Nearly 4400 people have been abused by Catholic priests in Italy in cases reported since 2020, a victims' group alleges, renewing pressure on bishops to confront a crisis that has long plagued the world's largest Christian faith.

The unofficial tally by Rete l'Abuso , Italy's largest church abuse victims' group, is based on victims' accounts, judicial sources and cases reported by the media, the founder of the association Francesco Zanardi said.

Rete l'Abuso did not say how far back the alleged abuse cases occurred.

The Italian Bishops Conference (CEI), which was criticised by the Vatican's child protection commission last week, had no comment on the findings, a spokesperson said.

The global Catholic Church has been shaken for decades by scandals involving pedophile priests and the c

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