Prevention of abuse

PROMOTING SAFE ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL

As a Movement founded on Gospel-based love, we aim to offer and ensure safe spaces for all people where they can carry out their activities. We are committed to respecting and protecting each person’s dignity and to cultivating a culture of respect and esteem for others in order to prevent and avoid all forms of abuse.

In particular, all the members of the Movement are responsible for safeguarding children and adolescents by promoting their well-being. Safe practices are being adopted, and risk assessments are being considered so as to minimise the possibility of harm or accidents to minors involved in our activities, whether in Focolare venues or when we meet in other settings.

The final document of the 2021 General Assembly of the Movement acknowledged, with profound suffering, all the situations in which we had fallen short in protecting and helping the people who have suffered abuse. We commit to listening, to accompanying, to seeking justice and to offering support to those who have been abused, so as to ensure that every person is heard, their suffering is recognised, and they have the possibility of being supported.

The President of the Movement, Margaret Karram said: “First and foremost we are placing the Gospel at the basis of this process of renewal. We want to put the Gospel back at the centre of all we do. Moreover, the serious challenges that the world is experiencing today call for a deepening application of the spirituality of unity so that it can be an instrument of fraternity and peace.”¹.

Below you will find information about the competent bodies and the documents that collectively constitute the Focolare Movement’s “Guidelines” regarding the prevention and the safeguarding from all types of abuse. We will also publish the Movement’s reports and information regarding this.

1. Press release of 19th May 2022

Policy for safeguarding in the Focolare Movement

Report abuse