US nuns demand action to end 'culture of silence' on abuse

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The largest association of Roman Catholic nuns in the United States is urging its members to report any sexual abuse of religious sisters by clergy and demanded that church authorities "take action to end a culture of silence, hold abusers accountable and provide support to those abused."

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious, which represents about 80 percent of Catholic sisters in the U.S., issued a statement Monday in response to an Associated Press report about several sisters coming forward recently to denounce assaults by priests and bishops.

The LCWR said it didn't have data on incidents in the U.S., but thanked the sisters for their courage in speaking out.