Abuse of consecrated women: \u2018The first words should be: I believe you, you are not alone\u2019 The challenge of addressing abuse within consecrated life \u2014 in all its dimensions: sexual, power, conscience, and also economic \u2014 was the focus of an international meeting organized by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors held at the Maffei Marescotti Palace in Rome. Under the theme \u201cBuilding Communities that Safeguard Dignity,\u201d representatives of religious institutes from some 20 countries are gathering Nov. 17\u201319 to share experiences, examine structural shortcomings, and work on the preparation of the third annual report, which will involve 40 communities. The commission\u2019s president, Archbishop Thibault Verny, thanked the nearly 60 participants from various countries for their presence and emphasized that preventing abuse \u201cis not a local task but a universal commitment of the Church.\u201d The third report on abuse, the archbishop clarified, \u201cis not intended to add a burden\u201d but rather to be \u201can opportunity\u201d to promote \u201cattention to the most vulnerable members\u201d and strengthen \u201cthe quality of formation.\u201d This journey \u201ccannot be traveled alone,\u201d Verny pointed out. \u2018I believe you, you are not alone\u2019 One of the most significant moments was the intervention of Sister V\u00e9ronique Margron, president of the Conference of Religious Men and Women of France, who clearly outlined the initial steps for supporting a consecrated woman who reports abuse. Her first recommendation was direct and unequivocal: \u201cThe first words must be: I believe you, you are not alone, I will help you and do everything necessary,\u201d she stated, according to Vatican News. \u201cWe must speak honestly; otherwise, it\u2019s impossible to build dialogue and trust,\u201d she added. For the religious, reparations are a broad process that cannot be reduced to a mere procedure: They demand justice, support, and the genuine involvement of those who suffered violence. She therefore pointed out that the second step is \u201cto work toward all forms of justice,\u201d involving the victims at every stage, without \u201cminimizing\u201d the cases or diminishing responsibilities. Structures, failures, and silence The meeting addressed head-on the panorama of abuse within religious life, including its less visible forms. In convents and monasteries, there have been not only cases of a sexual nature but also abuses of power and conscience, practices that can give rise to \u201cconflicts, asymmetries in power, marginalization, and unbalanced relationships,\u201d as Verny noted in his address. Providing an analysis, Claretian Father Krzysztof Gierat, head of the office of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life, emphasized that \u201cevery measure taken for protection comes with a face, with a story that demands listening, truth, and care,\u201d clarifying that \u201cprotection cannot be treated as an added technical element; it\u2019s not a protocol appended to consecrated life.\u201d Gierat listed structural factors that foster abuse even in communities with seemingly exemplary regulations, such as the absence of a \u201chealthy system\u201d of relationships. A community, he noted, may have \u201cimpeccable protocols\u201d but then ambiguous authorities, \u201cinformal\u201d hierarchies based on geographic origin, aggressivity, unhealthy relationships, missed warning signs, and ignored conflicts emerge. \u201cEven without malicious intent, all of this becomes fertile ground for abuse,\u201d he warned. \u201cProtection begins with the quality of the environment we breathe,\u201d the priest emphasized. Impact of the digital world Gierat also addressed a particularly sensitive topic: the impact of the digital world. Consecrated life, he reminded everyone, can no longer be considered exempt from social media, chat rooms, or online exposure. The risks are numerous: public image, privacy, and digital grooming. \u201cProtection isn\u2019t just a matter of convent corridors but also of virtual spaces,\u201d he pointed out. And he pointed to a key aspect: the need for \u201ccomprehensive, spiritual, and psychological formation\u201d for religious superiors. \u201cA transparent, evangelical, and service-oriented authority is the first line of defense,\u201d he said. \u201cMany abuses stem from authorities left to themselves and not adequately trained. And all abuse stems from a lack of communal discernment,\u201d he added. The meeting made it clear that the issue of abuse is not confined to church walls. For Stefano Mattei, policy director of Tutela Minorum(\u201cProtection of Minors\u201d), the goal is also to \u201cdrive change\u201d in society: \u201cIt\u2019s about putting the weight of the Church at the service of cultural change to protect children and the vulnerable,\u201d he explained. This commitment, he said, is possible thanks to the Church\u2019s widespread presence, wealth of charisms, and its integration into very diverse contexts. The discussions were complemented by international experiences. From Germany, Franciscan Andreas Murk, provincial of the order, presented particularly revealing figures: According to a 2019 survey, 1,412 people contacted the Conference of Superiors to declare: \u201cI have been abused.\u201d Murk also detailed the work of the Independent Commission for Recognition, which manages compensation for victims of clerical abuse, with compensation of up to 20,000 euros ($23,160). When asked about the risk of false accusations, he responded emphatically: \u201cFor decades, victims were ignored; now we must focus on them.\u201d In his province, he explained, \u201cone or two accusations turned out to be unfounded; 40 others were not, and of those, only five asked for money. Not everyone comes for money; they just want recognition.\u201d However, he warned, even today \u201csome communities refuse to confront the issue of abuse; they still lack the necessary sensitivity. Our duty is to be active in this area, even if it makes [people] uncomfortable.\u201d This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA\u2019s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Victoria Cardiel Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. 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