Just a few of the victims who allege sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic priests - a scandal that rights groups say has been consistently covered up by Pope Benedict and Vatican officials.<br/> <br />They're calling for Benedict - who's due to step down at the end of the month - to be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) PAMELA SPEES, SENIOR ATTORNEY IN THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM AT THE CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, SAYING:<br/> <br />"We brought a complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC), asking the prosecutor of the ICC to investigate and consider prosecuting Joseph Ratzinger."<br/> <br />Megan Petersen, now 23, is one of thousands who allege abuse.<br/> <br />As a 14-year-old devout Catholic, she says she was violently raped by an Indian priest in Minnesota.<br/> <br />He returned to India where he is now behind bars awaiting extradition - after an exhaustive legal campaign by her team.<br/> <br />Campaigners say the church has consistently shielded abusers.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) MARY CAPLAN, SEX ABUSE VICTIM AND LEADING MEMBER OF SURVIVORS NETWORK OF THOSE ABUSED BY PRIESTS, SAYING<br/> <br />"Their names will be changed, they'll be sent to other countries, and so you have a raped 16-year-old girl and you have this powerful institution that will protect rapists."<br/> <br />The Vatican denies these charges.<br/> <br />The pope has apologized for abuse within the church and ordered a major investigation in Ireland.<br/> <br />Sexual abuse cases in the Church began coming to light in the 1980s and became a major crisis in 2002, when U.S. media began reporting systematic cover ups for abusive priests.
