Rhode Island clergy abuse report details decades of abuse

Survivors speak out about the lasting trauma and renewed calls for accountability

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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A new report by the Rhode Island Attorney General's office has detailed decades of sexual abuse by over 75 clergy members in the state's Catholic Diocese of Providence, identifying more than 300 victims since 1950. Survivors are speaking out about the lasting trauma they experienced and renewed demands for the church to provide support, accountability, and justice.

Why it matters

The Rhode Island report is the latest in a series of investigations into clergy abuse that have rocked the Catholic Church in recent years, shining a light on systemic failures to protect children and a culture of secrecy that has allowed abusers to evade consequences. Survivors are seeking not just acknowledgment, but concrete actions from the church to support healing and prevent future abuse.

The details

The report drew on thousands of church records and interviews with victims and witnesses, though officials say the true number of victims is likely much higher. Survivors described vivid memories of the abuse, such as the sound of a nurse's office door opening or the light reflecting off stained-glass windows, that have haunted them for decades. Many survivors faced skepticism and hostility when they tried to report the abuse, with the diocese often questioning the credibility of their claims.

  • The report was released on March 6, 2026.
  • The abuse detailed in the report occurred between 1950 and the present day.

The players

Rhode Island Attorney General's Office

The state agency that conducted the investigation and released the report on clergy abuse in the Diocese of Providence.

Diocese of Providence

The Catholic diocese in Rhode Island that the report found had covered up decades of sexual abuse by over 75 clergy members.

Dr. Herbert "Hub" Brennan

A survivor of abuse by the Rev. Brendan Smyth, an Irish priest who abused children in Rhode Island in the 1960s.

Claude Leboeuf

A survivor of abuse in neighboring Massachusetts who now advocates for victims in Rhode Island, calling the report an important step in dismantling the church's "wall of secrecy."

Ann Hagan Webb

A survivor who was abused by a parish priest in Rhode Island from ages 5 to 12, and later became a prominent advocate for survivors of clergy abuse.

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What they’re saying

“I can still hear the click of the hardware in that metal door opening to this very day.”

— Dr. Herbert "Hub" Brennan, Survivor of abuse (Providence Journal)

“There's a need to do something for these people — something real: money, tuition, therapy. The effects are real; they last a long, long time.”

— Claude Leboeuf, Survivor and advocate (Providence Journal)

“For 32 years, the diocese has called me not credible. I can't tell you what that feels like.”

— Ann Hagan Webb, Survivor and advocate (Providence Journal)

What’s next

Survivors and advocates are calling for the Diocese of Providence to provide financial support for therapy and counseling, as well as broader reforms to ensure accountability and prevent future abuse.

The takeaway

The Rhode Island clergy abuse report is the latest in a series of investigations that have forced a reckoning within the Catholic Church, exposing systemic failures to protect children and a culture of secrecy that has allowed abusers to evade consequences. Survivors are seeking not just acknowledgment, but concrete actions from the church to support healing and prevent future abuse.