Catholic Church admits abuse claims up by 50%

United Kingdom --

ALLEGATIONS of child abuse in the Roman Catholic Church increased by 50 per cent in England and Wales last year.

But of 153 reported incidents of abuse, 116 took place in the 60 years before 2004 and involved abusers who have since died.

The increase in allegations of abuse from 62 in 2003 to 100 last year was disclosed in the third annual report from the Catholic Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults.

The 100 incidents involved 153 victims. There were 111 cases of sexual abuse, 14 of physical abuse and 11 of child pornography.

Of the 37 incidents of alleged abuse that actually took place last year, 17 involved priests and 10 of these concerned sexual abuse.

The remaining complaints were against employees, volunteers and parishioners. All allegations were reported to the police. There have already been two convictions from last year’s cases.

The sixty-two reported incidents in 2003 led to two cautions and five convictions with two prosecutions still ongoing.

Read the article at Times Online Dated June 28, 2005

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