BOSTON -- As alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse consider the Boston archdiocese's offer to settle 542 lawsuits, records released publicly show the archdiocese already paid at least $21.2 million in settlements to 149 people from 1994 to 2001, The Associated Press reported.
Annual reports prepared by church officials show the archdiocese's Sexual Misconduct Delegate's Office received 210 claims against church employees between July 1994 and October 2001. The records did not specify what became of the other 61 cases.
The reports were made public Aug. 11 after they were released to lawyers representing alleged victims with pending lawsuits against the archdiocese.
Jeffrey Newman, an attorney representing about 260 alleged victims, said the records support claims that top church administrators, including Cardinal Bernard Law, did little to address the problem of sexual abuse, AP reported.
"It is obvious from these documents that there were a significant number of claims that were occurring over the years and yet there was very little done to intervene and stop the problem," Newman said.
State Attorney General Thomas Reilly issued a report in July indicating as many as 1,000 children had probably been sexually abused by priests between 1940 and 2000. He blasted Law and other church officials for a "massive, inexcusable failure" to stop the abuse.
The archdiocese offered a $55 million settlement to 542 alleged victims on Aug. 8.
