275 priests abused 944 children in the US

It has been revealed that 275 priests in three Catholic dioceses in the US state of Massachusetts sexually abused 944 children. This was reported in an investigation conducted by the state Attorney General's office.

The investigation covered the dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester. Most of the cases in the report occurred before 2002.

Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell stated that the leadership of the dioceses had been aware of the abuse of children by priests for years. In some cases, it was noted that preserving the church's reputation was prioritized over child safety.

The investigation began in 2019. During the inquiry, the prosecutor's office contacted local prosecutors three times regarding the cases, one of which led to charges being filed in the Worcester diocese. In other cases, criminal prosecution was not initiated because the statute of limitations had expired or the act was not considered a crime at the time.

The leaders of the three dioceses apologized to the victims and stated that measures are being taken to strengthen child safety and improve existing procedures.

The Attorney General called for legislative changes to expand the ability of victims of childhood sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits.