So how widespread is sexual abuse by Catholic priests?

Question

I keep seeing lots of comments about the abuse of children, but it seems like mostly opinions from both sides. I want to know how widespread the abuse was. FACTS are requested.

Answer 1

Ok, here are some facts and let's see how objective all the Catholic bashers can be after reading the numbers:

1. According to an unbiased study by a NON-Catholic, approximately 0.2 percent of Catholic priests are child molesters.

2. The Catholic Church has a lower incidence of molesting priests than churches that allow married clergy because statistically child molestation generally occurs within families and Catholic priests do not have families.

3. The sexual abuse rates of public school teachers, Protestant ministers and rabbis is at least equal to if not greater than abuse among priests.

4. Not all of the sexual conduct can be called abuse, as some of the "victims" were teenage boys (not helpless little children). These cases are separate and distinct from child molestation and would be considered homosexual acts between two willing people.

Answer 2

In my case, it doesn't really matter.

I have Panic Disorder and PTSD because my father was/is a pedophile. (He's old now, and too sick to hurt anyone else.) When the pedohilia scandal broke, I was glued to the TV for hours on end. The "cover it up, move 'em around" actions of the heirarchy and the hardball tactics of Church-hired lawyers in court against victims were the things that made me the most ill. I decided I could no longer put money in a collection plate knowing it could end up being used for hush money to protect a pedophile. After about ten years in the Church, I coudn't go anymore without risking a panic attack, as the association in my mind between the RCC and pedophilia and my own father was simply too strong.

Answer 3

While there is definitely evidence that the Church covered up a great many of the abuses, and promoted homosexuality in the seminaries, the fact still remains that the "scandal" in the Church was simple one of millions of sexual scandals that occurs every day.

We see sexual misconduct in every denomination and every walk of life, and rates among married men are actually higher.

The media blew this whole thing out of proportion in relation to what goes on in the general population.

Answer 4

Thank u Veritas & Mr. Penguin.

Answer 5

Not nearly as high as what the Protestants would have you believe it is.

Answer 6

Religious loyalists can rationalize anything.

Answer 7

I don't want to even know, it makes me sick.