Reporting Abuse, Neglect and Misconduct to the Archdiocese

The Archdiocese of Baltimore complies with Maryland laws requiring reporting suspected child abuse to civil authorities.  Under Maryland Law any person who has reason to believe a child has been subjected to abuse must report the suspected abuse to civil authorities, even if the potential victim is now over 18 years old and even in cases where the alleged perpetrator is deceased.

If someone associated with the Church, including clergy, employees, or volunteers of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, is suspected of abuse, then the suspected abuse must also be reported to  the Archdiocesan Office of Child and Youth at 410-547-5348 or the Victims Assistance Line at  1-866-417-7469.

If you have reason to believe that a bishop has engaged in child sexual abuse or other sexual misconduct*, or has interfered with an investigation into sexual misconduct, please click here or visit www.reportbishopabuse.org.

Archdiocese of Baltimore Office of Child Protection
(e-mail): assistance@archbalt.org

Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Offices

Allegany County 301-777-5962
Anne Arundel County 410-222-1740
Baltimore City 410-396-4001
Baltimore County 410-887-6660
Carroll County 410-386-2671
Frederick County 301-600-1523
Garrett County 301-334-1974
Harford County 410-638-3500
Howard County 410-638-3294
Washington County 240-313-2000

If you know or suspect that a child has been abused or neglected, contact your local authorities right away.  Or, for assistance, call the ChildHelp National Child Abuse line (Staffed 24 hours daily by professional crisis counselors) at 1-800-4-A-CHILD.

If you are a victim of sexual abuse or sexual assault, you might also contact the RAINN National Sexual Assault Online Hotline.

* Under Pope Francis’s Vos estis lux mundi and the Directives of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the following forms of misconduct by bishops should be reported using this dedicated reporting system: 1) forcing someone, by violence or threat or through abuse of authority, to perform or submit to sexual acts; 2) performing sexual acts with a minor or a vulnerable person; 3) the production, exhibition, possession or distribution, including by electronic means, of child pornography, as well as by the recruitment of or inducement of a minor or a vulnerable person to participate in pornographic exhibitions; and 4) actions or omissions intended to interfere with or avoid civil investigations or canonical investigations, whether administrative or penal, against a cleric or a religious regarding the misconduct referred to in 1-3 above.