"Maryland Report Reveals Shocking Catholic Church Sex Abuse Claims Against 156 Clergy Members and Others"

A report by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General has revealed that over 150 Catholic priests and clergy members associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore were accused of sexually abusing at least 600 children since the 1940s. The report, based on hundreds of thousands of documents obtained through subpoena of church records and interviews with hundreds of victims and witnesses, also found that church officials who became aware of abuse displayed more empathy for the abusers than for the victims, and that the church was more concerned with avoiding scandal and negative publicity than it was with protecting children. Maryland lawmakers have also passed a bill to end the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits related to child sexual abuse.