The numbers: France's report on church sex abuse of children
ABC News
France’s first major study of sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church revealed shockingly large estimates of victims and adds to global understanding of the depth of the problem
PARIS -- France’s first major study of sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church revealed shockingly large estimates of victims and adds to global understanding of the depth of the problem. Here is a look at some key findings:
THE VICTIMS
Based on projections, the independent study estimates some 330,000 children overall were victims of sexual abuse linked to the church from 1950-2020. Of those, it estimates that some 216,000 were abused by priests, and the rest by other church figures such as scout leaders or camp counselors.
The study’s authors estimate 80% of the abused children were boys. A broader study of sexual abuse of children in France found that 75% of the overall victims were girls.
