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The Archdiocese of Chicago announced on Tuesday a $12.6 million dollar settlement with 16 victims of sexual abuse, bringing the total paid by the archdiocese over such claims in the last thirty years to $65 million.
Approximately 250 sex abuse claims have been made against the Chicago archdiocese since the 1970s, and dozens more are still unresolved.
Therese Albrecht, 48, was among the victims in the case. She said she was sodomized and raped for several years starting at age 8. As a result, she said she considered suicide and needed years of therapy. Albrecht also said the experience caused her to lose her faith in God.
She and other victims said the money was not as important as the frank deposition by Cardinal Francis George, which was made public. Under the terms of the settlement, George agreed to apologize publicly and also privately to each of the victims.
“My hope is that these settlements will help the survivors and their families begin to heal and move forward. I apologize again today to the survivors and their families and to the whole Catholic community,” George said.
The sixteen cases involve 11 different priests, one of whom pleaded guilty last year and is now serving five years in prison. At least one other priest is also in prison, and three are dead.
The amount of the individual settlements was not disclosed, but Albrecht poignantly asked, “What price do you put on an 8-year-old’s virginity?”
(Source: The Associated Press)
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