In the past seven decades, members of the Portuguese Catholic Church have sexually abused at least 4,815 children. Most of the abusers were reportedly priests.
Sexual Abuse Issue of the Members of the Portuguese Catholic Church
On Monday, Feb. 13, a report was published by a commission investigating the issue. The head of the commission and a child psychiatrist, Pedro Strecht, stated that the current findings on sexual abuse are "the tip of the iceberg." Since 1950, children have been sexually abused by clergy members in Portugal. Strecht said they wanted to offer a heartfelt tribute to those abused as children and encouraged them to speak out against the injustice they experienced.
As mentioned, the majority of the sexual assaults on children occurred between the ages of 10 and 14, with the youngest victim being just two years old. The members responsible for the abuse were mostly priests (77%), while 57% of the victims were reportedly men. They were abused in various locations, including Catholic institutions and churches, the residences of priests, and confessionals.
The bishop who attended the final report's presentation, Jose Ornelas, told a news conference that on Friday, Mar. 3, Portuguese bishops are scheduled to gather for a meeting. They will discuss implementing more effective and suitable procedures to prevent future abuses.
Accordingly, in the past year, the Portuguese Catholic Church has been shaken by allegations of a cover-up of sexual abuse, some involving bishops who continue to serve in active positions within the church. The committee stated they were compiling a list of accused priests still serving in their roles.
After a report in France indicated that over 3,000 priests and other religious authorities were responsible for the sexual abuse of over 200,000 children, the Portuguese commission began its investigation in January 2022. Individuals have made allegations of abuse from diverse origins and countries, as well as Portuguese nationals residing in other European, African, and American regions.
The commission interviewed more than 500 victims, bishops, and other clergy members and reviewed historical church documents. In addition, 25 of the testimonies heard by the commission were forwarded to the public prosecutor's office for investigation. Other incidents occurred more than two decades ago, and no legal action can be taken. According to the commission, the legislation should be modified so that criminal proceedings can be initiated for crimes committed thirty years ago.
Pope Francis Took Personal Responsibility for Ending Catholic Church Abuse
Pope Francis has made the church's response to sex abuse scandals one of the defining themes of his reign. He recently told CNN Portugal that each instance of abuse within the church "hurts" him. Pope Francis also stated that he would work to eliminate sexual misconduct inside the Catholic Church.
Since Pope Francis became the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics in 2013, various reports that describe decades of sexual abuse, systematic failures, and cover-ups have been disclosed. These findings have been issued in multiple countries. Although he received criticism for his actions, he has since taken a firm stance on the issues and introduced some reforms. In particular, he has been criticized for defending a bishop who was accused of covering up a sex scandal in 2018, which he later on described as a "grave error."
Related Article: French Catholic Church Uncovers Clerical Sexual Abuse Cases of 11 Bishops
