An estimated 216,000 children were victims of sexual abuse by clergy in the French Catholic Church since 1950. The numbers were revealed by an investigation report on the case on Tuesday, compiled by Jean-March Sauve, the Head of the Commission.
Over the past 20 years, a series of sexual abuses involving children have been reported, all around the world. The French clergy case was the latest of all to rock the Roman Catholic Church.
In an online presentation of the report, Suave said that the abuse was systemic. The Church turned a blind eye to these abuses and failed to take necessary preventive measures against the happenings. Sometimes the Church even put children in touch with the sexual predators, Suave said.
The Catholic bishops in France established a commission to investigate the sexual abuse cases in 2018, to restore the public trust in the Church. The commission worked independently from the Church.
Suave added that the problem was still not yet resolved. The church had showed complete indifference to the victims until the end of 2000s.
The commission said that the numbers could go up to 3,30,000 if they included the abuses done by the lay members. It has identified around 2,700 victims by itself. And a wide range study has found that 2,16,000 children were victims of French clergy sex abuse since 1950.
Post Your Comments