Abuse in the Catholic Church: Victims describe their experiences

The abuse scandal shakes the Catholic Church.

Those affected have now spoken up in the press club in Munich - and reported on the suffering of the victims.

Agnes Wich was a lively, lively girl – until suddenly everything changed.

"I became silent," says the Munich resident.

There were no words for the horror she experienced at the age of nine...

She grew up in a Bavarian village in a Catholic family.

She had great trust in the pastor and religion teacher – then he invited her to his house.

"He abused me massively for a year and a half," says the 68-year-old.

In the event that she should defend herself, he threatened her: “He said something bad would happen or I would go to hell.

As a child, I believed him.” Today, Wich no longer wants to remain silent.

She is committed to supporting the victims of the abuse scandal and telling her story on Friday at the Munich Press Club.

Abuse experiences of a pastor

"It takes courage," says Wolfgang F. Rothe, pastor in Perlach.

The priest also reported on his own experience of abuse.

In 2004, after a conversation with an Austrian bishop, he suffered a circulatory collapse.

That is why he was lying on the sofa in the bishop's quarters.

"He put a psychiatric drug down my throat and sent everyone else out of the room," he says.

Then there were attacks, Rothe accuses the bishop.

Rothe reported the incident internally within the church.

"Many attempts have been made to silence me," criticized the 54-year-old.

He had to undergo a forensic psychiatric "gay test", was committed to a monastery and an attempt was made to deny his mental sanity.

The bishop denies the allegations and the Congregation for Bishops also rejected them as "unfounded".

"No one spoke to me," says Rothe.

In 2019 he reported the incident to the judiciary.

The Kripo determined because of attempted rape, but the proceedings were discontinued due to the statute of limitations.

"I was forced to become a church rebel," explains Rothe.

He sees the church's sexual morality as a large part of the problem.

It is a "toxic web that keeps the church imprisoned like a spider's web".

to become a church rebel,” explains Rothe.

He sees the church's sexual morality as a large part of the problem.

It is a "toxic web that keeps the church imprisoned like a spider's web".

to become a church rebel,” explains Rothe.

He sees the church's sexual morality as a large part of the problem.

It is a "toxic web that keeps the church imprisoned like a spider's web".

Criticism of church sexual morality

Anselm Bilgri also criticized this in the press club.

The former Benedictine is now in the Old Catholic Church and has married his partner.

"I feel so liberated to be in a church now where my love is not a sin," he says.

The Pope could theoretically decide to abolish celibacy, he explains.

"But I warn against too much hope."

Agnes Wich sees the celibacy discussion more as a maneuver to "distract from a reappraisal".

She finds: "The church cannot work it out itself." Some time ago she wanted to confront the abuser priest - but he has already died.

"On his deathbed he is said to have confessed that he was very guilty," she says.