Child abuse found in Portugal Catholic Church is 'tip of iceberg', commission says

FILE PHOTO: Journalists are seen reflected of the glasses of Pedro Stretch, child psychiatrist and head of the commission investigating allegations of historical child sexual abuse by members of the Portuguese Catholic church, during a news conference in Lisbon, Portugal, October 11, 2022. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes

LISBON (Reuters) -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".

"(We want) to pay a sincere tribute to those who were abuse victims during their childhood and dared to give a voice to silence," said child psychiatrist Pedro Strecht, who headed the commission. "They are much more than a statistic."