On Monday and Tuesday, May 5-6th, the Vatican will be questioned by the United Nations Committee Against Torture about its record on child sexual violence. This is the second time this year the Vatican has been called by an international body to account for its handling of the crisis of sexual violence throughout the Catholic Church. CCR will be there again with our clients, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).

After the hearing, SNAP leaders and CCR experts will host a livestream report-back to update survivors, advocates, and supporters.

What: The Vatican answers to the UN Committee Against Torture: CCR and SNAP report back
When: Tuesday, May 6, at 8:30 pm CET (2:30 pm EST)
Where: Online here

You can follow the global conversation about this historic hearing via the Twitter hashtag #VaticanAccountability.  Ask questions before or during the report-back by tweeting to the hashtag or emailing your questions to [email protected]. We will answer as many as possible during the livestream.

Throughout the world, children and vulnerable adults have been and continue to be subjected to widespread and systemic rape and sexual violence by priests and others associated with the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican’s policies and practices enable this violence.  The Committee Against Torture has been clear that rape and sexual violence constitute forms of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. In April, SNAP and CCR submitted reports to the Committee, detailing how the Vatican has violated the core principles of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment, which it ratified in 2002.

You can also watch the hearings live in their entirety here.  From 10 am-12 pm CET (4 am-6 am EST) on Monday, May 5th, the Committee will put questions to the Vatican on its compliance with the Convention. From 3 pm-6 pm CET (9 am-12 pm EST) on Tuesday, May 6th, the Vatican will respond to the Committee’s questions.  Both broadcasts will be in English.

For more information on our efforts to hold the Vatican accountable see our webpage and factsheet.