FLASH
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Around 4,400 people have been sexually abused by Catholic priests in Italy since 2020, according to figures published by Rete L'Abuso, the largest group of victims of clerical abuse in the country.
Rete L'Abuso says it has recorded 1,250 suspected cases of abuse, some involving multiple victims. Of these, 1,106 were Catholic priests, while the rest were nuns, religious teachers, volunteers, educators and members of scouting organizations.
According to the report, 4,625 people are considered victims, or what the organization calls "survivors," of whom 4,395 were abused by priests. Of these, 4,451 were under 18, while 4,108 were boys. The remaining victims include five nuns, 156 vulnerable adults, and 11 people with disabilities.
Of the 1,106 suspected priests, only 76 were brought to ecclesiastical courts, 17 were temporarily suspended, seven were transferred to other parishes, and 18 were dismissed or resigned from their priestly duties, while five of them are reported to have committed suicide.
According to Reuters, Rete L'Abuso, which is not officially recognized by the state or the church, said the data is based on testimonies of victims, court documents and press reports.
The Catholic Church has been rocked for decades by scandals involving pedophilia and cover-ups by priests, but local church authorities in Italy have been accused of failing to handle the problem transparently.
The new pope, Leo XIV, who met with survivors of clerical abuse for the first time this week, urged bishops “not to hide allegations of wrongdoing.” His predecessor, the late Pope Francis, made the fight against abuse a priority during his 12-year papacy, but with mixed results.
In a report published on October 16, the Vatican Commission for the Protection of Minors noted that only 81 out of 226 Italian dioceses responded to a questionnaire on their child protection practices.
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