Bridgeport CT Diocese Releases Report

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut has issued a report detailing child sexual abuse by priests serving the diocese since its formation in 1953. The report was compiled by retired Connecticut Superior Judge Robert L. Holzberg. The report is based upon the existing files and records of the Diocese so there are likely to be many more incidents of abuse that occurred but went unreported.

Among the findings set forth in the report are the following:

• The documented abuse involved 281 individuals were sexually abused as children by priests serving in the Diocese
• The documented abuse was perpetrated by 71 priests
• Based on the Diocese’s documents, the abusive priests represent 4.7% of the priests that served in the Diocese since 1953
• “Due to the destruction of records by Bishop Curtis, and inadequate record-keeping for much of the Diocese’s history, it is possible that there have been more victims and abusive priests...”
• 75 percent of the victims are male, 16% are female and the gender of 9% could not be ascertained
• The age of victims ranged from 5 to 18 years of age
• The nature of the abuse ranged from exhibitionism to fondling to oral, vaginal and anal rape
• The diocese has paid out almost $56 million in settlements of claims of child abuse by diocesan priests. Of this, $45.4 million was paid for the settlement of 172 claims of abuse perpetrated by 10 serial abuser priests (an average of $264,093 per claim)