"Shameful Chapter: Illinois Report Reveals Nearly 2,000 Children Abused by Catholic Clergy"

The Illinois Attorney General has confirmed over 1,900 child sex abuse claims against Catholic clergy in the state, dating back to 1950. The report found 494 abusers across Illinois’s six Catholic dioceses, many of whom were knowingly and routinely transferred between parishes while church officials remained silent. The investigation prompted the dioceses to publicly list 231 substantiated child sex abusers in addition to those it had already disclosed and uncovered another 149 who were never identified by the dioceses. The report made dozens of recommendations to bishops on commonsense measures they can take to prevent further abuse, but made no announcement of criminal charges against any Catholic officials who covered up child sex abuse or recommendations for additional legislative remedies.