At least 4,815 children were sexually abused by members of the Portuguese Catholic Church - mostly priests - over the past 70 years, the commission investigating the issue said in a report on Monday, adding the findings are the 'tip of the iceberg'.
Jose Ornelas, head of the Bishops' Conference, attended the final report's presentation and told a news conference later on Monday the revelations were an "open wound that hurts and shames us".
Among other recommendations, the commission said the Church should denounce all alleged abuses, provide psychosocial support to victims and continue the investigation into the issue.Hans Zoller, the Vatican official responsible for child sexual abuse cases, also attended the event in Lisbon. He said it was important to "continue to listen to victims because this will not be the end of it".
The Portuguese commission started its work in January 2022 after a report in France revealed around 3,000 priests and religious officials sexually abused over 200,000 children. The commission spoke with over 500 victims, analysed historical church documents and interviewed bishops and other clergy members.
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