Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 10 (NationPress) A nun who has endured alleged sexual abuse at the hands of a bishop has bravely come forward to share her harrowing experience over the past eight years, highlighting issues of isolation, intimidation, and institutional silence.

In an interview with Asianet TV, Sister Ranit expressed that her current existence feels as though her “hands and legs are tied,” facing ongoing social ostracism and uncertainty even after years of filing her complaint.

Reflecting on the consequences of reporting the abuse within the Church, she claimed she was swiftly isolated.

She also alleged that three other nuns were expelled from the congregation due to persistent harassment, which included stone-pelting, following the controversy.

The remaining trio, including Sister Ranit, now makes a living through tailoring work at the convent, mentioning that the diocese leadership's continued silence ultimately forced them out.

Furthermore, Sister Ranit alleged that Bishop Franco tried to frame her family and fellow nuns in false cases, with some nuns in the convent actively supporting him.

She dismissed claims that her complaint was driven by financial motives, emphasizing that she has not received a single penny from either the diocese or Bishop Franco.

When asked why she remained silent despite ongoing abuse, she attributed it to fear.

A nun, she explained, is ingrained with the notion that moral purity is crucial, and disclosing any violation leads to inevitable expulsion from the congregation.

Sister Ranit mentioned that she personally knows several women who were compelled to leave the convent under similar conditions and were subsequently labeled as having “run away from the convent,” a stigma that inflicts lifelong shame on both the individual and their family.

This fear, she admitted, led her to conceal the truth for years while continuing her life in the convent.

Sister Ranit added that similar experiences are prevalent in many convents but remain largely unspoken due to fear and societal pressure.

Bishop Franco Mulakkal was the head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar from 2013 until his arrest in 2018 on allegations of raping a nun, marking him as the first Catholic bishop in India to be arrested in a rape case.

In January 2022, a district court in Kerala acquitted him of all charges after reviewing testimonies from 39 witnesses, concluding that the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Even after the acquittal, the supporting nuns continue to fight for their cause. Following ongoing controversy, Mulakkal was requested by the Vatican to resign, and his resignation was accepted by Pope Francis in June 2023.