OHIO
Vindicator
Mon, March 7, 2016
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
The leader of a national support group for victims of sexual abuse by priests and other clergy is calling on county prosecutors in Mahoning and Trumbull counties to urge Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine to launch an aggressive investigation into sexual abuse within the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown.
At a press conference Sunday outside the headquarters of the diocese, Robert Hoatson, president of the New Jersey-based Road to Recovery support group, said, “We want the same type of investigation as was done in Altoona [Pa.].”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane last week released findings of her office’s investigation of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese. It revealed that former bishops either covered up or didn’t do enough to respond to hundreds of allegations of abuse committed by more than 50 priests from 1966 to 2011.
“We want state officials to raid that building,” Hoatson said, referring to the West Wood Street headquarters of the diocese.
“In that building, I guarantee you are the same types of files found in Altoona,” Hoatson said. He added he would like the state to review records of all priests who have served in the diocese over the past 60 years or so.
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