The International Union of Superiors General, which represents more than 500,000 sisters worldwide, urged nuns who have been abused to report the crimes to police and their superiors.
The group vowed to help nuns who have been abused to find the courage to report it, and pledged to help victims heal and seek justice.
The statement, issued on the eve of the UN-designated International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, was the first from the Rome-based UISG since the abuse scandal erupted anew this year and as the sexual abuse of adult nuns by clergymen has also come to light.