Of course those that abuse children should be prosecuted.

The question I ask, is not FGM abuse of female children? It is against the law in all states and yet not one person has been charged with any offence. Not to even mention those that know about it and have not reported it to the police.

The evidence is there, from records at hospitals where some of the victims have been treated for shock, bleeding and infection.

It looks like we will have to wait untill a couple of little girls actually die before any action at all is taken.

How can we condone such breeches of the law?

The parents of these little girls have protection of their 'culture' but if I get caught for DUI it would be less than useless for me to argue that it is part of my Aussie 'culture' to drink alcohol. This means that certain people get a cultural advantage by being immune from the law.

One of the more serious forms of child abuse comes from low wages, loud music, chunk food,
childrens Tv, gossip magazine industry, video games etc etc.
Any department want to do something about that ? Anyone in one of those industries wanna do something ? How about Government using the collected fines for helping low paid parents to give their children some hope ?

I think it should not matter about the religion and taxing them. What matters more than anything is actual serving prison sentences from those who commit a crime like child abuse. Lets face it no need to hold back it is child sex abuse.

Catholic priests are the main focus lately due to the recent amount of people who have been abused have come forward and told their stories. It is not just catholic priests who have committed this crime. It is not homosexuals priests either as that has nothing at all to do with pedophilia or sex abuse. It is a system that is in place that encourages inequality between the sexes. A power and control relationship develops. This has nothing at all to do with religion it has more to do with people who have these issues and a severe sickness. These people are drawn to where they can have access to children/teenagers. Churches, schools, hospitals, social clubs are just to name a few.

Cover ups have occurred in every part of every institution that exists in society it is not just the catholic church.

Taxing these people or the church will not help, it is about exposing the abusers from where ever they may come from and them receiving the justice they so rightly deserve.

I feel that this article while has pointed out some issues in our laws in Australia has missed the point or maybe I have. Child abuse is damaging for society, the person who has been abused for starters.

I feel this issue needs to be addressed correctly by religion and other institutions as well as on all government levels. Just going after the abuser is not enough more help and support is needed for the people who have been affected.

With the recent findings that the Catholic church has been covering up abuse then of course all those involved need to be held accountable. Learn about the effects of child sexual abuse from authority figures.

One only has to read the horror stories from Ireland's Commission of Inquiry into Child Abuse to realise that the Catholic Church is an organisation of monumental evil, evil which goes right to the absolute apex of the organisation, the Pope.

The Catholic Church should be banned as a criminal organisation, its leaders charged and tried for concealing evidence of a crime, and its assets seized and used to pay its countless victims.

Ah, but the apologists will no doubt say, what of the Church's good works?

Well, how many charitable acts are adequate excuse for the rape and torture of even one child, let alone thousands, if not millions?

Clownfish, there is no excuse at all for any form of child abuse none at all. I agree with the things that you have said.

The amount of abuse that many underwent in Australia the orphan, the children that were given up for adoption by their families, many of the ones that ended up in care for various reasons is just so horrible to even think about. Many of these places were run by the catholic church. Many of the priests or monks and even nuns who committed crimes against innocent children and people were sent to other places around the world or they were allowed to retire back in Ireland.

The Catholic Church is one of the most patriarchal organizations that exist today in the world. They are allowed to discriminate against anyone they so choose to and are able to dismiss all the anti discrimination laws. There should not be any exceptions, for those who are Christian stand up and realise the harm that has been caused and allowed to continue because people ignore what is directly in front of them. The church is harmful and it encourages, the mistreatment of women and children and those who are vulnerable.

With great power comes great responsibility it is about time the Catholic Church stood up and took some. Other churches and organizations need to do a similar thing to stamp out the horrors of child abuse.

I agree wholeheartedly Gothesca - with the inclusion that all Australians [the law, Government and citizens] whether religious or not need to petition for charges to be laid of those criminals, particularly in the catholic church and other criminals who in the past were placed on pedestals.

Petitions may be the only way of exerting pressure for those to be made accountable.

Aside from the accountability - lawyers, judges and the legal fraternity will love the capital coming their way over the next few years if and when charges are laid.