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Report identifies more than 1,000 victims of priest abuse in Pennsylvania

Posted at 4:17 PM, Aug 14, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-14 18:17:55-04

(NBC News) The largest and most comprehensive investigation into child sex abuse within the Catholic Church ever in the United States was released in a report by a Pennsylvania grand jury Tuesday.

The 884 page grand jury report details horrific stories of abuse, corruption and cover-ups in Catholic churches across Pennsylvania, stretching over seven decades and allegedly being carried out by more than 300 clergy members described as “predator priests.”

“We should emphasize, while the list of priests is long, we don’t think we got them all,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

The report also outlines an environment in six dioceses where allegations “were brushed aside, in every part of the state, by church leaders who preferred to protect the abusers and their institution above all.”

“Priests were raping little boys and girls and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing, but hid it all for decades,” said Shapiro.

The investigation identified more than a thousand victims, but says the real number of victims is likely in the thousands.

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