The Italian Bishops Conference (CEI)
said in its third report on clerical sex abuse Wednesday that
there were 115 alleged victims in Italy between 2023 and 2024.
"In 2023-2024, the alleged victims of abuse were 115 of whom 64
males and 51 females," said the report. "In the same period,
there were 69 cases of alleged abuse, of which 27 occurred in
the parish. The alleged perpetrators of abuse, 67 in total, are
mainly clerics".
The cases are said to have increased from 32 to 37 between 2023
and 2024.
The alleged "spiritual and conscience abuses" went from 4 to 17
cases, the CEI said.
The data were presented as part of the event "Protect, prevent,
train. The territorial network for the protection of minors and
vulnerable adults", organized by the National Service for the
protection of minors and vulnerable people of the Italian
Episcopal Conference and emerge from the Third Territorial
Survey which analyzes the activities of the Regional,
diocesan/interdiocesan Services and Listening Centers in the
two-year period 2023-2024.
The analysis of the cases revealed an increase in reports of
alleged abuse with particular attention to different typologies
and the places where they occur. "The parish - it says - emerges
as the most common place for reported abuse. The age group most
affected among the alleged victims is 10-14 years (31.3%). The
majority of the alleged abusers are clerics (44 out of 67) and
almost all are male (65 out of 67)". The comparison between the
two latest investigations highlights an increase in the average
age of the alleged perpetrator of abuse, which goes from 43
years in 2022 to 50 years in 2023-2024.
"With reference to lay people, the detail relating to the
pastoral service performed indicates that the alleged
perpetrators of the crime, at the time of the report, performed
the following roles: catechist/educator (4), volunteer (3),
collaborator (2), religion teacher (1), seminarian (1),
sacristan".
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