Over 4,000 minors abused by members of Portugal’s Catholic Church in last 70 years: Report
NEW DELHI,FEB 13 : An explosive report has claimed that over 4,000 children were sexually abused by members of the Portuguese Catholic Church in the last 70 years.
The commission which released the report said the findings are only the tip of the iceberg, news agency Reuters reported.
“We want to pay a sincere tribute to those who were abuse victims during their childhood and dared to give a voice to silence,” child psychiatrist Pedro Strecht, who headed the commission, was quoted as saying by Reuters.
“They are much more than a statistic,” he added.
Most perpetrators were priests, and most of the victims were men, Strecht said, adding that they were abused in Catholic schools, churches, priests’ homes, and confessionals, among other locations.
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The majority of the sexual abuse took place when the children were aged 10–14, with the youngest victim being just two years old.
The Portuguese Catholic Church was rocked last year by cases of alleged cover-up of sexual abuse, including by bishops who remain active in church roles. The commission said it was preparing a list of accused priests still working.
A total of 25 of the testimonies heard by the commission were sent to the public prosecutors’ office for investigation, as all the others were committed over 20 years ago and legal proceedings can no longer be initiated.
The commission said the law should be changed so legal proceedings can be initiated for historical crimes committed 30 years ago.
-The India Today
