Diocese of Asunción issues statement on digital violence and harassment at Universidad Nacional de Asunción

The Diocese of Asunción issued a statement expressing solidarity with those affected by recent allegations of sexual violence and harassment in digital environments at the National University of Asunción. The reports involve the non-consensual distribution of private images, the exposure of personal data, and the creation of sexual montages using artificial intelligence.

The diocese stated that responsibility for these actions lies with those who create, request, manipulate, or distribute such materials without consent, rather than with the victims. The statement noted that digital violence attacks the privacy, rights, and dignity of individuals, often causing fear, humiliation, and suffering.

In its response, the diocese referenced Pope Francis's encyclical Fratelli tutti, which warns that digital communication can turn people into objects of intrusive scrutiny and amplify aggression. The statement also cited Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which affirms that every person possesses inalienable dignity and notes that artificial intelligence lacks moral conscience.