Catholic Church: Commission has so far approved 40 million euros for victims of abuse

Enlarge image

Cologne cathedral

Photo: Christoph Hardt / imago images/Future Image

A commission set up by the Catholic Church in Germany has so far approved more than 40 million euros in so-called recognition benefits for victims of sexual abuse.

This was announced by the Independent Commission for Recognition Services (UKA) on Friday in Bonn.

In 2021 it was almost 13 million, in 2022 around 28 million.

In 143 cases, sums of more than 50,000 euros were awarded.

In 24 cases it was even more than 100,000 euros.

This was always done with the consent of the responsible church authorities, said the UKA chairwoman Margarete Reske, former presiding judge at the Cologne Higher Regional Court.

She emphasized that there were no problems with any of the 27 Catholic dioceses.

People who have been sexually abused by Catholic priests, for example, can receive payments from the church.

The UKA decides on the amount.

Those affected do not have to present any evidence, it is sufficient if their description is plausible.

According to the information, the plausibility of the UKA has so far only been denied in nine cases.

Focus in the 1960s and 1970s

A former altar boy's claim for compensation for pain and suffering is currently being dealt with at the Cologne Regional Court.

The 62-year-old demands a much higher sum, namely 750,000 euros.

When asked whether the sums approved by the UKA weren't too low in comparison, Deputy Chairman Ernst Hauck replied: You can always take the position that "more is nicer", but it also has to be financially feasible.

Of course, everyone affected is free to take legal action in the courts.

The UKA has the impression that those affected see their suffering recognized by the church through the payments.

According to the information, the UKA has so far approved services for a good 1800 people.

Around 80 percent were men, with women often being among the particularly hardship cases in which more than 100,000 euros were awarded.

From the applications submitted, a focus in the sixties and seventies results from the period of the crimes.

In most cases, according to the UKA, the abuse happened over several years.

The average age at the beginning of the abuse was ten years.

Children in care were particularly often affected.

Of the 28 million euros in 2022, 805,500 euros belonged to applications with which those affected can apply for a new decision with additional information.

The numbers for this type of application would probably continue to increase, it said.

"We find that by dealing with the suffering experienced, it is possible for some of those affected to submit the application with new information to the Independent Commission for re-examination even after the procedure has been completed," the annual report said.

According to the UKA, more applications were processed last year than in 2021. Of the 2112 applications received since 2021, 1839 had been processed by the end of 2022.

Accordingly, 273 applications were open.

More frequent meetings combined with a decreasing trend in the number of applications received meant that the processing time could be shortened.

It is currently less than four months.

The commission started its work in 2021.

wit/dpa/AFP