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	Victims’ Communication Pursuant to Article 15 of the Rome Statute Requesting Investigation and Prosecution of High-level Vatican Officials Center for Constitution Rights via BishopAccountability.org September 13, 2011 http://www.bishop-accountability.org/CCR/2011_09_13_CCR_Victims_Communication.pdf [full story] I. BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION 1. In recent years, ongoing revelations of pervasive and serious sexual violence against children and vulnerable adults by priests and others associated with the Catholic church in different parts of the world have demonstrated that the problem is not one of isolated, random sexual assaults by errant priests but is occurring on a widespread and systematic basis throughout the church. In the wake of scandals in Canada, Ireland, the United States and elsewhere, experts and investigators who have carefully studied the issue and the evidence have identified policies and practices that allowed the sexual violence to occur and continue and that furthered the harm to direct victims. One after another, the investigations have found intentional cover-ups and affirmative steps taken that serve to perpetuate the violence and exacerbate the harm. The same or similar practices and policies have been found virtually everywhere that cases of sexual violence have been brought to light – in Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Mexico among others. 2. As will be shown below, high-level Vatican officials, including Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, either knew and/or in some cases consciously disregarded information that showed subordinates were committing or about to commit such crimes. The persons identified herein as persons whose roles should be investigated are those high-ranking officials at the church?s center of gravity – the Vatican. As will be discussed in more detail below, the Vatican is a highly centralized and hierarchical institution with all authority leading to and ultimately residing in the Pope in Rome. The persons named herein have served in positions of power within the church, have implemented papal policies and laws and have exercised authority over these matters at one time or other. They bear the greatest responsibility for the system that fosters and allows sexual violence.
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