Book
Stealing Lives: Systemic Child Abuse and the Smokescreens of Organised Vatican Criminality_is a harrowing exposé co-authored by Rafael Viola and Countess Sigrid von Galen. It’s not just a memoir—it’s a searing indictment of institutional abuse and the mechanisms that protect it.
### š What the Book Covers
- **Rafael Viola’s personal story**: He recounts surviving five Catholic institutions where he endured extreme abuse—physical, psychological, and sexual. His testimony is raw and deeply personal, shedding light on the trauma inflicted by those meant to protect.
- **Institutional cover-ups**: The book explores how religious orders and Vatican-affiliated groups allegedly used their authority and immunity to shield perpetrators and silence victims.
- **Global context**: It connects Rafael’s experience to broader patterns of abuse and obstruction uncovered in international investigations, showing how systemic these issues are across countries and decades.
- **Psychological and social impact**: The authors delve into the long-term effects on survivors, including the tactics used to discredit and isolate them.
### š Themes and Tone
- **Unflinching and confrontational**: The book doesn’t shy away from naming names or exposing uncomfortable truths.
- **Survivor-led narrative**: Rafael’s voice is central, making it not just a critique but a call for justice and healing.
- **Historical and interdisciplinary**: It weaves together legal, psychological, and sociological threads to paint a comprehensive picture of abuse .