Nearly 1,000 Children Sexually Abused by 270 Clerics in Massachusetts Dioceses

An investigative report released Wednesday by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has revealed that nearly 1,000 children were sexually abused by approximately 270 Catholic clerics across three dioceses in the state over several decades. The report offers the first comprehensive public account of the abuse and the systemic failures that enabled it within the Catholic dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester.

Campbell stated that the abuse primarily occurred before 2002, the year the scale of the clergy sex abuse scandal became widely known internationally. The investigation documented a pattern of abuse and cover-ups that persisted for more than half a century.

"Too often they protected the reputation of the church rather than protecting children," Campbell said at a press conference. She noted that behind each statistic is a child whose safety was compromised, a family irrevocably changed, and a survivor enduring lifelong trauma.

Campbell, who has personal experience as a victim of child abuse, indicated that her office made referrals to local district attorneys during the probe. One case in Worcester resulted in charges, though her office did not pursue further prosecutions due to statutes of limitations or conduct that was not illegal at the time.

The report's findings have prompted responses from the affected dioceses. The Diocese of Worcester pledged to study the report to identify areas for improvement in responding to victims and enhancing child safety measures. Bishop Edgar da Cunha of the Fall River Diocese apologized to survivors, expressing sorrow over the historical failings to protect vulnerable individuals. Springfield Bishop William Byrne described the report as "humbling" and highlighted his diocese's ongoing efforts to implement new, trauma-informed policies and procedures.

The revelations echo patterns seen in other dioceses globally, particularly following the 2002 Boston Globe investigation that exposed widespread abuse and cover-ups within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. That reporting, later the subject of the Oscar-winning film "Spotlight," spurred numerous investigations and reforms.

In 2019, then-Attorney General Maura Healey initiated a criminal inquiry into the Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester dioceses. Campbell's report underscores the necessity for continued reforms within the dioceses and supports the passage of new state laws that would benefit abuse survivors, including the elimination of the statute of limitations for civil claims related to childhood sexual abuse.