Rappler's latest stories on sex abuses
Germany investigating 30,000 suspects in pedophile probe
'Child abuse cannot be punished like shoplifting. It is murder. Not physically but emotionally,' says North Rhine Westphalia interior minister Herbert Reul
French Catholic Church counts over 3,000 child victims of sex abuse
The number of estimated victims represents more than 40 cases per year on average over the past 7 decades
Cardinal Pell knew of clergy abuse for decades – inquiry
Pell knew as far back as the 1970s and failed to seek the removal of accused priests, an inquiry reveals
USA Gymnastics sex assault deal pays some only $82,550 – reports
Sexual assault victims of former US team doctor Larry Nassar will receive amounts ranging from $1.25 million to a minimum of $82,550
175 children abused by Mexican branch of Catholic Church – report
The report states that Legionaries of Christ founder Marcial Maciel abused as many as 60 children and that a total of 33 priests or deacons acknowledged to have committed sexual assaults against minors since 1941
Canada's Jesuits to name priests accused of sexual abuse
'It is the right thing for us to do,' and for victims of abuse it is 'important to healing,' says Erik Oland, the head of the Jesuits of Canada
Pope lifts 'pontifical secret' for sex abuse cases
So-called pontifical secrecy is a rule of confidentiality designed to protect sensitive information related to the governance of the Roman Catholic Church
Cardinal Pell files High Court appeal against child sex conviction
(UPDATED) It is the final avenue of appeal for George Pell – who is serving a 6-year sentence for sexually assaulting two choirboys in the 1990s – to get out of jail and clear his name
Archbishop stands by disgraced Pell after sex-case appeal lost
Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli says while he accepted the testimony of the victim that convicted Pell, he believes his colleague was the victim of mistaken identity. He did not offer any evidence to support the claim.
Father of victim hopes for justice as Cardinal Pell waits for appeal verdict
Australian Cardinal George Pell, the former Vatican number 3, is appealing against his conviction on 5 counts of sexually abusing two 13-year-old choirboys in the 1990s,
Judgment reserved in Pell appeal against child sex conviction
(UPDATED) The judges can decide to reject the appeal, order a retrial, or acquit Pell, the Catholic Church's most senior convicted child molester. There is no indication of when their ruling would be handed down.
Australia's Cardinal Pell launches appeal against child sex conviction
Cardinal George Pell arrives in court under heavy guard for the start of his appeal against his conviction for sex abuse
R. Kelly hit with 11 new sex crime charges
Three of the charges are for the sexual abuse of a minor
U.S. Catholic abuse victims sue to open Vatican archives
The group wants Vatican to release 'all identities of thousands of offenders known exlusively and held in strict secrecy'
Pope changes Church law to make reporting sex abuse obligatory
Every diocese in the world will now be obliged to have a system for the reporting of abuse, under a new law published by the Vatican – but the requirement will not apply to secrets revealed to priests in the confessional
Co-founder of Sundance Film Festival pleads guilty to child sex abuse
Sterling Van Wagenen faces between 6 years and life in prison
Ex-pope Benedict blames Church sex abuse crisis on 1960s sexual revolution
The pope emeritus, who retired in 2013, blames the crises rocking the Roman Catholic Church globally with the fight for an 'all-out sexual freedom, one which no longer admitted any norms'
Pope Francis promises 'healing' of Church amid sex abuse scandal
The Argentine pontiff issues stringent child abuse legislation for Vatican City employees as part of the Church's bid to address a wave of sex abuse allegations against priests
Pope issues new child abuse legislation for Vatican City
Anyone convicted of abuse must be 'removed from office' under the new legislation
Convicted French cardinal Barbarin to meet Pope Francis
Pope Francis will grant the 68-year-old archbishop of Lyon a private audience at 10 am Monday, March 18
Convicted Australia cardinal sentence to be broadcast live
Catholic clergyman George Pell faces a maximum 50 years in prison for assaulting two choirboys in a Melbourne cathedral in 1996-97
French cardinal convicted over sex abuse cover-up
(UPDATED) 'I have decided to go to see the Holy Father to hand him my resignation. He will receive me in a few days' time,' Cardinal Philippe Barbarin says after the verdict
R. Kelly speaks up to deny sex abuse charges
R. Kelly dismisses the sexual abuse allegations made against him, saying that they're all 'rumors' and 'not true'
France urges Vatican to act after envoy charged with sex abuse
'I am waiting for the Holy See to assume its responsibilities,' French European Minister Nathalie Loiseau says when asked if Luigi Ventura should see his diplomatic immunity lifted
Vatican to open probe into Cardinal Pell over child sex abuse
The investigation could result in a canonical trial and George Pell's eventual expulsion from the priesthood
R. Kelly freed on bail, denies sexually abusing children
R&B singer R. Kelly is released from custody after spending 3 nights behind bars for 10 counts of aggravated criminal sex abuse
Top pope aide Cardinal Pell convicted of child sex crimes
(UPDATED) There is no immediate reaction from the Vatican, but George Pell maintains his innocence
Pope calls child sex abuse like 'human sacrifice,' vows 'all-out battle'
But some victims are not convinced, saying that Pope Francis talks about the devil but not 'permanently excluding child rapists and abusers' from the Catholic Church
Singer R. Kelly, facing sex abuse charges, gets $1 million bail
The singer surrenders on Friday to police after decades of allegations of sexual abuse
The week in photos: February 16-22, 2019
This week's selection of photo highlights here and around the world
Cardinal calls for global recognition of sex abuse in Catholic Church
'The entire Church must take an honest look, undertake rigorous discernment, and then act decisively,' says Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias
Sex abuse survivors describe horrors to world's bishops
Quotes from the landmark summit at the Vatican on the protection of minors from video testimonies of survivors of clerical pedophilia relating their traumatic experiences
Cardinal Tagle at sex abuse summit: Bishops wound victims
At a historic Vatican summit on sex abuse, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle hits a culture of cover-up 'to protect perpetrators and the institution'
'Concrete measures' on sex abuse needed, pope tells Vatican summit
(UPDATED) 'We humbly and sorrowfully admit that wounds have been inflicted by us bishops on the victims and in fact the entire body of Christ,' Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle tells the assembly
Duterte hits Church ahead of sex abuse summit
'The Pope is now calling for a summit to address this particular problem because 4 out of 5, sabi ng Rome, ang pari bakla,' says President Rodrigo Duterte
Spanish victims of sexually abusive priests speak out
The heads of around 100 bishops' conferences from every continent will convene from February 21 to February 24 for the Vatican meeting on the protection of minors
Sex abuse survivors spell out Catholic Church challenge
Victims' groups lay out demands as the Vatican is set to hold a global child abuse summit
World bishops head to Vatican for sex abuse summit
'The credibility of the Church is at stake,' says Father Federico Lombardi, who will be leading debates during the conference
French priest jailed for sexual abuse
The priest is charged for sexually assaulting 4 young female parishioners, one of whom was 9 years old when the offenses started
Pope Francis says Church hasn't known 'how to listen'
(UPDATED) The Pope prepares to meet senior bishops from around the world in Rome next month to deal with widespread clergy sex abuse of children and young people
'Bohemian Rhapsody' director Bryan Singer responds to new sex abuse allegations
Bryan Singer is accused of having had sexual encounters with men who were underage then, among other similar allegations
Woman suing R. Kelly for sex abuse says singer threatened her
Lawyer Gloria Allred says her client Faith Rodgers has faced 'efforts to intimidate and retaliate' from the singer, after she filed the lawsuit now pending in New York's Supreme Court
U.S. bishops face pressure amid new sex assault revelations
The sex abuse crisis is the main topic of discussion in a January retreat of US bishops in Chicago
Jesuits release list of 89 U.S. priests accused of sex abuse
The disclosures by the Jesuit provinces of Maryland and USA Midwest are the latest chapter in the ongoing sexual abuse scandal roiling the Catholic Church
U.S. priest accused of sex abuse arrested in Biliran
The priest allegedly abused altar boys, who were between the ages of 7 and 12, in his residence and warned them they would go to prison if they told anyone about the molestation
Australia apologizes to child sex abuse victims
Decrying abuse, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison declares a new national credo in the face of allegations: 'We believe you'
German Catholic Church apologizes for mass child sex abuse
Cardinal Reinhard Marx says he is ashamed over the decades of abuse that have shattered trust, as well as how so many looked away for so long
Pope says youth 'outraged' by clergy sex scandals
Pope Francis: 'We ourselves need to be converted. We have to realize that in order to stand by your side we need to change many situations that, in the end, put you off.'
[OPINION] The dark side of leadership
The scandals that rock the Church are not just about sexual abuse or misconduct, but also the self-serving way leadership is exercised
Australian Catholics vow to end child abuse 'cover-ups'
'Many bishops failed to listen, failed to believe, and failed to act,' says Catholic Bishops Conference president Archbishop Mark Coleridge
