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At a weekly general audience at the Vatican on September 24, 2025, a statue of Saint Peter and St. Peter’s Basilica was prominently displayed. — Reuters
Since 2020, a victims’ organization claims that nearly 4,400 individuals in Italy have come forward with allegations of abuse by Catholic priests. This report renews calls for church leaders to address a longstanding crisis within the world’s largest Christian denomination. The count, compiled by Rete l’Abuso—Italy’s largest abuse victims’ group—is based on survivor testimonies, judicial records, and media reports. The organization did not specify the period during which these alleged abuses took place.
The Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), which faced criticism from the Vatican’s child protection commission last week, declined to comment on the new findings.
Most of the allegations involve abuse committed by priests. The worldwide Catholic Church has been rocked for decades by scandals involving pedophile priests and efforts to conceal their crimes. However, Italian church authorities have been less transparent in tackling the issue.
Pope Leo, who recently met with survivors of clergy abuse for the first time, has instructed new bishops not to conceal misconduct allegations. His predecessor, the late Pope Francis, prioritized addressing abuse during his 12 years as pope, though results have been mixed. In a rare critique published on October 16, the Vatican’s child protection commission revealed that only 81 of Italy’s 226 dioceses responded to a safeguarding practices questionnaire.
Rete l’Abuso reports it has documented 1,250 suspected cases of abuse, some involving multiple victims. Of these, 1,106 cases are attributed to priests, with others linked to nuns, religious teachers, lay volunteers, educators, and scout leaders. The organization’s report details 4,625 survivors—referred to as victims—including 4,395 abused by priests.
Among the victims are 4,451 minors, with males making up 4,108 of the cases. The report also notes five nuns, 156 vulnerable adults, and 11 individuals with disabilities among the victims. Of the 1,106 priests suspected of abuse, only 76 have undergone church trials. Of these, 17 were suspended temporarily, seven reassigned to different parishes, and 18 defrocked or resigned. Sadly, five suspects committed suicide.
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