Should the seal of confession be protected by law? There is growing pressure in favour of a legal obligation to report to the authorities any grounds for suspecting a child is being sexually abused. But if that suspicion arises from something said in the course of sacramental confession, the Code of Canon Law absolutely forbids it being repeated outside. The situation may soon arise in Great Britain that already applies, for instance, in Australia. Catholic bishops and clergy there have indicated that they will not obey the law, and go to prison if necessary.

In 2000 it was made an offence under the Terrorism Act not to disclose a belief or suspicion of terrorist financing offences to the police as soon as possible. The two situations are by no means identical, but it does seem anomalous that there is no similar legal obligation to disclose a suspicion of child sexual abuse. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is now preparing its final report, and has said it will address the issue of mandatory reporting there.