Experts Say 100,000 US Kids Abused by Priests; SNAP Responds

By Barbara Dorris
SNAP
February 9, 2012

http://www.snapnetwork.org/experts_say_100_000_us_kids_abused_by_priests_snap_responds

Two US experts told Vatican officials yesterday that roughly 100,000 boys and girls in America have been sexually violated by Catholic priests. We believe that this is a very low estimate, especially since there are an estimated 6,000 predator priests in the US. (see: http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AtAGlance/USCCB_Yearly_Data_on_Accused_Priests.htm)

This is almost ten times the estimate that has been offered by US bishops for the past six or seven years. It’s a dreadfully sobering figure. Our hearts ache for these wounded men, women, teens and children.

We hope that this staggering estimate prods secular authorities to step up their efforts to expose child molesting clerics and the corrupt church officials who continue to move and hide and protect and enable them.

(Another expert told Catholic officials this week that 95% of accusations against priests are true. See

This 100,000 estimate is the same number of alleged victims that was put forth in 1993 by Fr. Andrew Greeley in an article in the Jesuit magazine America.

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The two experts are Michael Bemi and Pat Neal.

Bemi is the President and CEO, The National Catholic Risk Retention Group, Inc.

Neal is the Director of VIRTUS Programs and Services

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Read the story here