Boston paedophile priest report reveals abuse figures

THE Boston Archdiocese, the epicentre of the US clergy sex abuse crisis that has shaken the Roman Catholic Church, released a report yesterday showing that 162 of its priests have been accused of molesting 815 minors since 1950.

The number of priests alleged to have molested people is equivalent to about 7% of the 2324 ordained priests who served in the archdiocese during that time, according to statistics released by church officials.

The statistics were compiled as part of a nationwide survey of clergy sex abuse conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.