Link: https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/massachusetts-attorney-general-andrea-joy-campbell-teases-major-announcement/4023283/

A Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office investigation found evidence that more than 270 Catholic clerics abused nearly 1,000 children across the dioceses of Worcester, Springfield and Fall River over several decades.

Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell released the findings Wednesday following a seven-year investigation into clergy sexual abuse and how church leaders responded to allegations.

"Behind every one of those numbers is a child whose safety was violated, a family that was changed forever and a survivor who carried that abuse for years, and in many cases decades. They continue to carry this trauma even today," Campbell said at a press conference Wednesday. "I know many survivors have been waiting a long time to see these findings made public. I understand the frustration that comes with that wait. It is my hope that today is a meaningful step forward toward truth, accountability and healing that survivors deserve."

The report documented 275 accused clergy and 944 survivors across the three dioceses, including 92 accused clergy and 469 survivors in Fall River, 93 accused clergy and 259 survivors in Springfield, and 90 accused clergy and 216 survivors in Worcester.

"This investigation was not about demonizing a faith or a church," Campbell added. "Rather, it was about seeking justice."