Hopes Fading That New Pope Will Confront Child Sex Abuse
I first heard about the new pope from a distraught mother upset by the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost, a Chicago native. She had hoped the next pope would finally confront child sexual abuse in the Church. But now-Pope Leo XIV had previously been accused of covering up abuse and stonewalling investigations — and she feared nothing would change.
The 25,000-member Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) released a statement and letter to the new pope.
SNAP spokesperson Sarah Pearson told Newsweek, “Now that he's the pope, we're gravely concerned. These are serious allegations by three women, and their complaints deserve to be investigated.”
In March, SNAP filed a separate complaint against then-Cardinal Prevost with Vatican officials — but received no response.
Pearson added, “The only way this crisis is going to end is if Vatican officials institute a zero-tolerance policy.”
But a zero-tolerance policy is only as effective as a New Year’s resolution. We have documented hundreds of child sexual abuse cases in organizations that already had such policies — along with procedures, training, screening, and background checks.
The reality is simple: no matter how strong the policies, without a research-based alert system in place, they fail.
