Catholic Church claimed child sex abuse victims 'consented'

[trotsky]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/catholic-church-sex-abuse-paedophile-criminal-injuries-compensation-scheme-victim-support-sexual-a7903396.html

The Catholic Church and British local authorities have been accused of using a legal loophole to avoid paying compensation to victims of child sex abuse.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, a government agency, has denied some children financial settlements because it said the victims had “consented” to the abuse, a group of charities has warned.

Lawyers representing victims have warned that this line of defence is becoming increasingly common.

...

“No child ever gives their ‘consent’ to being abused, and the increased use of this line of defence, although still quite rare, is worrying,” said Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England. "I have contacted the Ministry of Justice previously and again recently about this issue and the Government should look urgently at what can be done to tackle it.”

Disgusting.

[guillaumeb]

1. Since when can a minor consent to such conduct?

Disgusting indeed.

[Angry Dragon]

5. Answer: NEVER

[TEB]

2. Fucking pedophiles

[pat_k]

3. Detestable beyond words

[Lyricalinklines]

4. When will this disgusting terror end! Children cannot give consent!

[Lordquinton]

6. I believe here the law is clear that the child cannot consent

The level some lawyers go too... It almost matches their clients. Hopefully they will clear this up over there.

[gtar100]

7. That's absurd on face value.

Why are there so many in positions of power who defend the sexual abuse of children? What the hell is going on with them! Why protect sexual predators... hmmm.

[NeoGreen]

8. What happen to the legal application of...

... Statutory rape laws?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statutory_rape

Statutory rape is sexual activity in which one of the individuals is below the age required to legally consent to the behavior in some common law jurisdictions. Although it usually refers to adults engaging in sex with minors under the age of consent, it is a generic term, and very few jurisdictions use the actual term statutory rape in the language of statutes.

Different jurisdictions use many different statutory terms for the crime, such as sexual assault (SA), rape of a child (ROAC),corruption of a minor (COAM), unlawful sex with a minor(USWAM), carnal knowledge of a minor (CKOAM), unlawful carnal knowledge (UCK), sexual battery or simply carnal knowledge.

In statutory rape, overt force or threat is usually not present. Statutory rape laws presume coercion, because a minor or mentally handicapped adult is legally incapable of giving consent to the act.

The term statutory rape generally refers to sex between an adult and a sexually mature minor past the age of puberty. Sexual relations with a prepubescent child, generically called child sexual abuse or molestation, is typically treated as a more serious crime.

(snip)

Statutory rape laws are based on the premise that an individual is legally incapable of consenting to sexual intercourse until that person reaches a certain age. The law mandates that even if he or she willingly engages in sexual intercourse, the sex is not consensual.

[Lordquinton]

9. This article is from England

I know what the law says on the subject in the US, but apparently it's not the same there.

[NeoGreen]

10. Quick search and found the following...

https://www.ageofconsent.net/world/united-kingdom

What is the United Kingdom Age of Consent?

The Age of Consent in United Kingdom is 16 years old. The age of consent is the minimum age at which an individual is considered legally old enough to consent to participation in sexual activity. Individuals aged 15 or younger in United Kingdom are not legally able to consent to sexual activity, and such activity may result in prosecution for statutory rape or the equivalent local law.

United Kingdom statutory rape law is violated the United Kingdom's member countries and territories each have local laws regarding the age of consent. In all of these areas, the age of consent is currently 16.

(snip)

United Kingdom does not have a close-in-age exemption. Close in age exemptions, commonly known as "Romeo and Juliet laws" in the United States, are put in place to prevent the prosecution of individuals who engage in consensual sexual activity when both participants are significantly close in age to each other, and one or both partners are below the age of consent.

Because there is no close-in-age exemption in United Kingdom, it is possible for two individuals both under the age of 16 who willingly engage in intercourse to both be prosecuted for statutory rape, although this is rare. Similarly, no protections are reserved for sexual relations in which one participant is a 15 year old and the second is a 16 or 17 year old.

So, were all the victims in the OP over the age of 16?

[Lordquinton]

11. I dunno the details

And I haven't studied uk laws, so I can't speak to the loopholes, probably local exemptions, and whatever clerical rules apply.