Archdiocese of Berlin: A million euros in victims of sexual violence!

Archdiocese of Berlin: A million euros in victims of sexual violence!

Brandenburg, Deutschland - In the past seven years, the Catholic Archdiocese of Berlin has paid more than one million euros in victims of sexual violence. This step comes as part of the efforts to seriously deal with the dark history of abuse within the church. In 2024 alone, those affected were awarded 249,000 euros as recognition performance, which shows the constant efforts of the archbishopric to have justice to the victims. Tagesschau reports of the extensive work that is behind these payments Steck.

As can be seen in the current reports, in 2024 a total of twelve applications were made for recognition performance. These consisted of four first -time income, two applications for re -evaluation and six contradictions against previous ratings. Nevertheless, it seems that not only the number of applications, but also the registration procedures have received more attention as a whole. In the same year, 14 new allegations of sexual violence were discovered and processed. emphasizes that in most cases the accused teachers or honorable employees in the church service, which were with children, adolescents Worked for protection.

The processing of sexual violence within the church is not just an issue for the Archdiocese of Berlin. It is an overall problem that affects deeper structures. In its reports, the independent commission for dealing with sexual child abuse has pointed out a variety of problems that predominate in both large faith communities. The chairpersons of the Commission repeatedly emphasize that many reports of sexual violence were not passed on due to the power structures and the traditional code of silence. processing commission shows that the self-image of the churches as open and liberal often prevented from revealing themselves.

The way forward

The church itself recognizes the need for comprehensive and transparent processing. Archbishop Heiner Koch emphasized how important it was to change existing structures and break the silence in order to give the victims a voice. It remains to be hoped that the progress and the payments are not only a short -term reaction, but the beginning of a real change within the institutions.

It is clear that the Archdiocese of Berlin is seriously trying to deal with, but the numerous cases from the past show that there is still a further way ahead of us. The development of prevention concepts and a structured procedure are essential to regain the trust of the believers.