Catholic Church pays $120m to victims

The Catholic Church in the United States paid out $120 million to victims of sexual abuse at the hands of clergy and $30 million on pedophile prevention programs over a one-year period, according to a report released on Friday.

The bulk of the $150 million paid between June of 2013 and June of last year was spent on compensation, therapy and legal fees for victims, the report said.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has conducted an annual study of sexual abuse allegations since a church scandal over pedophile priests came to the forefront in 2002. Over the years, senior officials have acknowledged that they had protected priests responsible for the sexual abuse of children.