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Church spire in the backlight: The initiative continues to assume a high number of unreported cases
Photo: Friso Gentsch / DPA
A good three years ago, a study by the Catholic Church revealed that between 1946 and 2014, at least 1,670 clergymen passed out on wards.
However, the investigation is likely to have only covered part of the true extent.
Since the publication of the so-called MHG study, numerous references to further cases have become known.
“In three years, around 250 people across Germany should have registered at the Eckigen Tisch,” said Matthias Katsch from the Affected Initiative - and that is still just the tip of the iceberg: “I assume that on every person affected who has reported so far, at least three will come and wait. "
The dioceses are also receiving more and more information: The seven dioceses in Bavaria alone had at least 205, as a survey by the dpa news agency revealed, including numerous reports of "border crossings" that are not criminally classified as sexual abuse.
According to the German Bishops' Conference (DBK), there are no nationwide figures.
In autumn 2018, the Catholic Church published the so-called MHG study and thus figures on sexual abuse.
According to this, a total of 1670 clerics were accused of sexual abuse of minors nationwide in personnel files from 1946 to 2014.
There were 3,677 victims.
In 2020, the religious orders made public that a further 1,412 affected people had contacted them.
"So we're talking about at least 5089 victims known to the church," said Katsch.
"If the various estimates based on surveys or comparative figures from abroad, such as the Netherlands, are correct, then the number of those affected by the Catholic Church should be around 80,000."
The Catholic Church in Germany is in a deep crisis.
There has recently been great unrest in the Archdiocese of Cologne, where Cardinal Woelki is criticized for coming to terms with church abuse.
asc / dpa