Portuguese probe into Catholic church sex abuse receives nearly 300 claim

A lay committee looking into historic child sex abuse in the Portuguese Catholic Church said on Tuesday it received witness statements from 290 alleged victims in its first three months of work, with cases involving children as young as two years old.

More than half the reported cases suggest many more victims were involved, said Pedro Strecht, a psychiatrist who heads the Independent Committee for the Study of Child Abuse in the Church.

The six-person committee, which includes psychiatrists, a former Supreme Court judge and a social worker, began its work in January at the behest of the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference. It promises anonymity to anyone who comes forward.

Strecht said the committee had come across signs that church officials, including current bishops he did not name, had sought to cover up abuse.

https://www.euronews.com/2022/04/12/portuguese-probe-into-catholic-church-sex-abuse-receives-nearly-300-claims