“The report’s conclusion was counterintuitive”
Interesting phrasing there. So because they feel it can not be right it is not right? It may be hard for them to accept but intuition is not a basis for analyzing the conclusions reached in any report let alone one which has used valid methodology to reach its conclusions.
No, I think the author is saying that we can either believe the tripe put out by this Roman Catholic commission excusing all sorts of pederasty/pedophilia/corruption or we can believe our own lying eyes which tell us this scandal continues unabated throughout the RCC right up to the present today.