One in 200 Spaniards may have been abused by Catholic priests -rights ombudsman

Empty pews are seen inside a Catholic church in Madrid, Spain, October 27, 2023.REUTERS/Susana Vera

MADRID (Reuters) - More than one in 200 Spaniards may have been sexually abused by Catholic Church priests, a survey released on Friday suggested, pointing to a far greater number of victims nationwide than previous similar investigations.

The survey by Spain's human rights ombudsman, part of a report presented to parliament on Friday, questioned just over 8,000 people. The document criticised the Church for not cooperating more fully with the investigation and seeking to "minimise the phenomenon".