1930-2021 · 91 years · show in timeline

Iowa 1930 to 2021: Attorney General finds decades of abuse and extensive cover-up in the four Catholic dioceses

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller began collecting information on sexual abuse by clergy in the state's four Catholic dioceses in late 2018, after the Pennsylvania grand jury report. Because Iowa has no statewide grand jury, he depended on the voluntary cooperation of the bishops, who at first raised concerns about the scope of the request. The 2021 report states that the abuse lasted for decades and was overwhelming and that the cover-up was extensive: the image and reputation of the church were put ahead of the enormous harm to young people. 45 complaints concerned 36 Catholic priests or brothers, all outside the criminal statute of limitations.

Period: 1930-2021 (91 years)
Country: United States
Institutions: Archdiocese of Dubuque
Diocese of Des Moines
Diocese of Davenport
Diocese of Sioux City
Category: Sexual abuse, Cover-up
Level of evidence: A Primary source · what does this mean?

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

The office received 50 complaints, 45 of them against Catholic clergy or others involved in the church; they accused 36 Catholic priests or brothers. The allegations ranged from the 1930s to 1997; none still fell within the criminal statute of limitations. Seventeen complainants had never reported the allegations to any authority before. According to a newspaper cited in the report the Archdiocese of Dubuque paid nearly 14 million dollars in settlements with victims.

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Summary of Complaints

„The office received 50 complaints. Of those, 45 complaints were against Catholic clergy or others involved in the Catholic church.“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Summary of Complaints. Original

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Summary of Complaints

„The complaints made accusations against 36 Catholic priests or brothers.“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Summary of Complaints. Original

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Summary of Complaints

„The allegations ranged from the 1930s to 1997.“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Summary of Complaints. Original

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Summary of Complaints

„Seventeen of the complainants said they had never reported the allegations previously to any authorities.“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Summary of Complaints. Original

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Archdiocese of Dubuque

„paid nearly $14 million in settlements with victims of clergy abuse“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Archdiocese of Dubuque. Original

How were they charged and sentenced?

After the Pennsylvania grand jury report, Attorney General Tom Miller announced in November 2018 that he would gather information on child sexual abuse by clergy in the Archdiocese of Dubuque and the Dioceses of Des Moines, Davenport and Sioux City. Iowa has no statewide grand jury; the dioceses took part voluntarily. The bishops at first raised concerns: the request was too extensive and costly, confidentiality was uncertain, and the good name of priests not credibly accused had to be protected. The request was then narrowed to priests whose accusations the dioceses had not found credible.

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Einleitung

„He announced that the Iowa Attorney General’s Office (“Office”) would begin gathering information on sexual abuse of children by clergy“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Einleitung. Original

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Authority/Process

„Some states, like Iowa, do not possess statewide grand jury power.“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Authority/Process. Original

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Authority/Process

„Concerns the request was too extensive, and it would be time-consuming and costly to comply with the request.“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Authority/Process. Original

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Authority/Process

„Concerns about protecting the good name of clergy who were not credibly accused.“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Authority/Process. Original

Background

Response of the Church

In his conclusions the Attorney General states: the sexual abuse took place over decades; the complaints, the victims and the duration were overwhelming. The cover-up was extensive; the image and reputation of the church were put ahead of the enormous harm to young people. Victims described how their allegations were ignored or covered up for decades. At the same time the report notes that the dioceses have introduced safeguarding rules since 2002, report all complaints to the authorities, and that none of the current bishops was involved in earlier cover-ups.

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Conclusions 1

„Sexual abuse took place over decades. The complaints, the victims, the duration of the abuse were overwhelming.“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Conclusions 1. Original

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Conclusions 2

„The cover-up was extensive. Again, Iowa is not different from the rest of the country. The image and reputation of the church were put ahead of the enormous harm to young people.“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Conclusions 2. Original

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Conclusions 3

„they described how their allegations were ignored or covered up for decades“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Conclusions 3. Original

Evidence: Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Conclusions 6

„None of the current bishops have been involved in handling previous complaints and resulting cover-ups.“

Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, Conclusions 6. Original

Original documents to read

Government report
Office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller: Report on Review of Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Catholic Church, 23 June 2021. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)

Change log (1)

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31 Oct 2026: Aufgenommen

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