Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown revealed shocking clergy abuse on minors and teens. The 463-page report was released on Wednesday and showed a church hierarchy that systematically failed to investigate and restrict access to children, allowing the abuse to continue.
A Large Number of Clergy Abuse Revealed in a Report
According to New York Times, the report describes the abuse as "pervasive and persistent," and cover-ups and document dismissals by the hierarchy of the church. Even though the victim's groups have already discovered the widespread abuse and have been acknowledged to some extent by the current church officials, a detailed account of how the church failed to prevent it has been reported.
The report's authors stressed that it is meant to be the complete account of the abuse within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. They are hoping that it will shed light on the scope and scale of abuse and the cover-ups that have been done by the church, which have not been publicized not until now.
State representatives have said, however, that they do not anticipate filing criminal charges in response to the report's conclusions, despite the considerable record of abuse and cover-ups. Some campaigners and abuse survivors have criticized this decision, saying the church must be held accountable for enabling the abuse.
According to NBC News, a recent report revealed that at least 600 children were victims of the abuse performed by 156 people, but the real number is much more likely to be higher. Parishes like St. Mark Parish in Catonsville are where 11 of the 156 child abusers reside and have worked from 1964 to 2004.
The severity of the abuse was widespread, as it was common for some adults to perform such malicious acts on minors. The report also claimed that the clergy members used their position and power to exploit the children's minds and make the families trust them. The investigation reached up to four years before it was completed; the report, the first public accounting of more than 60 years of abuse and cover-up in Maryland, demonstrates that the Archdiocese routinely prioritized institutional preservation over the protection of the youngsters entrusted to its care.
Also Read: Pope Francis Takes Bold Step to Combat Sexual Abuse, Extends Church Law to Include Lay Leaders
The Victims' Mixed Emotions
The victims of the sexual abuse have shown mixed emotions wherein they expressed their anger and relief after knowing the report. In the story in Associated Press News, Jean Hargadon Wehner revealed that she was abused by A. Joseph Maskell, a priest that served as a high school chaplain and counselor, and she reported this way back in the 90s.
She voiced frustration that when she first reported the assault, the church did nothing. Maskell, who assaulted at least 39 women, was never charged criminally and refuted the claims until his passing in 2001. Kurt Rupprecht, another victim of torture, didn't piece together his awful memories until he was in his late 40s. He felt comforted by this knowledge but was also overcome with rage and shock. This report shows the incompetence of the Archdiocese in that it took years before these allegations were served.
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