A report released Wednesday by the Maryland Attorney General’s office uncovered 80 years of abuse in the Catholic church, revealing 156 people who were Catholic priests or otherwise associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore had allegedly sexually assaulted over 600 children.
The report, which the office began working on in 2018, revealed that there were concerns raised over the years about many of the abusers listed. The names of 10 alleged abusers were redacted from the report.
“One of the most distressing aspects of the abuse is the frequency with which abusers continued their behavior even after victims came forward or concerns were raised,” the report said. “The sheer number of abusers and victims, the depravity of the abusers’ conduct, and the frequency with which known abusers were given the opportunity to continue preying upon children are astonishing.”
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More than 600 alleged instances of abuse were only the ones reported and uncovered, but the actual number is “likely far higher,” according to the report.
The report’s release coincided with the Child Victims Act of 2023 in the Maryland General Assembly making its way to Gov. Wes Moore’s desk. The act, which passed in the state senate Wednesday, ends the statute of limitations for survivors of abuse, allowing more people to file lawsuits against their abusers.
