NEW YORK - A draft of the upcoming national survey of sex abuse claims against Roman Catholic priests has been viewed by CNN, which reported Monday that 4,450 clergy have been accused of molesting minors since 1950.

The draft survey said 11,000 abuse claims have been filed against the U.S. churchmen during that period, CNN reported.

The survey is being overseen by the National Review Board, a lay watchdog panel the American bishops formed, and conducted by researchers from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.

John Jay refused to comment on the CNN report, while board members contacted Monday by The Associated Press wouldn't say whether or not the latest statistics were accurate. They stressed the report is not finished, and that any numbers tallied so far could change before the study is released Feb. 27.

The figures are roughly in keeping with a trend the AP reported on last week.

Some individual dioceses have released the abuse statistics they compiled for the national survey, and the AP has been tracking those reports. Through Monday, 84 of 195 U.S. dioceses had reported claims — with 1,413 clergy accused of abuse since 1950. Tens of thousands of priests worked in those dioceses during that period.

The number of accused clergy is already much greater than the scope of abuse previously estimated by victims' groups and the media.

"I would hope that the public would kind of withhold any immediate judgment until they get the full story on Feb. 27th," said Leon Panetta, the former Clinton White House chief of staff and a National Review Board member.

Robert S. Bennett, a prominent Washington attorney and another review board member, said survey drafts are circulating only among board members and John Jay researchers.

No bishops have seen the draft, said Bennett, who also is overseeing the board's investigation into the causes of the clergy abuse crisis. The results of that inquiry will also be released Feb. 27.

"Both the National Review Board report and the John Jay study are still in the process of being written," Bennett said. "People should wait until then to draw their conclusion."

Bishop Wilton Gregory, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a statement that he has not seen the drafts and can't comment on any numbers until a final report is issued at month's end.

"I want to reaffirm that the bishops requested these studies so that we could understand as fully as possible what caused this terrible occurrence in the life of our community to make sure that it never happens again," Gregory said.

The bishops commissioned the unprecedented survey as part of a series of reforms meant to restore trust in their leadership. The 84 dioceses that released their statistics have reported 2,990 abuse claims so far.

CNN reported that the draft survey said 78 percent of those abused were between the ages of 11 and 17, and that more than half the accused priests had a single allegation filed against them.

It said the report blames the sex abuse crisis on the bishops' failure to grasp the gravity of the problem, their misguided willingness to forgive and their emphasis on avoiding scandal, among other things.

Victim advocates say the survey ultimately will underestimate the number of cases because it is based on self-reporting by bishops.

Well, it's pretty common... can't say I haven't heard it before.. they need to find new things to do :rolleyes: Don't they have better things to do than to torment the youth? Really, c'mon how can they even enjoy this sort of thing... it disgusts me!

so much for priests being one with god :/ I don't recall seeing 'Thou shalt touch little children' anywhere in the commandments. The people who parents trust with their children the most seem to turn out to be their worst nightmare. A church near where I used to live had the minister arrested for having sexually assault 3 children, and the counseler at my elementary school was charged with the same. Really sad how they seem to pry on the innocent.

Maybe it's in some sort of hidden text in the Bible. You know in the Bible there was a lot of incest between Kings and their cousins. So, they thought maybe pedophilia is perfectly allowed as well. They run their knowledge by the Bible so much that they forget about logic.

hehe that's a thought :o Everyone seems to interpet the Bible in their own way, so why not make it so it gives them permission to assault little boys. Though its a case where people use their power to fulfill their desires. Some purposely join the priesthood because they know they'll be in a position where they'll be surronded alone with kids who they can do with as they please. Really sickening, and when there are over 11,000 priests doing this in the US alone....its really out of hand. I mean...you can't even trust the Church, the holiest of places.

You know my mom and I where talking about his when it came out on the news. And she said something interesting about it. You see, religous peeps are often asked to take ona role of celebacy and that they cannot marry, have a chick, fux0rz, etc..... Anyways, She said that if the church would allow the priests and nuns to have relationships, this may curb some of their tendacies. I mean come on! How would you be if you hadnt got any action in like 30 years? Pretty horny right? Then you be lookin at those kids like mmmmmmm. Of course thats wrong. But maybe allowing marraiges might put an end to most of these crimes....just maybe....


The always intelectual Ringleader :fingers:

You might have something there, but really would it make the difference? Either way it's suppose to be "impure". They can go out and have a life, the whole Church doesn't need to find out. You know, I heard that in the bible some holy men drink the youth's urine because it was considered pure.

:shocked: WTF?