US watchdog calls for truth commission on Catholic abuse cases in Peru

On Thursday, BishopAccountability.org, a US-based clergy abuse watchdog, called for the creation of a truth commission in Peru to investigate sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The call came on the eve of a visit to South America by Pope Leo, during which the Vatican says he will meet abuse survivors.

Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org, which tracks Catholic clergy abuse allegations worldwide, accused Peru’s Church hierarchy of secrecy and of failing to adequately confront allegations of abuse. Speaking at a press conference in Lima, she said that “the stubborn secrecy of Peruvian Church leaders puts children at risk, deprives victims of validation, and prevents civil authorities from identifying and prosecuting the complicit.” Her remarks reflect the group’s position that the victims’ need for validation must be met, a matter of speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves (Proverbs 31:8-9).

Representatives of the Archdiocese of Lima and the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, which represents the country’s Catholic bishops, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Peru’s Church has faced a series of abuse scandals in recent years, most prominently involving Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, an ultraconservative Peru-founded Catholic group that has expanded internationally. Pope Francis ordered the organization dissolved in 2025 after a Vatican investigation into allegations that included sexual and psychological abuse.

Leo, the first US-born pope, will spend the final leg of his November 6-17 tour of South America in Peru. He arrived in the country as a missionary in the 1980s, later became a citizen, and served as bishop of Chiclayo. The Vatican has said he will meet with survivors of physical and sexual abuse during his visit to the region.

Barrett Doyle said of the pope: “Pope Leo has spoken compassionately about the need to accompany victims and to listen to them, but he has said almost nothing about holding bishops in his Church accountable. We hope we hear that message from him during this visit.”

On Thursday, the group also published a database identifying dozens of Peruvian clergy and religious figures whom it says have been accused of sexually abusing children or vulnerable people. These are allegations, and the database does not reflect findings of guilt. The group also called on Leo to condemn what it described as judicial persecution of journalists who have investigated abuse cases.

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