VOA慢速英語(yǔ)：美國(guó)官員對(duì)賓州天主教神職人員性侵案件開(kāi)啟調(diào)查

US Officials Open Catholic Clergy Abuse Investigation in Pennsylvania

美國(guó)官員對(duì)賓州天主教神職人員性侵案件開(kāi)啟調(diào)查

Federal officials in the United States are investigating child sexual abuse inside the Roman Catholic Church.

據(jù)報(bào)道，美國(guó)聯(lián)邦官員正在調(diào)查羅馬天主教會(huì)內(nèi)部發(fā)生的兒童性侵事件。

The Associated Press reports that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has officially demanded documents and statements from church leaders in Pennsylvania. The orders were presented to church officials last week, the AP says.

美聯(lián)社報(bào)道稱，聯(lián)邦調(diào)查局已經(jīng)正式要求賓州教會(huì)領(lǐng)袖提供文件和供述。美聯(lián)社稱這些命令已于上周提交給教會(huì)官員。

In August, a grand jury released a report about such accusations. The report accused 301 priests in Pennsylvania of sexually abusing more than 1,000 children over 70 years. It also said that high-level church officials hid the activities to protect the accused.

今年8月，一家大陪審團(tuán)發(fā)布了關(guān)于此類指控的報(bào)告。該報(bào)告指控賓州的301名牧師70多年來(lái)對(duì)超過(guò)1000名兒童進(jìn)行了性侵。報(bào)告還稱教會(huì)高層領(lǐng)袖掩蓋了這種行為以保護(hù)被告。

Federal government lawyers, called prosecutors, are now taking action. That is what two people who were not permitted to discuss the investigation told AP. They spoke to the AP on the condition that the news group would keep their identities secret.

被稱為檢察官的聯(lián)邦政府律師現(xiàn)在正在采取行動(dòng)。這是兩位不被允許討論這次調(diào)查的人士告訴美聯(lián)社的。他們向美聯(lián)社發(fā)表了講話，條件是這家新聞機(jī)構(gòu)對(duì)他們的身份保密。

Marci Hamilton is a University of Pennsylvania professor and leader of Child USA, a nonprofit research group for child abuse prevention.

馬爾奇.漢密爾頓(Marci Hamilton)是賓州大學(xué)教授以及Child USA的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人，這是一家預(yù)防兒童性侵的非營(yíng)利性研究組織。

She said such action would be important. "The federal government has so far been utterly silent on the Catholic cases," she added.

她說(shuō)，這樣的舉動(dòng)很重要。她補(bǔ)充表示，“聯(lián)邦政府到目前為止還對(duì)這些天主教案件完全保持沉默。”

U.S. Attorney William McSwain of Philadelphia released the orders for the documents and statements by Catholic officials. He said he wants to know if officials such as priests, bishops, seminarians or other Catholic leaders carried out any federal crimes.

美國(guó)費(fèi)城的檢察官威廉·麥克斯韋恩(William McSwain)下令要求天主教官員提供文件和供述。他說(shuō)，他想知道牧師、主教、修士等官員或其他天主教領(lǐng)袖是否犯下了任何聯(lián)邦罪行。

Such crimes could include taking children across state lines for illegal purposes, sending sexual images or messages electronically or ordering anyone not to contact police. McSwain also said he wants to know if Catholic officials moved suspected abusers to other areas or used money or other possessions as part of such wrongdoing.

這類犯罪可能包括出于非法目的帶兒童跨越州界、以電子方式發(fā)送性圖片或信息，或是下令任何人不要報(bào)警。麥克斯韋恩還表示，他想知道天主教官員是否將性侵嫌犯轉(zhuǎn)移到其它地區(qū)，或是將錢或其它財(cái)產(chǎn)作為這類不法行為的一部分。

The order seeks private church records. The AP's unidentified individuals said government lawyers are also seeking records on the local Church's organization and finances. Details of where clergy worked and the treatment of priests are also being sought.

該命令要求調(diào)查教會(huì)的不公開(kāi)記錄。美聯(lián)社的這些身份不明人士表示，檢察官還在調(diào)查當(dāng)?shù)亟虝?huì)的組織和財(cái)務(wù)方面的記錄，并且還在調(diào)查神職人員的工作地點(diǎn)和牧師的待遇這些詳細(xì)信息。

The Pennsylvania grand jury report was almost 900 pages. It found that church leaders systematically hid evidence of wrongdoing.

賓州大陪審團(tuán)的報(bào)告有近900頁(yè)。它發(fā)現(xiàn)了教會(huì)領(lǐng)袖系統(tǒng)掩蓋不法行為的證據(jù)。

However, the report said only two priests could be charged because of time limits on legal action for such crimes. Many accused priests have already died.

然而，該報(bào)告稱，由于這類犯罪的法律訴訟時(shí)限，只能對(duì)兩名牧師提出指控。許多被指控的牧師已經(jīng)過(guò)世。

Legal experts said local Roman Catholic Churches could possibly be charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. That federal law, passed by Congress in 1970, is meant to fight organized crime.

法律專家表示，當(dāng)?shù)亓_馬天主教會(huì)可能會(huì)受到“反詐騙及腐敗組織法”的指控。國(guó)會(huì)于1970年通過(guò)的這一聯(lián)邦法案旨在打擊有組織犯罪。

I'm Caty Weaver.

凱蒂·韋弗報(bào)道。