Page 17 - Dispatches - Winter 2022

PHOTOS BY STEFANO PITRELLI/THE WASHINGTON POST
Joseph Purdy, left, Diana Friedberg, center, and other American tourists settle onto benches in an art The American tour group poses for a photo at
studio in Rome to listen to Italian clerical abuse survivor Francesco Zanardi. Rome’s Parco degli Acquedotti.

New this year, though, was the hour devoted Bette Robbins, 74, kept flinching and shak- The tourists peppered Zanardi with ques-
to “how the Vatican and the Italian authorities ing her head in solidarity, as she took in the tions: “What does the pope say?” “Are some
have handled decades of abuse allegations.” most painful details of Zanardi’s life story. countries doing a better job?” “Do you go to
For that, the tour company flew in Frances- Robbins, who spent most of her life in Se- church today?” “How are your days now?”
co Zanardi, one of Italy’s most vocal advocates attle as a city official, said later that this was her He answered that Pope Francis had done
for survivors of clerical abuse. fifth or sixth time vacationing in Italy but the little to compensate victims, that Italy was a de-
Zanardi, 51, lives in Savona, in northwest first time she had met an abuse survivor. cade behind the United States in addressing the
Italy. Starting when he was an 11-year-old altar “That I know of,” she added. issue, that he no longer went to church but that
boy, he says, he was raped by a priest at least She said she felt angry about the abuse Za- his days were “quite normal.”
once a week for five years. nardi suffered, and angrier still about how nei- “Victims are subjected to psychological,
A framed, smiling portrait of Zanardi from ther the Vatican nor Italian prosecutors seemed emotional and social deprivation,” he said. “If
around that time was on display in the artist to be taking the problem seriously enough. they learn how to cope with those, life can
studio where he met the visiting Americans on “The public needs to be outraged,” she said. move on.”
the outskirts of Rome. The experience of the afternoon session At the close of the session, the tourists
He was offered a place to sit, but he re- would stay with her, she said. “It won’t go away gave Zanardi a round of applause.
mained on his feet, constantly moving around, for a long time. I won’t forget this.” There was no time for follow-ups, since a
as he asked whether anyone knew why people Not all the tourists in the group joined for second group was already outside, waiting for
like him choose to call themselves survivors. the session — two had opted out, according to their turn.
The tourists all said no. representatives from the tour operator. “Have fun visiting Rome!” Zanardi said
He talked about how too many young vic- “They just couldn’t bear it,” said Simona earnestly.
tims attempt suicide, about how often they de- Salvatori, senior vice president of the Italian The tourists went back to their hotel.
velop drug or alcohol addictions. branch of Grand Circle Corporation, the parent Other days of their trip would include
“I used to have a problem with drugs, as company. visits to the cliffs of Sorrento, the traces of
well, and tried to kill myself four times,” Zanar- Anthony Pontorno, 66, the husband of Pur- Pompeii and the volcano at Mount Etna. They
di said. “But unlike me, so many other friends dy, from Rehoboth Beach, said he was initially would also discuss the Italian mafia while
didn’t make it. Those who remain — they are hesitant to go. in Sicily and the murder of an investigative
the survivors.” But he appreciated that Zanardi had “put a journalist in Malta.
Then, with a matter-of-fact delivery, he told face to” the church abuse scandal. But on this night, according to their
the audience how his mother had taken her own “Not that we ever thought it didn’t happen,” schedule, there was “time for one more gelato
life once she had come to realize what had hap- Pontorno continued. “But here was this human before bed.”
pened to her son. The tourists audibly gasped. being — it was no longer a news article.” stefano.pitrelli@washpost.com

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