Abuse Commissioner calls for more investment in child protection

Johannes-Wilhelm Rörig, the abuse representative of the Federal Government, has called on the states to invest more in the protection of children and adolescents from sexual abuse. Kitas, schools, sports clubs and other institutions urgently need more support for their commitment to sexual violence, said Rörig. The maximum protection of boys and girls is not achieved "by itself and at the minimum rate".

Rörig presented a report on measures against abuse in child and youth institutions. These include kindergartens, schools, homes, church facilities, sports clubs, clinics and boarding schools.

The German Youth Institute had asked almost 5,000 institutions for this, which measures they have implemented so far. It had come to the conclusion that there was progress. However, many institutions themselves do not think that they have sufficient concepts.

According to Rörig, 10,000 girls and boys in Germany are victims of sexual violence each year. "If you look at the dark field studies, we have to assume that there are one to two children in each school class who are affected by abuse," he said.

Demand for legal regulations

The majority of day-care centers or schools indicated in the survey that they had taken individual measures. When self-assessing whether they had a comprehensive protection concept, but agreed only 13 percent of schools and 22 percent of daycare. Homes (33 percent) and boarding schools (28 percent) rate themselves a little better.

Possible preventive and protective measures include employee training, regulated complaint procedures in case of abnormalities, defined action plans for suspected cases or direct contact persons.

Rörig demanded legal regulations. The facilities would have to be committed to protection concepts. The federal states should also hire their own abuse officer and provide more staff and money. Necessary investments in the three-digit million range.

Federal Minister of Family Affairs Franziska Giffey (SPD) said that progress had been made above all where binding guidelines exist, but that they were still far removed from nationwide protection against sexual violence and its implementation. She announced the convening of a "National Council against Sexual Violence against Children and Adolescents" in autumn.

"Thankful for the differentiated hints"

The vice-chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, Katja Suding, said she shares the claim of the abuse officer. The protection of children and adolescents is only possible if the educational professionals are sensitized.

The Abuse Commissioner of the German Bishops' Conference, Stephan Ackermann, said according to a statement, he was "grateful for the differentiated references" of the report. "However, the results of the monitoring also show that existing efforts need to be further strengthened."

In 2016, the Catholic Church was committed to providing the best possible support for the introduction of protection against sexual violence against children and adolescents in their structures. Massive abuse of children, some decades ago, had plunged the Catholic Church into one of its worst crises.