VATICAN CITY - A Vatican Gendarme has been reported to Italian police by his wife for repeated, shocking domestic violence and ill-treatment of her over a number of years, judicial sources said Thursday.

 The violence began shortly after they wed in 2015, with her husband committing violent acts for “futile reasons” which reportedly caused her injury to her face and her head, as confirmed by her medical records released by Italian daily Il Messaggero: “cranial trauma with frontal region hematoma, nasal spinal fracture, right bend right fracture lat. XI, broken fracture first falange first right foot finger." 

 Rome’s Public Prosecutor’s file states: “Officials confirmed strange behaviour. He had the Gendarme round to push, slap, punish, cause injury to her, even threatening to kill her […] Once he came to threaten his wife with a hammer, saying: “I’ll break your skull.” Another time he slammed her head against the bookcase, causing several injuries.”

 The woman, a journalist working for the Vatican TV station CTV 2000, is thought to have suffered from psychological and not just physical violence for at least two years. She had attempted to hide the signs of violence suffered before finally deciding to report him. The last argument between the couple was back in March.

 Rome’s prosecution magistrates have demanded the Vatican cop’s arrest but an investigating judge considering the case refused the request, meaning the cop is still working with tourists and pilgrims in the tiny city state. The man in question has already appointed lawyers to defend himself, and will have to respond to claims of injuries, ill-treatment and continued violence. The complaint is currently being screened at the Rome’s Public Prosecutor’s Office on Piazzale Clodio. 

 In theory the Gendarmes are chosen by their commanding officer, a former Italian intelligence service operative, for their good character.

 The latest scandal in the Vatican comes after last week, when four feminicides took place in the space of 24 hours in Italy. The peninsula sees one woman murdered every three and a half days. According to data collected by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights in March this year, 27 per cent of Italian women have been victims of physical or sexual violence. In the UK, however, the figure rises to 44 per cent. 

 For more information about the work being done to battle this issue in Italy and to see the progress being made please visit http://www.differenzadonna.org/. 

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