Draft survey: 4,450 priests accused of child sex abuse
NEW YORK (CNN) --Children accused more than 4,000 priests of sexual abuse in the
years between 1950 and 2002, according to a draft survey commissioned by the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The survey, to be released February 27, found that children made more than
11,000 allegations of sexual abuse by priests. The 4,450 accused priests are
about 4 percent of the 110,000 priests who served during the 52 years covered by
the study.
The report is based on a nationwide survey of church records, and was compiled
by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice for the conference. The bishops'
conference commissioned the survey to get a better understanding of the scope of
the crisis.
CNN reviewed a draft copy of the survey. Officials said it may be slightly
changed before its release.
More than half of the accused priests had a one allegation against them.
Twenty-five percent, or 1,112 priests, had two or three allegations, and 13
percent, or 578 priests, had four to nine allegations, according to the draft
report. Three percent, or 133 of the priests, had 10 or more allegations, the
draft report found.
Some 6,700, or 61 percent of the 11,000 allegations, were substantiated, the
survey said. One thousand of the allegations could not be substantiated. The
remaining 3,300 were not investigated because the priests involved were no
longer alive.
The bishops' conference so far has declined to comment on the survey.
Bill Burleigh, a member of the conference's national review board, said he would
not comment until the survey is released. The review board is composed of lay
people.
The director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests said Monday the
survey's numbers are low.
"Bishops have tried to hide this for years, so there is no reason to believe all
of a sudden they would change their ways," David Clohessy said. "The only
prudent thing to do is to assume this is not the entire truth. This is a survey,
not a report or investigation."
According to the survey, 78 percent of those abused were between the ages of 11
and 17, 16 percent were 8 to 10 years old, and nearly 6 percent were 7 or
younger.
The survey also said that several factors contributed to the problem, including
failure to grasp its gravity, overemphasis on the avoidance of scandal, use of
unqualified treatment centers, misguided willingness to forgive and insufficient
accountability.
More than 44,000 priests currently serve in the United States, according to the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
--
"Naturally, the common people don't want war;
neither in Russia nor in England nor in America,
nor for that matter in Germany.
That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders
of the country who determine the policy and
it is always a simple matter to drag the people
along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist
dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist
dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can
always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.
That is easy. All you have to do is tell them
they are being attacked and denounce the
pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing
the country to danger. It works the same way
in any country."
- Hermann Goering, Nazi Reichsmarshall
.
|
