Abuse Survivors Decry Omert  in Italy, 3.2% Clerics Abusers

Rome: Italian clerical sex abuse survivor network Rete L’Abuso said Tuesday that there was still too much ‘omert ‘ on predator priests in Italy and that some 3.2% of clerics were abusers.

According to Ansa News Agency, survivor networks in Italy and abroad have acknowledged that the late Pope Francis did more than his predecessors regarding the abuse crisis that has affected the global Church, but believe it was still insufficient. “There are huge legislative gaps in Italy, for example, there is no obligation to report while the hierarchies have not respected at all the appeals of Pope Francis” against pedophilia, said the chair of Rete L’Abuso, Francesco Zanardi, during a press conference promoted by the families of victims of paedophile priests on the eve of the conclave to choose Francis’s successor.

In Italy, Zanardi emphasized, “there is a huge problem of omert  (mafia conspiracy of silence).” According to the data collected by Rete L’Abuso in the database “Spotlight on Italian Survivors,” which is underestimated since not all cases come to light, “currently we have 3.2% of paedophile priests,” said Zanardi.