Sex abuse settlements exceed $1.5 billion

Social justice news
April 2006

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Mexican bishops appeal for just US immigration laws
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Prayer Week for Darfur ends soon
Sex abuse settlements exceed $1.5 billion
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USCCB releases new compliance report on sex abuse
USCCB welcomes World Bank debt deal

Sex abuse settlements exceed $1.5 billion
Washington-based Catholic News Service reports that the cumulative financial cost to the U.S. Catholic Church for clerical sexual abuse of minors is now more than $1.5 billion and still climbing.

A new report released March 30 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said U.S. dioceses, eparchies (Eastern-rite dioceses) and religious orders spent $467 million last year in settlements, therapy for victims and abusers, attorney fees, and other costs related to sexual abuse of minors by priests or deacons. A similar national survey the previous year revealed costs of $158 million.

According to CNS, an extensive national study of the U.S. church's sexual abuse costs from 1950 to 2002, completed in early 2004, revealed costs during that period of at least $573 million. The bishops did no national survey of 2003 costs, but a "very conservative estimate" from CNS puts the cost at $225 million, so the total church cost for clergy sexual abuse from 1950 through 2005 was at least $1,423,000,000.

New settlements so far in 2006 brought the U.S. church's total cost for clergy sexual abuse of minors since 1950 beyond the $1.5 billion mark. CNS reports that major settlements are still pending in Los Angeles and in the Portland and Spokane dioceses. The latter dioceses have entered federal bankruptcy proceedings because of the number and size of legal claims filed against them.

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