Between 1950 and 2022, at least 4,815 children have been abused in the Portuguese Catholic Church. The majority of the victims are between the ages of 10 and 14, slightly more than half of the men and, according to the study, the youngest victim was only two years old. 96% are men and 70% priests. Most cases occurred between 1960 and 1990.

An independent committee reports the investigation on Monday. Pedro Strecht, psychologist and research coordinator, has pointed out that "the tip of the fir" is what has been published so far. He explains that it is "impossible" to count all cases and that from now on the research should continue.

To begin with, it calls on the courts to extend the prescriptions for crimes until the age of 30. In fact, they have only been able to send 25 testimonies to the Office of the Prosecutor, because the cases that occurred more than twenty years ago have expired before the judge. Strecht adds that they prepare a list of rapists.

José Ornelas Leiria-Fatima, bishop and president of the Episcopal Conference of Portugal, declared that on 3 March he will make a declaration to offer "justice" to the victims.