Santiago, Chile, Jul 25, 2018 / 09:04 am
After the Chilean prosecutor's office announced that it has compiled a list of 266 victims of sexual abuse by Church figures, a spokesman for the bishops' conference said the figure is 'alarming'.
"The temptation would be to dwell on the number of those accused, but what the Church is asking of us today is to first of all consider the individual victims. That number is alarming and is what concerns us the most," Jaime Coiro said at a July 24 press conference.
According to the National Prosecutor's Office July 23, the list identified 144 cases which occurred from 1960 to date. It also indicated some 266 victims, of which 178 are minors. It said 158 members of the Church are being investigated as possible perpetrators of sexual abuse or for covering it up.
Among those who possibly perpetrated or covered up abuse are bishops, priests, deacons, religious, and laypeople.