In the 1990s and 2000s, the cases of sexual abuse by Catholic priests gained worldwide attention, with thousands of accused priests and tens of thousands of alleged victims. The church estimated that over the 50 years ending in 2009, between 1.5% and 5% of Catholic priests had a sexual encounter with a minor, and Thomas Plante estimated a figure of 4%.
During the 1990s and 2000s, the cases of child abuse by Catholic priests sparked global outrage, involving thousands of accused clergy members and tens of thousands of alleged victims. The church estimated that a significant percentage of Catholic priests had engaged in sexual misconduct with minors over a 50-year period ending in 2009.