Pressure groups demand Church in Italy submit to external sexual abuse inquiry

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Catholic groups on Tuesday accused Italy's Church of an "institutional failure" to confront clergy sexual abuse, and demanded an independent national inquiry mirroring ones conducted in France and Germany.

A collective of nine groups - seven headed by women - issued the demand during the launch of a campaign called "Beyond the Great Silence" and a hashtag, #ItalyChurchToo, inspired by the international #MeToo movement against sexual harassment.