As the voice of experience in a matter of a similar nature, the % of false claims is pretty minute, and the process they are embarking on (albeit civil, not criminal first) is no fun. It takes big nuts to go down this path and usually you are driven by a pretty strong desire to get some accountability. There was a recently deceased Cardinal who escaped criminal prosecution on child sexual abuse on appeal to the High Court. I would suggest to you strongly that there are likely numerous civil claims of a similar nature that were settled on the quiet. Did the incidents happen? I used to go to a mens group for people abused as kids, there were alleged victims of The Cardinal there, seemed a lot of trouble to go to for shits and gigs.If it happened 40 years ago and there was no witnesses and no one named I'd be the first one saying it. Followed by two words - prove and it.
Just saying something doesn't make it true. Believe it or not, people do make stuff up. And they do lie. For all sorts of reasons. Automatically believing any claimant just because is absolutely insane and unbelievably naive, as well as being completely ignorant of basic human nature.
Bottom Line - none of this is black and white and there will be no winners here regardless of the outcome - except the lawyers