Stop child sex abuse by making celibacy optional for Catholic priests, Royal Commission recommends

Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse released a report on Friday (15 December), listing recommendations to the government and institutions in the country to curb sexual abuse of children. The results of the exhaustive five-year investigation paid special attention to testimonies by victims of abuse by clergy members of the Roman Catholic Church. The 21-volume report comprised 400 recommendations, including the idea of making celibacy for priests optional. It suggested that the Church in Australia make a plea to the Vatican to reassess rules regarding compulsory abstinence from sex for priests.