Seven percent of Australian Catholic priests have been accused of child sexual abuse, report reveals

The findings of an inquiry into child abuse have revealed that seven percent of Australian Catholic priests were accused of being involved in sexual abuse between 1950 and 2010.

The figures were released during the opening address of a hearing of Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which began its investigation into the Catholic Church and other institutions in 2013.

The survey indicated that there were 4,444 reported incidents of abuse at Catholic institutions between 1980 and 2015.

Gail Furness, the lead lawyer assisting the commission, said that 60 percent of survivors attending private royal commission reported abuse at faith-based organizations and nearly two-thirds of the abuses occurred in Catholic institutions, according to the Daily Mail.

The report also indicated that the average age of the abuse victims was 10 for girls and 11 for boys.

Over 40 percent of the members of St. John of God Brothers and 22 percent of Christian Brothers were accused of being abusers, the Herald Sun reported.

Francis Sullivan, chief executive of the Truth Justice and Healing Council, said that the figures reflect the Chruch's "massive failure" to protect the children.

"These numbers are shocking, they are tragic and they are indefensible," Sullivan told the commission. "As Catholics, we hang our heads in shame," he added.

Six of seven Australian Catholic bishops, as well as the leaders of religious orders, have been ordered to appear before the commission.

The statistics only cover incidents that were reported to the church, and the figures still do not cover the full extent of the abuse as many victims have not come forward.

Provincial leaders of the Christian Brothers, Marist Brothers, Jesuits, Salesian and St John of God orders will be giving their testimony about the issue, along with bishops, Catholic education officials, academics and experts.

Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart said that Catholic leaders will explain the actions taken by the church to change the culture that allowed the abuse to continue. They will also discuss what the church has been doing to put in place new policies and structures that will protect children.

In the U.S., as many as 5.6 percent of the clergy have been accused of molesting children, according to the reports by American bishops analyzed by BishopAccountability.org, a website that tracks data on abusive priests.