Seriously Mary ~
Consider any religion that "IS" the religion of a Government. And consider, the religious Clerics are intertwined with the Government heads of State.
^ For Example: That APPLIES to: Judaism, Islam, and Catholicism.
IF and WHEN there "IS" a complaint against ANY "Official", Cleric or otherwise regarding the Government, it becomes an "INTERNAL AFFAIR". And "INTERNAL AFFAIRS" do not ALWAYS become "PUBLIC Knowledge".
That does not APPLY to Protestants.
The US does NOT have an OFFICIAL State Religion.
Lodging a Complaint Against a Protestant Cleric, certaining CAN Be addressed with a Board of governors of a particular denomination, or InHouse deacons or such and absolutely with Filing a complaint with their own Jurisdictional Law Enforcement Government Agency, which IS a matter of PUBLIC RECORD.
Catholics Officials for YEARS have taken advantage of hearing complaints of congregants, and dealing with the accused Offender, "INHOUSE"....which many Catholics Complained....was a false Justice....that the victims felt let down as if their abuse was made out to be THEIR FAULT, and the Cleric, literally received NO Punishment.
The Story is NOT about HOW MANY statistically and comparatively of Catholic and Protestant Clerics sexually Abused their congregates...
But rather, the Catholic Church taking advantage of the (Government/Religion) mix, and NOT Punishing Catholic Clerics, when they were found to have sexually assulted their congregates.
And the FACT is; It is Catholics, or former Catholics who were at the forefront of the most recent news of them telling their own stories of Abuse and No Just penalty/punishment ever having been appointed to the Cleric involved.
It's the years long cover-ups and denials,
By Clerics...(Catholic or Protestant)....that would be expected....
But when the Church itself is involved with the cover-ups and denials....that reflects on the Standard of the WHOLE Church.
To my understanding....EVERY Catholic Church is Under the Authority of the pope, meaning it does not matter, where the Catholic chruch IS, they are all as One church...
That is not the same for Protestants. What one Protestant Cleric or Church does or does not do, Does not reflect on ALL Protestant churches.
Glory to God,
Taken