A panel investigating the sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church announced on Tuesday that it had documented evidence indicating at least 4,815 victims.
The panel, which was established by the Portuguese Episcopal Conference to investigate abuse over the past few decades, noted that this was only the tip of the iceberg.
The report’s president, child psychiatrist Pedro Street, said it “gave voice to the silence” of victims.
He praised the numerous witnesses who contacted the organization’s officials.
“They have a name and a voice,” he stated.
In total, the panel recorded 564 cases of alleged abuse by priests or other Church officials. Cases dating back to 1950 were evaluated for this exercise.
In several instances, testimony indicated that more youngsters had been molested, resulting in an estimate thousands of additional victims.
Mr. Strecht emphasized the impact of the abuse on the victims by citing their statements throughout his presentation. One of the victims stated that he had been living in a “dark hole.”
José Ornelas, the Bishop of Leiria-Fátima and President of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, is scheduled to make a statement shortly.
On Sunday, he stated that he had received the report “with appreciation” and that a special session set for March 3 would consider the most effective means of delivering “justice” to victims.
According to the commission, a total of twenty-five cases have been referred to public prosecutors. Many others exceeded the statute of limitations.
Among the report’s suggestions is that, in circumstances of alleged sexual abuse of minors, the current provision allowing victims to file criminal complaints until age 25 should be increased to age 30, even if the statute of limitations applies.
