Pope Francis made significant updates to the Vatican City’s laws today, addressing (among other things) issues related to child sexual abuse. Sexual violence, prostitution and possession of child pornography are now classified as crimes against children and can be punished more harshly, according to the Associated Press.

These laws apply only to the small population of the Vatican City State – an estimated 839 people – and are not part of the Catholic Church’s canon (religious) law, so they will not directly impact how the scandal continues to play out around the world. But Pew Research Center polling shows that addressing the sex-abuse scandal is something American Catholics consider important.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/07/11/american-catholics-want-pope-francis-to-address-abuse-scandal/