Catholic Church reveals 620 abuse cases

22 Sep 2012, 8:00 pm   -   Source: AFP
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(AAP)

(AAP)

The Catholic Church in one Australian state has revealed that at least 620 children have been abused by its clergy since the 1930s, sparking a fresh call for an independent inquiry.

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The Catholic Church in one Australian state has revealed that at least 620 children have been abused by its clergy since the 1930s, sparking a fresh call for an independent inquiry.

The Catholic Church in Victoria revealed the number in a submission to a state parliamentary hearing on Friday but said the instances of abuse reported had fallen dramatically from the "appalling" numbers of the 1960s and 1970s.

"It is shameful and shocking that this abuse, with its dramatic impact on those who were abused and their families, was committed by Catholic priests, religious and church workers," Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart said.

The full submission was not released publicly but the church said most of the 620 claims it had upheld over the last 16 years related to incidents 30 to 80 years ago, with very few related to abuse that has taken place since 1990.

Hart said the church had taken steps to redress the issue, including a programme implemented in the 1990s involving an independent investigation, an ongoing programme of counselling and support, and compensation.

"This submission shows how the church of today is committed to facing up to the truth and to not disguising, diminishing or avoiding the actions of those who have betrayed a sacred trust," he said.

But victims' supporters say the number of children abused was likely much higher than that confirmed by the church in its own inquiries.

President of the Law Institute of Victoria, Michael Holcroft, said there was a need for more independent investigations.

"Obviously there's a public perception that the church investigating the church is Caesar judging Caesar and I think that the community is now looking for somebody external, someone independent to get to the bottom of what's obviously been a big problem for a long, long time," he told the ABC.

The Victorian state government announced the inquiry into the handling of child abuse cases by religious and non-government bodies after the suicides of dozens of people abused by clergy.

Last year Pope Benedict XVI told Australian bishops that their work had been made more difficult by the clerical sex abuse scandal which has rocked the church as he exhorted them to "repair the errors of the past with honesty".

The pontiff met victims of abuse when he travelled to Sydney in 2008.

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Your Comments

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Mark - from moonta, 8 months ago

The catholic church tells gay people that they dont have rights when it comes to marriage yet for eighty years they have been molesting children. In my opinion all forms of religion are evil and wicked and they do not have a place in a modern educated society. So we are told 620 children molested in one state and how many more are frightened and have not come forward.What about other states were this has happened. And to think they still teach religion in schools.

Tip of the iceberg

Pam Krstic - from Healesville, 8 months ago

620 upheld cases is just the tip of the iceberg. The Church here never looks to see how many other victims there may be of an offender. The Jesuits in the US and Germany have sent messages out to all the alumni of their schools where an allegation has been made, encouraging victims to see the police and ensure they receive any help they may need. There have been less victims come forward since1990s as most victims dont disclose until they are in their late 30s or 40s and 50s etc.

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