Catholic Clergy Abuse Audit Includes 1 Rapid City Case

By Mary Garrigan
Rapid City Journal
May 11, 2013

http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/catholic-clergy-abuse-audit-includes-rapid-city-case/article_6ad8eb9e-9e86-599f-9429-9725978b5f46.html

[the report]

Of the 471 allegations of sexual abuse that were made against Catholic clergy in 2012, one originated in the Diocese of Rapid City, according to a diocesan spokesman.

The annual compliance audit report by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop was released this week, and it found the fewest allegations of clergy sexual abuse reported since the USCCB began doing the audits in 2004.

Like the majority of the 2012 allegations, the Rapid City case dates from decades ago, and the priest involved is deceased. No details were provided about the local priest or church in the report.

Nationwide, the majority of the 2012 cases date from the 1970s, but the Rapid City allegation was from the 1950s. Eleven of last year's allegations against diocesan priests involved children who were under the age of 18 in 2012.

There were 397 allegations made against 313 diocesan priests and deacons in 2012 and another 74 against religious order priests who are not employed by a diocese. Of the diocesan allegations, about 84 percent of the victims were male. Half were between 10 and 14 when the abuse began. An estimated 17 percent were between 15 and 17, and 19 percent were under age 10.