Pope Leo’s latest remarks to bishops instructing them not to hide sexual abuse allegations are hollow and disingenuous. Behind closed doors, he tells bishops what survivors have demanded for decades, yet in practice he has refused to abide by these standards himself. In Peru, his former Diocese of Chiclayo has smeared and attacked victims in his name, and he has never taken responsibility. He has ignored every single reform SNAP presented to him in a letter on the day of his election.

“Pope Leo’s instructions cannot be taken seriously given his own track record over the last few years,” said Peter Isely, head of SNAP’s Global Advocacy. “He speaks of accountability while presiding over the cover-up of child sex crimes. The only thing he can do to restore trust is to implement a binding and universal zero tolerance law, immediately remove abusers from ministry, and open up the Vatican abuse archives, including his own records, to civil authorities.”

Until Pope Leo confronts his own failures and implements enforceable reforms, survivors and the public should treat his statements as little more than damage control.

This week’s press conference demanding the release of the full Epstein files underscores a truth survivors of abuse by the world’s most powerful religious institutions know all too well: widespread sex crimes against children and vulnerable people do not happen in isolation. In the same way it takes a network to facilitate, enable, and conceal sexual violence, it will take a network to secure justice for survivors.

That is why we stand in full support of the Epstein survivors’ call on the U.S. Congress to vote to release the complete files. Just as the U.S. justice system has failed to hold the Catholic Church and other powerful religious institutions accountable, allowing them to hide documents, protect offenders, shield enablers, and traffic victims across borders, it has also failed Epstein’s victims by keeping vital records locked away.

As survivors, we know the extraordinary courage it takes to come forward, to name names, and to confront powerful figures at immense personal risk. Epstein survivors have carried that burden with strength and bravery, and they deserve transparency, justice, and full accountability.

“Survivors everywhere understand that secrecy is the abuser’s greatest weapon,” said Angela Walker, Executive Director of SNAP. “The Epstein files must be fully released – not redacted, not hidden – so that every person and institution that enabled these crimes is exposed. Survivors deserve nothing less than the full truth, and the public deserves to be protected from those who continue to pose a danger.”

No matter how wealthy and powerful the individual, the institution, or their allies may be, the crimes must be exposed, the truth must be told, and all who participated in, facilitated, or concealed abuse must finally be brought to justice.