Study says abuse rate by priests 2-6 percent

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | March 30, 2002 | Bill Zlatos

[buzzyboop]

As the Roman Catholic Church prepares to celebrate Easter, researchers say the sexual abuse scandal surrounding it has unfairly tainted the vast majority of priests.

Between 2 percent and 6 percent of Roman Catholic priests have sexually abused minors, according to three researchers interviewed by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Based on the best data available, they say, that's a rate comparable to sexual abuse by clergy in other religions and that of the general population.

[buzzyboop]

The article's title in my morning paper was "Majority of Priests not abusers, studies say." I did not find solace in the article's title, nor its text. I do not expect the rate of these incidents by clergy to be a little lower, I expect it to be A LOT LOWER! Forget athletes, Charles Barkley, etc. They are allowed to be consistent with the general population. Not clergy, ther were on a pedestal. I grieve with my fellow Catholics. I have hope that this will strengthen my Church in the long run. But comparing my clergy to everyone else is being ostrich-like. Doesn't fly.

[goodnesswins]

Anyone know the statistics for teachers?

[luvzhottea]

It is painful to see how the haters of Catholicism have used a handful of isolated incidents in a Church of nearly one billion members to smear a great spiritual community.
Yet we see the same thing going on with those who hate Jews or Muslims all using pretexts to launch massive smear campaigns against religions.

[07055]

"(5% of priests have sexually abused children) That seems to be consistent with other male clergy in other religious traditions, and also consistent with the general population of males, and maybe a little lower," he said.

Let's think about this claim for a bit.

What is the population of the United States? 280 million?

Males around half of that? 130 million?

Let's say that 30 million of that total are boys themselves.

So, is this guy saying that there are 5 million men in our country who have sexually abused children?

Where is the research to support this claim? That means if I go to the store, one out of every twenty men I meet is a pedophile? If I go to an NFL football game, there are more than 2,000 pedophiles sitting with me in the stadium?

[sinkspur]

It is painful to see how the haters of Catholicism have used a handful of isolated incidents in a Church of nearly one billion members to smear a great spiritual community.

Well, as a Catholic I have to say that bishops who transferred these criminals from parish to parish handed the media plenty of ammunition.

The fact that we are just now seeing some of these men dismissed from the priesthood testifies to how the clerical culture just would not give up one of its own.

[leadpenny]

To me it's fairly simple and it has nothing to do with Catholics, Jews, Hindus, or Lutherans from Minnesota. It has to do with money. What does anyone think when they realize their donations are going to pay for lawsuits brought against the church? They quit giving.

The focus is on the Catholic Church right now and if they don't clean up their act they are going to go down like Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker or Jimmy Swaggart.

[Renatus]

The fact that we are just now seeing some of these men dismissed from the priesthood testifies to how the clerical culture just would not give up one of its own.

Would you please explain what you mean by "clerical culture."

[Renatus]

The focus is on the Catholic Church right now and if they don't clean up their act they are going to go down like Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker or Jimmy Swaggart.

The Church is protected by the Holy Spirit. This will never happen. My hunch is that you are engaging in wishful thinking. Give it up! Give it up!

[joathome]

It is painful to watch the other 95% say nothing.

I also believe that "five percent" has had far more opportunity to abuse "more" since they've been shuffled around while the rest of the clergy did remained silent.

[sinkspur]

"Clerical culture" means these guys cover for each other.

It's no different from the "political culture" or the "law enforcement culture" or the "mob" culture.

There seems to be more concern for the priest, or cop, or politician, than the victim.

I would expect better from men who are supposed to represent Christ on earth.

[AAABEST]

The church needs to kick every single gay priest out now. If you take gays out of the picture, the pedophile rate drops dramatically.

How many little girls are abused? It happens but it's rare.

[ibme]

Must be time for the daily whitewashing.

[Drango]

2-6 percent perhaps

BUT it's 100% support for priests over the plight of the victims IMHO.

[river rat]

"..haters of Catholicism have used a handful of isolated incidents...."

Must I hate Catholicism to be repulsed by sexual deviants cloaked as "priests"?
Must I hate Catholicism to believe that Homosexual/Heterosexual predators, have no place within any priesthood.
Must I hate Catholicism to believe that if you can not keep your oath, you should be exposed and expelled.
The church, the parish and the children deserve better that these freaking deviates....
Get a grip.....did you also defend Clinton?
Semper Fi

[ibme]

So, is this guy saying that there are 5 million men in our country who have sexually abused children?

Well, that depends on what is is.

Slick Willy should have hired this reasearch team!

[Sungirl]

Did anyone hear Jay Lenos joke about Liza Minelli's wedding? He said that during the ceremony, and ugly fight broke out.....the priest and Micheal Jackson were fighting over the alter boy.

[perez24]

The article doesn't say that that 5% are necessarily pedophiles, but that they have "abused minors." A minor is anyone under 18 or 21 (I'm guessing). That could include some "consensual statutory rape."

The fact that there is any is a tragedy.

[PGalt]

Abusers of children are the worst scum known to the human species. The level of deceit and destruction of all that is good by these criminals is beyond comprehension. The harboring of them (moving them around) by individuals inside the church is unthinkable. The rationalizations by the enablers are deplorable. Heads should roll. The only item in a collection plate should be a subpoena.

[EdReform]

Sex before 8 - or it's too late! Craige McMillan on how media covers for homosexual child abusers

Homosexuality a Factor in Sex Abuse by Priests

Media silent on gays in clergy

Ann Coulter: Should gay priests adopt?