"Uncovering the Truth: Catholic Clergy's Widespread Sexual Abuse of Children in Illinois"

An investigation by the Illinois attorney general's office found that 451 Catholic clergy sexually abused nearly 2,000 children in the state over a nearly 70-year period, which was more than four times the 103 individuals the church named when the state began its review in 2018. The report describes Illinois church leaders as woefully slow to acknowledge the extent of the abuse and accuses them of frequently dragging their feet to confront accused clergy and of failing to warn parishioners about possible abusers in their midst. Survivors spoke of years, and often decades, struggling with challenges including insomnia, anxiety, trust issues, nightmares, suicidal ideation, guilt, addiction, alcoholism, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, issues creating and maintaining relationships, and sexual side effects.