1064 abuse reports in Belgian churches

brussels - exactly 1064 notifications made in the past four years of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church in Belgium. Victims paid by the church in that period 3.9 million in damages. This is evident from the report 'From taboo to open policy' that will be presented Monday in Brussels.

Of all complaints came in at 418 hotlines from the church itself. The other reports were made by the Centre for Arbitration, created by a Belgian parliamentary committee.

Victims of abuse cases are legally barred, were encouraged to come forward.,, The legal limitation period does not mean that the suffering of the victims is history, '' said Professor Manu Keirse, professor emeritus at the University of Leuven and author of the report.