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New Vic Catholic abuse process announced

Victoria's Catholic Diocese is asking abuse survivors for feedback on its new model for responding. (AAP)

Abuse survivors in Victoria are being urged to give feedback on the Catholic Church's proposed new process for handling complaints and redress.

Pathways Victoria will replace the widely-criticised Melbourne Response model, set up by Cardinal George Pell 25 years ago.

The Catholic Dioceses of Victoria have released details of the new scheme and survivors have until May 14 to comment.

"It is important that the voices of those who have experienced abuse are heard, and that their feedback helps to shape this new model," the church said in a statement.

"This new model will offer a set of compassionate, just and appropriately resourced processes to investigate complaints and respond to survivors, as an alternative to existing options such as the national redress scheme and civil litigation.

"It offers a pathway where survivors are listened to, acknowledged, compensated and given care."

The church added the proposed scheme would offer an "operationally independent structure" for implementing its national response protocol released earlier this year.

It says Pathways Victoria will be "person-centred and trauma-informed".

The child abuse royal commission had a series of criticisms about the Melbourne Response, saying it discouraged survivors from contacting police.

Cardinal Pell set up the program when he was Archbishop of Melbourne.

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