“Illinois Catholic Clergy Child Sexual Abuse Report: 1,997 Children Abused by 451 Clergy Members Since 1950”

A total of 451 Catholic clergy in the US state of Illinois have sexually abused 1,997 children since 1950, according to a report released Tuesday by the state attorney general.

An investigation by Attorney General Kwame Raoul uncovered allegations from at least 1,997 sexual assault survivors. These allegations implicate 451 Catholic clergy and brothers, who are now publicly recognized in the state as known sex offenders, according to the “Illinois Catholic Clergy Child Sexual Abuse Report.”

Those numbers are far higher than those disclosed by a Pennsylvania grand jury in late summer 2018, according to the report.

The investigation was opened at the end of 2018 by Mr. Raoul’s predecessor, Lisa Madigan. Mr. Raoul continued the investigation after taking office in 2019.

Prior to the investigation, Catholic dioceses in Illinois publicly acknowledged the existence of 103 known sex offenders.

According to the report, investigators reviewed several thousand diocesan files relating to child sexual abuse complaints, read more than 100,000 pages of diocesan documents, and conducted numerous interviews and meetings with diocesan officials and their attorneys.