Extent of Catholic clergy’s sexual abuse of children exceeds church’s acknowledged figures

On Tuesday, the attorney general of Illinois unveiled the findings of a comprehensive investigation into allegations of sexual abuse committed by Catholic clergy. The results revealed that a staggering number of 451 clergy members had engaged in sexual abuse, victimizing almost 2,000 children since 1950. These figures far exceed the mere 103 individuals initially identified by the church when the state review commenced in 2018.

“It is my hope that this report will shine light both on those who violated their positions of power and trust to abuse innocent children, and on the men in church leadership who covered up that abuse,” Raoul said, crediting the accusers for making the review possible.

“These perpetrators may never be held accountable in a court of law, but by naming them here, the intention is to provide a public accountability and a measure of healing to survivors who have long suffered in silence.”

 

The lengthy report describes Illinois church leaders as woefully slow to acknowledge the extent of the abuse. It also accuses them of frequently dragging their feet to confront accused clergy and of failing to warn parishioners about possible abusers in their midst, sometimes even decades after allegations emerged about a clergy member – all of which echoes known facts about other dioceses in the US.

The review began in 2018 under Raoul’s predecessor, Lisa Madigan, who released a blistering report as she prepared to leave office. Raoul committed to continuing the investigation and reported on Tuesday that 25 staff members reviewed more than 100,000 pages of diocesan documents and engaged in more than 600 confidential interactions with contacts.

Among those cited in the report are accusers who contemplated suicide after being abused, and who turned to drugs or alcohol in a bid to cope with “anxiety and feelings of unworthiness”.

The investigation was initiated in 2018 by Lisa Madigan, the attorney general’s predecessor, who released a scathing report before leaving office. The current attorney general, Raoul, made a commitment to continue the investigation, and as of Tuesday, it was reported that a dedicated team of 25 staff members meticulously examined over 100,000 pages of diocesan documents and conducted more than 600 confidential interactions with relevant contacts.

The report includes distressing accounts from survivors who, as a result of the abuse, experienced profound psychological suffering, contemplated suicide, and resorted to substance abuse as a means to cope with overwhelming anxiety and feelings of diminished self-worth.

 

The facts presented in the report are beyond dispute. Prior to the commencement of the investigation in 2018, the leaders of every diocese in Illinois deliberately concealed known abusers, omitted them from their lists of accused individuals, and callously disregarded the truth shared by survivors who courageously came forward to report their abuse. It is utterly repugnant that these supposed shepherds would engage in such flagrant deception.

The preliminary report, conducted during Lisa Madigan’s tenure and preceding Raoul’s term, uncovered a distressing reality: the six dioceses of the church had woefully failed in their duty to adequately investigate allegations of abuse. In some instances, investigations were not carried out at all, and the state’s child welfare agency was not notified as required. The reported instances of abuse spanned back many decades and involved some priests who had already passed away. However, the preliminary report did not include certain crucial details, such as the timing of the allegations.

While the Madigan report did not accuse the dioceses of withholding the names of clergy members whom the church itself deemed to have been “credibly” accused or against whom abuse claims had been “substantiated” based on their own investigation standards, it did shed light on the fact that the comprehensive list of accused clergy was significantly longer than what the church had publicly disclosed.

 

According to Madigan’s office, the issues extended beyond mere negligence on the part of the church. In certain cases, the church actively worked against the accusers, exacerbating the already distressing situation.

When the allegations of abuse came to light, Illinois church leaders expressed remorse, acknowledging the gravity of the issue. They highlighted the measures they had implemented to confront the pervasive international crisis that has plagued the church.

In 2018, Madigan emphasized the crucial importance of reporting such incidents to the authorities. She also highlighted instances in which dioceses employed personal information about individuals in an attempt to discredit them and undermine the credibility of their accusations.

“The preliminary stages of this investigation have already demonstrated that the Catholic Church cannot police itself,” she said.

Other states, such as Pennsylvania and Maryland, have also experienced impactful government-led investigations that have uncovered reports of clergy sexual abuse and the failure of church leaders to take appropriate action against the perpetrators.

Alongside the statement made on Tuesday, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) urged attorneys general and prosecutors in other jurisdictions to undertake similar investigations into Catholic dioceses under their purview. SNAP emphasized the need for comprehensive scrutiny and accountability to address the pervasive issue of clergy abuse.

“For many survivors, secular investigations like this will open an area for new conversations, healing among fellow victims, and assisting communities to comprehend the horrors of their past and the risk of their present,” the group said. “When the legal system fails to provide victims with justice, statewide investigations can assist citizens and survivors in communicating essential facts about the global scourge of child sexual abuse.”