AUSTRALIA
9 News
AAP
The horrific extent of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in Australia will be laid bare in a world first as its apologetic leaders pledge to “eradicate this evil”.
Data on abuse claims in the Catholic Church will be released as part of a royal commission hearing that begins on Monday.
The head of the church’s Truth Justice and Healing Council expects the community will be shocked by the extent of abuse revealed by church records going back to the 1950s.
“It will reveal a horrific picture of the extent of the claims of abuse by priests and brothers whose responsibility was to protect and care for children,” TJHC chief executive Francis Sullivan said.
“I was quite confronted by it and I’m sure I won’t be alone on that.”
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