Between July 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020, male dioceses received 368 reports regarding sex abuse of minors - the Institute for Catholic Church Statistics informed on Monday. 10 percent of those cases were dismissed as unreliable, 51 percent were being examined, whereas 39 percent were confirmed or marked as credible. Primate of Poland Archbishop Wojciech Polak asked "all persons harmed and outraged by evil in the Church" for forgiveness.
The Institute for Catholic Church Statistics on Monday published results of a query into sex abuse of minors perpetrated by some Polish clergymen incardinated to dioceses, as well as by some professors of male religious congregations and apostolic life societies. The data covers cases reported between July 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020, that cover a period between 1958 and 2020.
The document states between July 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020, male dioceses received 368 reports regarding sex abuse of minors, of which 300 happened in dioceses, while 68 in congregations. 10 percent (38) of those cases were dismissed as unreliable, 51 percent (186) were being examined, whereas 39 percent (144) were confirmed or marked as credible in early stages or by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Nearly half of the victims mentioned in the reports were under 15 years of age (47 percent). In both age groups, half of the cases related to girls, while the other half to boys. 21 cases (5,7 percent) lacked information regarding the age of the victims (8 girls and 13 boys).
The report mentions that, during the gathering of the data by the episcopate, the situation of the accused varied.
Mostly, they were suspended from serving for the duration of investigation (46 percent), banned from working with children (36 percent), or ordered to remain in a specified place (37 percent). In the remaining cases, procedures such as ban on practicing certain parts of service, ban from certain locations, restricted priest duties or canonical penalty. 16 percent of accused priests retired, while every tenth continues to serve.
The report also informs that the law enforcement was notified about 148 of 173 cases (85,5 percent) relating to minors aged below 15. Dioceses and congregations informed about 113 cases, while 35 notifications came from other sources.
Primate of Poland Archbishop Wojciech Polak asked "all persons harmed and outraged by evil in the Church" for forgiveness.
"We feel great shame, great pain and compassion", he added and stressed the Church was "grateful and respectful of those who chose to share their harm by revealing their traumatic stories, often many years later."
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: KAI