870 Allegations of Child Sex Abuse against Christian Brothers - Report

The Newstalk
December 10, 2013

http://www.newstalk.ie/Christian-Brothers-abuse-handling-procedures-audit-for-publication


[with audio]

[Christian Brothers]

The child protection watchdog of the Catholic Church has published eight reviews of the practices and procedures in place to address sex abuse cases. The audit covers the period between January 1975 and May 2013.

It examines six separate dioceses and two religious congregations.

The work was carried out by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church (NBSCCC).

This latest tranche of reports from the Catholic Church child protection watchdog shows that during a period of almost three decades 870 allegations of child sex abuse were made against 325 members of the Christian Brothers order.

The audit shows that 12 have been convicted and describes the number of allegations as 'substantial'. It says the reviewers were in no doubt that a great number of children were seriously abused by the Brothers.

The review of the St. Patrick's Missionary Society - known as the Kiltegan Fathers - says 50 allegations were made against 15 members of the order, with one conviction since 1975.

In the Archdiocese of Armagh 16 priests were the subject of 36 allegations. One of the those have been convicted of child sex abuse office.

In response, the Kiltegan Fathers have apologised to those who have been abused by members of the Society and to their families.

One of the reports points to a number of failures by the order in dealing with child abuse cases and is also critical of how the order responded to victims. It does however note the significant progress made.

Acting CEO of the the NBSCCC Teresa Devlin says they are most concerned by the Kiltegan report - as it shows the order is coming to child protection "late in the game" and because most of the allegations relate to abuse carried out abroad.