Priest Abuse and Clergy Sexual Abuse Information

I am wondering if this is true or if it is hype by the media. A document released by the vatican, signed by the pope, gives strict guidlines that must be followed in case of sexual abuse/molestation. It lists:

"… Catholic bishops worldwide who are ordered to keep it locked away in the church safe.

"It instructs them how to deal with priests who solicit sex from the confessional. It also deals with ‘any obscene external act … with youths of either sex’."

"It imposes an oath of secrecy on the child victim, the priest dealing with the allegation, and any witnesses."

"Breaking that oath means excommunication from the Catholic Church."

Alright, excommunication is basically taking away a person’s salvation, which should not be the right of any man, unless he sees himself even with God, able to make decisions for God. Anyone who believes he can take away a person’s salvation, on his own, without God’s involvement, is, in my opinion, worthy of eternal damnation themselves. But, thats a different topic.

What do you think of this document? Do you think it to be true, or a hoax by the media? Whether the ‘holy document’ exists, I am not sure. But, they do seem to have proof guidlines have been handed down from the Vatican. Whether they are forced oaths or not, that is what I am unsure of.
link to news cite CBS:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/08/08/eveningnews/main567456.shtml
"The law does not protect the children"? I am confused. Here, where I live, any situation of abuse, sexuality, or abadonment of or concerning a child are to be dealt with with the highest urgency. Missing children are even exempt from the 24-48 hour rule of a missing person. A missing child report is filed immediately, whether its an 24 hours or one hour.

If you are a victim of child abuse you should report it. You are not in any danger from retaliation from the Church. Any priest you accuse will be confronted with the accusation. You should not believe any literature that tells you anything else.

This is certainly the case in the United States and especially in the Los Angeles area.

Reporting abuse is for the good of the Church. It should not be seen as disloyalty. Excommunication is not used lightly and is typically only used against very important people like errant priests and bishops and not against ordinary people.