A new report alleges widespread abuse within the Catholic Church in Italy. A victims’ advocacy group says nearly 4,400 people have been abused by Catholic priests.
The findings are based on cases reported since 2020. The report increases pressure on Italian bishops to confront a crisis that has long affected the Church.
The report was compiled by Rete l’Abuso, Italy’s largest church abuse victims’ group. The data comes from victim accounts, judicial sources, and media reports. The group documented 1,250 suspected cases of abuse. Many of these cases had multiple victims.
Of these, 1,106 cases were allegedly committed by priests. The rest involved nuns, teachers, and lay volunteers. The vast majority of the victims, 4,451, were under the age of 18. Most of the survivors were male.
Almost 4,400 people abused by priests in Italy, victims' group alleges https://t.co/SarKhgbGAr https://t.co/SarKhgbGAr
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 24, 2025The global Catholic Church has been shaken by abuse scandals for decades. However, church leaders in Italy have been slower to address the issue.
Last week, the Vatican’s own child protection commission criticised the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI). The commission said only 81 of Italy’s 226 dioceses responded to a questionnaire about safeguarding practices.
The report also highlights a lack of consequences for the accused. Out of the 1,106 suspected predator priests, only 76 faced church trials. The consequences for those few were often limited. Only 18 were defrocked or resigned from the priesthood.
The new Pope, Leo, has met with abuse survivors and told bishops not to hide allegations. This follows the efforts of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who made addressing the issue a priority.
