Terrible story... The reality is that back in the 70’s child abuse was just not taken seriously, as it is today.. since it always takes place in private it wa often assumed that the kid was making it up.
You would think though that even the dumbest elders, in the absence of an official laid down policy on it, would have alarm bells ringing if multiple claims against the same person were made? Evidently not...
we shall watch with interest.