Child abuse, sexual or otherwise, was a pretty widespread practice all over the world, wherever adult males had power over children. It just happens that the Catholic Church was the major institution in that position in the west, and as a result has been under the kind of intense scrutiny lately from social reformers as the west has become more secular.

Other institutions where adults have authority and power over children, such as sports or boarding schools, have also had similar abuses, without religion being involved.

And abuse of children in many other societies is also widespread where adults have power over children, it is just not discussed or even recognized as such.

Trying to blame it on religion as such is simplistic.