Are they ALL pedophiles? Shocking statistic from reveals rate of clergy sex abuse in Church

Seven percent of Church staff in Australia accused of abuse. Rate is still below public average, but still inexcusable.

About seven percent of Church staff in Australia could be pedophiles, alleges a study performed by Australian authorities. The study examined evidence gathered from between 1950 and 2010 that revealed the shocking number of clergy, religious and lay employees of the Church who were allegedly involved in sexual crimes with children. The majority of those crimes have gone unpunished.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) -- Surveys of Church authorities reveal that as many as 1,880 Church priests, religious, and lay personnel, in Australia may have had sexual contact with children across more than 1,000 different institutions. These statistics come from the 4,444 complaints reported between 1980 and 2015.

The rate of abuse appears to be seven percent. The average age of the victims is between 10 and 11 for girls and boys respectively.

The study does not just include priests, but also religious brothers and sisters and lay employees of the Church.

About 90 percent of the perpetrators were male, but 10 percent were female.

Abuse appeared more widespread where troubled youth were involved. One institution has a 40 percent rate of accusation, with nearly half of its staff accused of illegal behavior with children, including molestation and rape.

The study was undertaken by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The Commission is intended to look at systematic child abuse across organizations, including the government.

Commission lawyer, Gail Furness while presenting her findings explained in her remarks:

"The accounts were depressingly similar. Children were ignored or worse, punished. Allegations were not investigated. Priests and religious were moved. The parishes or communities to which they were moved knew nothing of their past. Documents were not kept or they were destroyed. Secrecy prevailed as did cover ups. Priests and religious were not properly dealt with and outcomes were often not representative of their crimes. Many children suffered and continued as adults to suffer from their experiences in some Catholic institutions."

As a result of the commission's report, 309 cases were referred to police which has resulted in 27 prosecutions. Another 75 cases remain under investigation.

The Church has repeatedly expressed remorse and a commitment to doing better, but it is unclear if improvements have been made.

The Church is not a haven for pedophiles. Pedophiles are enemies of the faith, driving people away from God and the Church. While there is reconciliation for these perpetrators, there are also consequences. Above all, there must be justice for those who suffered harm at the hands of these people.

Every accusation must be reported to the police. Every person upon accusation must be suspended. The guilty must be imprisoned. The victims must be compensated. And screening must improve to prevent such people from entering the service of the Church to begin with. Policies and procedures must be developed to prevent opportunities for inappropriate relationships and illegal activities to develop. Church employees should not be alone with children.

It should be noted that the vast number of priests, religious, and lay persons who work for the Church are screened and trained to recognize and report abuse. IN fact, the incidence of abuse among the Church and its staff is statistically lower than the incidence across the population at large. That means our children are probably safer at church than many other places. But there is no excuse for child abuse, ever, and even 1 case is too many. The people of Australia and the world are right to be alarmed and outraged at this breach of trust and gross injustice, and it must be stopped.

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