Catholic Church in the US reveals a big spike in allegations of child sex abuse, and the claims are likely to rise further as more dioceses release names of accused priests.
FILE - In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 file photo, a sexual abuse victim points to the photos of Catholic priests accused of sexual misconduct by victims during a news conference in Orange, Calif. On Friday, May 31, 2019, the U.S. Catholic church says that allegations of child sex-abuse by clergy more than doubled in its latest 12-month reporting period, and its spending on victim compensation and child protection surged above $300 million.
According to the report, Catholic dioceses and religious orders spent $301.6 million during the reporting period on payments to victims, legal fees and child-protection efforts. That was up 14% from the previous year and double the amount spent in the 2014 fiscal year. “Victims are coming forward now because of real progress by secular authorities,” said the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “Lawmakers are increasingly getting rid of archaic, predator-friendly laws and 16 attorneys general have launched investigations, so many victims are feeling hopeful.”
Compilation of the annual report entails an audit of Catholic dioceses across the U.S. to assess their compliance with a 2002 charter outlining the church’s child-protection policies. Only one diocese, based in Lincoln, Nebraska, was found noncompliant due to lack of transparency in public communications about child sex abuse cases.
, Cesareo said the events “have led to both frustration and anger among the faithful in the Church, a loss of the credibility of the hierarchy, and a questioning of the efficacy of the audit itself.”
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