On January 16, a United Nations panel interrogated the Vatican during in an unprecedented hearing in Geneva about its handling of sexual abuse cases over the years.
The Twelve Tribes sect has been suspected of using severe measures for disciplining children and has had its members found guilty of child abuse in the U.S.
Religious parents are continuing to deny their kids proper health care in favor of faith in the healing powers of their prayers. Denying medical care for their children is a common practice for members of faith healing churches. In particular, two faith healing churches in Philadelphia are now linked to over two dozen deaths due to this practice.
A recent BBC documentary by Kevani Kanda shows that around 50,000 children accused of witchcraft are being held in churches all across Congo. In 'Branded a Witch', Kevani tries to uncover faith-based child abuse in Congo. The documentary shows children assaulted by a Church leader if they are believed to be possessed magical powers.
A joint investigation carried out by the Times and an Australian newspaper has unearthed a child abuse case that was not reported to the police by the former archbishop Lord Hope of Thornes. The alleged perpetrator of the abuse was a former dean of Manchester Cathedral Robert Waddington. Waddington died in 2007 following throat cancer
