{"id":262268,"date":"2025-06-16T13:52:32","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T17:52:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?p=262268"},"modified":"2026-05-01T11:45:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T15:45:54","slug":"views-of-sexual-abuse-and-misconduct-in-the-catholic-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2025\/06\/16\/views-of-sexual-abuse-and-misconduct-in-the-catholic-church\/","title":{"rendered":"6. Views of sexual abuse and misconduct in the Catholic Church"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
How we define Catholics in this chapter<\/summary>\n

This chapter exclusively explores views and experiences among U.S. Catholics (i.e., the 20% of U.S. adults who say they are Catholic when asked about their present religion).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Americans who are not<\/em> Catholic are still connected to the faith in other ways. Read more about these \u201ccultural Catholics,\u201d former Catholics, and people with other Catholic connections (i.e., those who have  a Catholic parent, spouse or partner, or say \u201cyes\u201d when asked if they ever attend Catholic Mass) in Chapter 7<\/a> and the Overview<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

More than two decades after the clergy sex abuse scandal gained national attention in 2002, most U.S. Catholics think sexual abuse and misconduct by Catholic priests and bishops is an ongoing problem in the church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our February 2025 survey, 62% of U.S. Catholics say clergy sex abuse is an ongoing problem, while 31% say these reports \u201creflect things that happened in the past and mostly don\u2019t happen anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Table<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While most view it as an ongoing problem, most also think the problem is not unique to Catholic clergy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, about two-thirds of Catholics surveyed (68%) say sexual abuse and misconduct is equally as common among other religious leaders as it is among Catholic priests and bishops. Far fewer (19%) think it is more<\/em> of a problem among Catholic clergy than among other religious leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2019<\/a>, the share of Catholics who say they think sexual misconduct by clergy is an ongoing problem has declined from 69% to 62%. And the share who say they think clergy misconduct in other religions is equally as common as in the Catholic Church has increased from 61% to 68%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on for more about Catholics\u2019 attitudes toward sexual abuse and misconduct in the church, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n