Fact Check: "Only six states mandate clergy report confession-related sexual abuse."
What We Know
The claim that "only six states mandate clergy report confession-related sexual abuse" is based on recent legislative changes and existing laws across various states. As of 2025, Washington State has enacted a law requiring clergy to report child abuse disclosed during confession, which has sparked significant controversy and debate within religious communities, particularly the Catholic Church (source-1).
In addition to Washington, several other states—specifically New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia—also have laws that require clergy to disclose information about sexual abuse obtained during confession (source-4).
However, it is important to note that in some states, the clergy-penitent privilege is maintained, meaning that clergy are not required to report information disclosed during confession. For example, Tennessee only denies this privilege in cases of child sexual abuse (source-1).
Analysis
The assertion that only six states mandate clergy to report confession-related sexual abuse is partially true. While it is accurate that Washington State has joined a small group of states with such mandates, the claim overlooks the fact that other states, including New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia, already have similar laws in place (source-4).
The reliability of the sources used in this analysis is high. The New York Times article provides a comprehensive overview of the legislative changes and the reactions from various stakeholders, including religious leaders and government officials (source-1). Similarly, the article from America Magazine corroborates this information and expands on the implications of these laws (source-4).
However, the claim could be misleading as it does not clarify that the number of states with such mandates may vary based on the specific definitions and conditions under which clergy are required to report. For instance, some states may have exceptions or different interpretations of the clergy-penitent privilege, which complicates the overall understanding of the issue (source-6).
Conclusion
The verdict on the claim that "only six states mandate clergy report confession-related sexual abuse" is Partially True. While it is true that there are only a few states that have explicit laws requiring clergy to report abuse disclosed during confession, the claim fails to account for the existing laws in several other states that also impose similar requirements. Therefore, while the statement captures a portion of the reality, it does not provide a complete picture of the legal landscape regarding clergy reporting obligations.
