In India, Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar has been accused of repeatedly raping and threatening a nun. The family of the nun believes it had been the first assault during a two-year calamity in which the bishop raped her thirteen times.

  The name of the nun is not allowed to be released due to an Indian law which states that news or any form of media will not identify rape victims.

  The bishop is known to have called for the nun to his room and there he raped her. The allegation from the nun has caused the church and fellow nuns to stand by her and fight for justice.

  Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church of the Vatican City, even spoke out on the case at a public conference on February 5, announcing that sexual abuse of nuns by priests and bishops has always been an issue. He stated, “There have been priests and bishops [who have been sexually assaulting nuns]. It is continuing because it is not like once you realize it that it stops.”

     Several female superiors have tried to cover up the abuse of their nuns in order to protect the reputation of the church, similar to bishops and pedophile priests. Nuns have been making allegations towards higher authorities of sexual assault and there had been many reports made by nuns in the past which claimed the same thing.

  Muniza Ahmed (11) was disgusted after hearing of this incident, stating, “This is not something to be taken lightly because, despite the title they carry, they are going against human decency and university morals. The nun should not be treated differently because she is still human and carries the same rights as any other women and any other man.”

  The bishop has had other recent accusations of sexually abusing nuns and was arrested in the past. He filed several reports against the nuns claiming that they were planning his death.

  Mia Sunshine (10) believes in rightfulness, she said, “Pope Francis is supposed to be religious and follow God’s holy word but it seems like he is ignoring the matter and letting the priests have their way with the nuns. I believe that the bishop should have been charged with second-hand rape because he knew of his actions yet he still allowed it to happen.”

 Many nuns have been filing cases against church officials in India and the officials have ordered them to drop the case or simply ignored the rape accusations altogether. This rape case has not received the justice it deserves which is why many nuns have been filing a great number of cases against church officials so that their voices will be heard.