Other news: Pope defrocked 400 priests in 2 years, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/01/17/pope-defrocked-priests/4592907/
Experts to bishops: Pedophiles often lie, but victims usually tell truth: http://www.ohio.com/news/world/experts-to-bishops-pedophiles-often-lie-but-victims-usually-tell-truth-1.263764
Scripture requires zero tolerance:
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; (Ephesians 5:3)
Any such thing is serious and causes or could cause legitimate offense against the faith, and which most all have to varying degrees, myself included. Yet especially tragic is sexual abuse of children among clergy, even if the greatest occurrence is in the secular realm, especially among educators (if not the homosexual aspect yet as seen among many priests).
And due to lack of internal discipline, it also required the state to engage in punishment. The result is that the State now has little trepidation about getting involved in church matters, and can more easily stand where it ought not.
Disagree.
The Church and the Civil Authorities are not in each other's way here, IMNVHO. The abusive priests, whether few or many, should be handled by the law, after identification and complaint by their victims and Church Authority, which should cooperate fully with the civil authorities, including filing charges.
The abusive priests are quite simply criminals and must be treated as such. I believe that would be ultimately good for the Church(es).
Sure a lot of these charges are false. What is true is that the Church(es) cover for abusive clergy.