Chilean justice has ordered the Salesian Congregation in the first instance to pay compensation of 325 million Chilean pesos to eight victims of sexual abuse, after finding that the institution was responsible for omissions, cover-ups, and silencing of crimes committed by some of its priests between 1973 and 2009.
The ruling, issued by a civil court in Santiago, partially upholds the lawsuit filed by nine former students of institutions linked to the congregation, although it only recognizes the right to compensation for eight of them. The decision is not final and may still be appealed by the Salesian Congregation.
The court attributes responsibility to the congregation
The judgment concludes that the sexual abuses continued for more than three decades and that the congregation did not act appropriately to prevent them or respond properly once the facts were known.
According to the ruling, the institution’s civil liability stems from the omissions, cover-up, and silencing of the abuses committed by priests belonging to the order, circumstances that justify the order to pay compensation of 325 million Chilean pesos.
The incidents are said to have occurred in different regions of the country
The abuses confirmed by the court took place between 1973 and 2009 in various establishments and facilities linked to the Salesian Congregation, although the lawsuit claims that some also occurred in vacation homes and private residences used by members of the order.
The locations mentioned in the proceedings include Valdivia and Coñaripe, in the Los Ríos region; Concepción, in the Biobío region; Talca and Molina, in the Maule region; Putaendo, in the Valparaíso region; and the Santiago communes of La Cisterna and La Florida.
The ruling can still be appealed
The judgment is a first-instance decision, so the Salesian Congregation may appeal it before a higher court.
If an appeal is filed, the Chilean justice system will determine whether to uphold, modify, or overturn the conviction imposed in this initial ruling.