Resistance in Dealing with Abuse in Italy Highlighted in Vatican Report

Vatican city: The Second Annual Report on Safeguarding Policies in the Catholic Church, released by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, underscores ongoing challenges within the Italian church in addressing abuse. The report, published on Thursday, emphasizes the persistent “considerable cultural resistance in Italy in dealing with abuse.”

According to Ansa News Agency, cultural taboos present significant obstacles for victims and their families, hindering their ability to discuss their experiences and report them to authorities. The report also reveals that the Italian Church’s cooperation with the Vatican in researching the issue has been limited.

The report highlights that only 81 out of 226 dioceses belonging to the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI) responded to the Commission’s five-year questionnaire on safeguarding. Despite these challenges, the Commission acknowledged the CEI’s efforts in establishing a multilevel system for “coordination, training, and supervision,” aimed at supporting local Churches with professionally trained personnel.