Spain's Roman Catholic Church reached an agreement with the government to compensate victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy. The accord, signed recently, addresses long-standing complaints that religious leaders had not adequately tackled the issue.

Under the agreement, the government will manage compensation in coordination with the Church, specifically handling cases where legal avenues are no longer available due to statutes of limitations or the death of the accused. The government estimates that hundreds of thousands of Spaniards have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of Church figures.

Justice Minister Félix Bolaños stated after signing the agreement that "a democracy should not allow the existence of victims who have never been compensated and whose situation, on the contrary, had been covered up." He further explained that the agreement sought to "pay off an historic, moral debt that we had with victims of abuse within the Church."

The move follows similar redress schemes implemented in other nations where widespread abuse within the Church has been uncovered. The agreement is expected to expand the number of victims eligible to seek compensation. This initiative reflects a growing global trend toward acknowledging and addressing institutional failures in protecting vulnerable individuals. The specific mechanisms for determining compensation amounts and eligibility criteria are expected to be detailed in the coming weeks.