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TRANSCRIPT
Italian victims of clerical sex abuse are demanding the Catholic Church reveal the scope of the abuse crisis. Church Militant’s Hunter Bradford examines how victims are making themselves heard.
Sex abuse victim Mario claims Fr. Gianni Bekiaris began abusing him when he was 8. It went on for 16 years. Mario is just one of thousands of suspected sex abuse victims in Italy.
Seven organizations joined together last week to launch the #ItalyChurchToo campaign.
Francesco Zanardi, a victim and founder of the Italian support group Abuse Network, is leading the fight. He mentioned an October 2021 French clerical sex abuse report that revealed the French church had over 3,000 predator priests with at least 216,000 victims.
Italy, he warned, could be much worse. Zanardi claims there are many more victims in the home base of Catholicism.
Jules Gomes, Rome correspondent, Church Militant:
Three reasons why the abuse isn’t being dealt with: First, the Church has an almost mafia-like grip on the State. Second, 80% of Italians identify as Catholic and continue to show unparalleled deference to clergy. Third, Italy has a statute of limitations and the Italian judicial process is a bureaucratic minefield.
Italy is trailing far behind many other countries that have already released clerical sex abuse reports. While some victims are getting justice, Italian victims are still waiting.
Bekiaris was found guilty under Church law and paid 112,000 euros to his victim. But his bishop allows him to stay in ministry, only banning him from contact with minors.