GEOFF BENNETT: A new report out today# says Catholic clergy in Rhode Island## abused hundreds of children for decades,# while church leaders minimized the scandal.

William Brangham has more.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Geoff, according to# the report, more than 300 children were## molested or sexually assaulted by at# least 75 different clergy members over## 70 years.

The abuses documented date# back to the 1950s all the way to 2011.

According to Rhode Island's Attorney General Peter# Neronha, whose office wrote this report, those## numbers could be even higher.

The report alleges# the diocese kept a secret archive detailing abuse## allegations and often moved accused priests to# new parishes, rather than alerting authorities.

Following the report's release,# the new bishop of Providence,## reverend Bruce Lewandowski, stressed that# the church has instituted new standards for## reporting abuse and he expressed sorrow for# the trauma and pain experienced by victims.

REV.

BRUCE LEWANDOWSKI, Bishop of# Providence, Rhode Island: I take## this opportunity to apol.. for the failures of church personnel and others in# past decades to protect them and keep them safe.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: But investigators and## survivors continue to call for a# fuller reckoning of this story.

For more on this investigation, I am# joined by Ann Hagan Webb.

She is a## survivor of clergy sexual abuse and now# advocates for survivors.

Webb was abused## between the ages of 5 and 12 years old# by a priest at her school in West Warwick Ann, thank you so much for taking# the time to talk with us today.

Some of your own abuse stories were detailed# in this report.

And I just wonder how this## must feel to you, after so many years of being# told that your allegations were not credible,## to now have this report out in# the public for everyone to see.

ANN HAGAN WEBB, Abuse Survivor: Thank# you for having me on your show, William.

I -- this means so very much to me to be finally# deemed credible after all these years; 32 years,## the diocese has been calling me# not credible.

In spite of that,## I have tried to work to better the situation for# survivors across New England over these years.

But it really feels much better to have# that be a part of this report.

Up until## just a few weeks -- days ago, I still# thought it was just going to say in## that part under Monsignor DeAngelis# that I wasn't a credible witness.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: It is very difficult, obviously,# reading this report.

Both the allegations of the## abuse are just ghastly to read, but also the# lengths that the church went to cover it all up.## In this enormous report, what# stands out the most to you?

ANN HAGAN WEBB: Well, a lot stands out.

I mean, most of it is information I knew.

But one# of the things that really struck me in read.. this report -- and Peter Neronha said it today in# his remarks.

In the case of one priest, Santilli,## Father Santilli, the church heard reports# about him about 10 years earlier than 2014.

And then, in 2014, another person came# forward.

He spoke to me first before he## went to the church.

And they told him he was not# credible.

Then, finally, another survivor of that## same priest came forward in 2022.

And I spoke# with him as well before he went to the church.

And they actually said to him, OK, three# strikes, he's out about this priest.

And## they finally took the priest out of service.

That# is simply amazing to me.

We are not talking about## parking tickets or speeding tickets, where you# get three strikes and you lose your license.

These are rapes.

These are child# molestations that change people's## lives.

Many of the survivors committed suicide# over the years.

These are not minor crimes.

And## to have to be reported on three times over# a period of 10 years is just ludicrous.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The bishop in his video# statement today said that we have got a## system of reporting that this would never# happen again, that if someone came forward## with an allegation of abuse, that the# reporting and the immediate standards## would kick into place and that we wouldn't# see this hiding and shuffling and denying.

But it sounds like you do not# believe that that's the case.

ANN HAGAN WEBB: Absolutely not.

One of the problems with this report -- and the# report is wonderful because it really -- it is## a horrifying report of men's cruelty to# children over seven decades.

However,## it's only the information the church# voluntarily gave the attorney general's## office, and they refused over this whole 6.5# years to ever come into the A.G.

's office## and talk to them about any questions# they had about what they were reading.

So there's lots left to be discovered.# And I don't for a minute believe that## they revealed all their deepest,# darkest secrets in what they gave## the attorney general's office.

In spite# of that, he produced a phenomenal report.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: There, as you know,# have been only a few prosecutions,## legal prosecutions over the years.# And the church has said, again,## we apologize for this, it's# not going to happen again.

So what would you like to see happen?

Most of the## men detailed in this report escaped# real accountability for any of their## crimes to children.

What would you# like to see done going forward?

ANN HAGAN WEBB: Right.

Well, first of all, I would like the diocese to be accountable.

Saying I'm sorry as damage# control or we apologize, have they ever## said they're ashamed of what has happened?# Because they should be incredibly ashamed.

This is -- to anyone reading, it has to# be really horrifying that people could,## with such disregard for children's# welfare, put their financial situation## and their good name above children's lives.# I think they have done a lot in terms of## monitoring who's in the schools and# things like that.

They have given## everybody programs about being safe -- how# to be safe with children and all of that.

They are fighting survivors as hard as# they possibly can in the courtrooms,## but especially in the legislature.

They are# lobbying very hard not to get any of the bills## passed that we want that would make them more# accountable.

And they need to stop that yesterday.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: OK.

Ann Hagan Webb, .. us.

I hope today's report offers you and# other survivors a small bit of peace.

ANN HAGAN WEBB: Oh, it does.

It does.# It -- this gives us our power back.