, although in case of disagreement, they will be reviewed by the Joint Commission. It is not a parallel path, but a complementary one, "another point of access ," he clarified.
The president of the CEE also pointed out that the work the Church is doing in Spain has the recognition of the Vatican, as was evident in the last meeting of the child protection offices, in which the Holy See service participated, with a positive assessment.
Finally, Bishop Argüello emphasized that, despite the pain the Church feels in recognizing these situations, the goal is for "truth and justice to shine forth" for the victims of abuse when legal recourse has been closed to them.
For his part, the president of CONFER stressed that the system is working very well; he also highlighted the moral commitment of the Church.
Jesús Díaz Sariego emphasized that the Church is the only institution in our country that acknowledges such crimes, even those for which the statute of limitations has expired. "We have assumed this responsibility," he stated.
She also highlighted the work done in recent years in both prevention and training in schools and other settings, and the excellent coordination with the Episcopal Conference in this joint effort to support victims.
Regarding the agreement, she commented that today is an important day "because it opens a new path," it is "another step forward." However, she emphasized the need to recognize the importance of the Advisory Commission for Comprehensive Reparation for Minors and Persons with Equivalent Rights, Victims of Sexual Abuse (PRIVA).
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Source: https://www.conferenciaepiscopal.es/acuerdo-iglesia-gobierno-atender-reparacion-victimas-abusos-sexuales-a-traves-defensor-del-pueblo/
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