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Pope Leo’s first public interview since his election took place in July 2025 for a book by journalist Elise Allen. Excerpts were published September 14 and the full transcript released September 18 in conjunction with the Spanish edition. In that interview, Pope Leo addressed the clergy sexual abuse crisis and said victims must be treated with “great respect” while also insisting the rights of accused priests must be protected. He claimed more than 90 percent of accusations are made by authentic victims, but acknowledged there are “proven cases of some kind of false accusation” and said there must also be due process for those accused.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) sharply criticized Pope Leo’s remarks and position. They argue his emphasis on false accusations and priests’ rights comes even as evidence shows that he has not adhered to canon law or abuse‑policies in places he previously led, and that his comments amount to rejecting zero tolerance for sexual violence and cover‑ups.
SNAP Board President Shaun Dougherty responded:
“We wouldn’t have to keep focusing on this crisis if Pope Leo would just do the right thing. Enact a global zero tolerance law, release the criminal evidence in the Vatican archives, and stop spending millions on attorneys and lobbyists to fight every effort to pass laws that allow survivors to seek justice. Until these basic steps are taken, the pope’s continued failure to act will ensure that this crisis remains front and center, as it should.”
The attorney continued, “When Pope Leo says not to expect major reforms, it is a rejection of survivors. It’s an abandonment of children by the church. The failure to stop abuse, to remove offenders from positions where they can continue committing sexual violence, is not just a moral failure it’s a death sentence. We’ve lost too many friends to suicide and despair.”
SNAP Global Advocacy Chair Peter Isely added:
“What the world needs—and what survivors desperately need—is a binding and universal zero tolerance church law that upholds the fundamental human rights and protections of children and others against rape, sexual assault and abuse by clergy. The Catholic Church has created a global catastrophe through its careful maintenance of a system that has allowed clergy to abuse children and vulnerable people around the world with impunity. The Vatican has ignored every major international call for accountability, including from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and the UN Committee Against Torture.”
SNAP recalled that in 2014 the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child made recommendations including major canon law reform, independent monitoring of children’s rights and church hierarchy, transparent sharing of archives relating to sexual abuse, and immediate removal of abusers from ministry. They say the Holy See has not implemented these recommendations.
Sarah Pearson, SNAP spokesperson stated:
“Survivors brought their evidence to the highest international bodies and those bodies affirmed what we’ve known for decades ‒ that the Catholic Church has perpetrated and perpetuated widespread sexual violence amounting to torture. When Pope Leo says not to expect any major reforms regarding church doctrine related to sexuality, he is saying, ‘Let’s leave this system in place.’”
On the day Pope Leo was elected, SNAP issued a public demand:
“You can end the abuse crisis ‒ the only question is, will you?” They say Pope Leo has now given his answer.
If you are a survivor of sexual abuse by clergy or within a faith institution you are not alone. SurvivorsRights.com connects you with legal rights, resources, and support. Learn how you can seek justice and healing. For Catholic survivors, you can learn more with our Catholic Church Lawsuit resource guide. For survivors of other sexual abuse or assault perpetrated by another institution, learn more with our Institutional Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Guide.
