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Diocese of Essen: 201 suspects are accused of abuse
Photo: Roland Weihrauch / picture alliance / dpa
Since its founding in 1958, there have been at least 423 suspected cases of abuse in the Ruhr Diocese.
This was announced by the diocese on Tuesday at the presentation of an independent study by the Munich institute IPP.
The number is significantly higher than known, so far the number of 99 cases has been circulating.
The diocese speaks of 201 accused up to February 2023 – mostly priests from the Ruhr diocese and other dioceses as well as deacons and religious of different genders.
Some perpetrators have committed crimes over several decades, said the head of the IPP research team, Helga Dill.
53 reports were filed, 33 convictions under church or criminal law were registered.
163 people affected have already submitted applications for recognition of their suffering, and almost 2.6 million euros have been paid out.
"As a diocese, we have to be honest: in the past there have been massive omissions in our diocese administration, including active cover-ups," said Ruhr Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck.
The diocese often did not believe the victims.
This was also based on the idea "that the Church and its priests should be protected first and foremost".
Even in younger years, the diocese was "all too often massively overwhelmed by these situations," said Overbeck.
He has been bishop in Essen since 2009.
According to the study, even confirmed knowledge of sexualized violence was sometimes relocated or not responded to at all.
Cases of abuse have often continued for decades.
The study team also made suggestions for improvement:
In the future, affected parishes should be supported in the processing and initiatives affected should receive a fixed budget for their work.
The church should set up a network with external advice centers and strictly separate the advice given to perpetrators and those affected.
In addition, the church should reconsider the previous form of priestly training and offer the clergy day-to-day supervision from outside the church.
Bishop Overbeck promised: "In the future, I will take a closer look at those affected and at the parishes." This year there should also be reliable rules on how the diocese can cover therapy costs and also provide "unbureaucratic help".
The Ruhr diocese, founded in 1958 with around 720,000 Catholics in the Ruhr area and Sauerland, describes itself as the smallest diocese in Germany in terms of area.
jpz/dpa