The Vatican for the first time on Monday responded to the public and media outcry of the concealed clerical sex abuse by saying bishops and clerics in all nations should get in touch with law officials if required.

The policy which was written in the Vatican’s official site and is very similar to the policy which is being implemented in the United States after a spite of sex abuse cases had broken out in 2002. However victims criticized the new policy by the Vatican as insufficient as the policy does not have the same “zero tolerance” call that is in the U.S. policy.

Victims are protesting that the rape and molestation of a child should have zero tolerance.

The Vatican also wrote that such policies as reporting crime has always been on the minds of bishops and clerics though it was never written until Monday. The Vatican wrote “Civil law concerning reporting of crimes to the appropriate authorities should always be followed,”

The Vatican and Pop Benedict XVI has been under immense pressure lately over the unreported child abuse cases that emerged in the past few months with many saying that not enough was done to church officials, clerics and bishops who sexually assaulted young children.

A lawyer who refused to be named, spoke to NationalTurk U.S. “The Vatican has not said anything about allegations on church officials, so if there is an allegation about a bishop this will most likely not be reported to the police,”

“the new policy is only a guideline, almost as if it is a reminder for church officials”

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