The Roman Catholic Church in Scotland has received 25 complaints about alleged
sexual abuse in the past six years .
The figure emerged as the church published the results of “safeguarding
audits”, covering the period from 2006 to 2012.
A total of 46 allegations of abuse, including emotional and physical abuse,
were made against 27 priests and 20 volunteers and parishioners.
The Archbishop of Glasgow, Philip Tartaglia, said in a letter read out during
mass in Scotland’s 500 Catholic parishes on Sunday that 2013 had been a "test
of faith".
He added: "We recognise the trauma and pain that survivors of abuse have
suffered and we are committed to providing for them both justice and healing."
The publication of the audits follows accusations of historic sexual abuse,
including rape, by monks at the former Fort Augustus Abbey School, and comes
after the resignation earlier this year of Cardinal Keith O’Brien over his
own sexual misconduct.
The church has also announced plans for a further audit of all cases of
historic abuse allegations between 1947 and 2005, and a full review of its
safeguarding procedures.
It has asked Dr Andrew McLellan, a former Church of Scotland moderator, to chair a panel looking at its safeguards against abuse.
He said his first concern was not to support the Catholic Church, but to “seek the best protection of many vulnerable children and adults”.
The former moderator insisted his inquiry would be more than a paper exercise, adding: “I am very much encouraged by the independence I will have in selecting the membership of the panel, detailing its remit and deciding on its timescale, and by the assurance I have been given that the Catholic Bishops will accept our recommendations."
The audits revealed that 55 per cent of complaints in the past six years related to sexual abuse, 19 per cent to physical abuse, 15 per cent involved emotional abuse and 11 per cent concerned verbal abuse.
The church said 15 per cent of the complaints had resulted in prosecution, while a further 10 per cent were still under investigation.
More than a quarter of those accused are now dead, according to the report from the Scottish Catholic Safeguarding Service.
The audits also revealed that the ministry of almost a quarter of those accused had been restricted, and a further 12 per cent had been removed from their post, while 11 per cent left voluntarily, eight per cent were dismissed and three per cent were in prison.
The figures were published the day after it emerged that a confidential file of letters from Scottish bishops, detailing more than 20 cases of abuse, had been passed to the police by a former safeguarding adviser.
Police Scotland has confirmed it is reviewing the letters, which date back to 1995.
Earlier this year, it emerged that the bishops' conference had commissioned an independent inquiry into historic allegations of abuse in 2011, which was then halted by Cardinal O'Brien.
The disgraced former head of the church in Scotland withdrew his support for the review a year before stepping down after three priests and a former priest made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against him.
It has asked Dr Andrew McLellan, a former Church of Scotland moderator, to chair a panel looking at its safeguards against abuse.
He said his first concern was not to support the Catholic Church, but to “seek the best protection of many vulnerable children and adults”.
The former moderator insisted his inquiry would be more than a paper exercise, adding: “I am very much encouraged by the independence I will have in selecting the membership of the panel, detailing its remit and deciding on its timescale, and by the assurance I have been given that the Catholic Bishops will accept our recommendations."
The audits revealed that 55 per cent of complaints in the past six years related to sexual abuse, 19 per cent to physical abuse, 15 per cent involved emotional abuse and 11 per cent concerned verbal abuse.
The church said 15 per cent of the complaints had resulted in prosecution, while a further 10 per cent were still under investigation.
More than a quarter of those accused are now dead, according to the report from the Scottish Catholic Safeguarding Service.
The audits also revealed that the ministry of almost a quarter of those accused had been restricted, and a further 12 per cent had been removed from their post, while 11 per cent left voluntarily, eight per cent were dismissed and three per cent were in prison.
The figures were published the day after it emerged that a confidential file of letters from Scottish bishops, detailing more than 20 cases of abuse, had been passed to the police by a former safeguarding adviser.
Police Scotland has confirmed it is reviewing the letters, which date back to 1995.
Earlier this year, it emerged that the bishops' conference had commissioned an independent inquiry into historic allegations of abuse in 2011, which was then halted by Cardinal O'Brien.
The disgraced former head of the church in Scotland withdrew his support for the review a year before stepping down after three priests and a former priest made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against him.