First report

In 2008, the deaf students wrote to the local bishop. In 2009, thanks to an investigation of the journal L’Espresso of Milan, it was unveiled and 15 former students took another step: writing sworn statements describing sodomization, forced masturbation and other forms of abuse.

Location

Instituto Antonio Provolo pers Sordomuti (Verona).

Number of victims

67 former students.

Term of abuses

About 30 years (between the 1950s and 1980s).

Defendants

29 priests. Among them Nicola Corradi, who was later transferred to Argentina and continued with the abuses.

Few of deaf victims had sustained relationships. One of their schoolmates had committed suicide.

The former students haven’t gone to the police because the 10-year statute of limitations expired. They have asked the priests in question to waive the statute of limitations so a case can be opened, but to date none of them have.

In 2017, the bishop of Verona, Guiseppe Zenti, disassociated himself from responsibilities, affirming that the curia had no authority over the Provolo Institute because it is managed by an "autonomous" congregation.

In 2014 one of the members of the Association of the Deaf Antonio Provolo of Verona, Giuseppe Consiglio, organized a personal meeting with Pope Francis and handed him a letter with the list of the defendants.