French clergy sexually abused ‘over 200,000 children’ since 1950
Al Jazeera
Commission investigating historic wrongdoing reveals thousands of Catholic priests involved in ‘systemic’ abuse.
About 216,0000 children are estimated to have been sexually abused by French Catholic priests, deacons and other clergy since 1950, an independent inquiry has found, alleging the phenomenon was covered up for decades by a “veil of silence”.
The details made public on Tuesday are the latest to rock the Roman Catholic Church after a series of sexual abuse scandals around the world, often involving children, over the past 20 years.
Jean-Marc Sauve, head of the commission that compiled the report on the investigation, said the abuse in France was “systemic” and had been carried out by some 3,000 priests and other people involved in the church.
