US Bishops issue annual child
and youth protection report
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of
Child and Youth Protection releases its 2019 Annual Report.
By Vatican News
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
announced on Thursday that its Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection has
released “Findings and Recommendations on the Implementation of the Charter for
the Protection of Children and Young People.”
The 2019 report for the year July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019
shows that 4,220 adults came forward with 4,434 allegations of abuse. The
figures are a marked increase compared to the previous year.
The statement says that the rise is due in part to new
complaints that were added during trials, compensation programs and bankruptcy
proceedings in progress.
The document also shows 37 allegations were made by current
minors, of which 8 were substantiated, 7 were unsubstantiated, and 6 were
unable to be proven. Twelve allegations are still under investigation, 3 others
were referred to religious orders, and 1 was referred to another diocese.
During the same period, the findings reveal that American
dioceses and eparchies helped and gave psychological support to 1,138 new
victims and their families. Together with them, 1,851 victims and family
members who reported abuse in previous audits continued to be assisted.
In 2019, more than 2.6 million background checks were
conducted on clergy, staff and volunteers working for the Church. In addition,
2.6 million adults and 3.6 million children and youth were involved in
information and awareness training programs to help recognize and report abuse.
The report also looks at how dioceses are implementing the
measures in the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young
People, also known as the Dallas Charter, launched by the
American bishops in 2002 in response to allegations of sexual abuse of minors
by clergy.
Inspections carried out in 64 dioceses and eparchies and an
examination of data provided by 130 other dioceses found only three to be
partially non-compliant: the Diocese of Oakland, the Philadelphia Archdiocese
of the Ukrainians and the Diocese of St. Thomas of Syro-Malabar.
Three eparchies, on the other hand, did not participate in
the audits: the Syro-Malankarian eparchies of St. Mary Queen of Peace, St.
Peter the Apostle of St. Diego of the Chaldeans and St. Nicholas of the
Ukrainians of Chicago.
The new report is based on audits conducted by law firm,
StoneBridge Business Partners, and includes an investigation carried out by
CARA, the Research Center for the Apostolate at Georgetown
University.
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