(Lateline) Former monk and priest, and now advocate for victims of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, Patrick J Wall, says sexual abuse of children has been part of the culture of the Catholic Church as far back as 60 AD and despite constant attempts by the Popes to curtain the problem, it has never been snuffed out.
Discussions about systemic abuse and institutional culture often focus on how policies, leadership decisions, and internal procedures may have contributed to abuse being concealed or not properly reported. Investigations and public reports in many dioceses have found patterns of secrecy, internal handling of allegations, and transfers of accused individuals rather than reporting abuse to law enforcement.