Mass Cases of Sex Abuse in Dutch Churches

According to a report released by an independent Commission of Inquiry Friday, thousands of minors suffered sexual abuse in the Dutch Roman Catholic Church for over 60 years.

The report spans from the period between 1945 to 2010, and says "the scale" of the abuse "is relatively small in percentage terms, but is a serious problem in absolute numbers."

All of the victims were under the care of church officials such as priests, pastoral workers, and lay persons.

Approximately 800 “possible perpetrators” have been identified, according to the report.

"Several tens of thousands of minors have experienced mild, serious and very serious forms of inappropriate sexual behavior. Victims have often suffered for decades from the effects of abuse and have received acknowledgment of the fact," the report’s panel said. "This has caused problems for them, their immediate family and their friends, who require attention and sometimes professional counseling."

After “a growing number of reports appeared,” the church created the inquiry about sexual abuse in its bureaucracy, the commission said. To read more, click here.