Domestic violence is an "almost satanic" act, Pope Francis said in an interview on Italian television, insisting on the "dignity" of the victims, whose numbers increased during the pandemic.
"So many women have been abused and beaten in their own homes and even by their husbands," the pope said during a special broadcast on Sunday night on TG5, during which he had a dialogue with four people. with difficult routes.
"It is a problem which, to me, is almost satanic, because you are taking advantage of the weakness of someone who can not defend himself," the pope added during this special show entitled "Francis and the Invisible".
"All he can do is repel the blows. It is humiliating, very humiliating, "the pope added during a conversation with a mother who was forced to flee with her children. But "I see a lot of dignity in you, because if you had lost your dignity, you would not be here," he added.
The number of cases of domestic violence has multiplied with the health crisis and the successive rounds. As of January, 112 women have been killed in Italy, according to the Interior Ministry, more than half of their current or ex-husband or partner.
The pope, who is celebrating his 85th birthday on Friday, has repeatedly taken a stand against violence against women, which in 2020 he compared to sacrilege.
Source: RES-EAP