It received 99 complaints of abuse in 2003 and 109 last year.

After all the complaints of abuse against the man, everyone, including the police, had probably been grateful he was finally dead.

The family was also being investigated by child welfare workers, who had received complaints of abuse.

There had been three complaints of parental abuse and neglect.

An Army telephone line set up to handle abuse complaints has been flooded with calls in recent days.

He urged others with such abuse complaints to come forward, declaring, "We want to make sure that we're taking care of these people."

He pointed out that although child welfare officials investigated her complaints of abuse, she was never taken from the family home.

In neither case were church officials here informed that there had been complaints of abuse against the priests.

Last year, 1,631 complaints of abuse or neglect were filed against foster parents.

Until the mid-1980's, complaints of sexual abuse seldom received any public airing.