- Title: BELGIUM: Church abuse investigators angry at documents seizure
- Date: 25th June 2010
- Summary: LEUVEN, BELGIUM (JUNE 24, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR CENTRE WHERE CHURCH COMMISSION SEX ABUSE INVESTIGATORS HELD NEWS CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN OF THE CHURCH COMMISSION INTO SEX ABUSE PETER ADRIENSSENS AT NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHAIRMAN OF THE CHURCH COMMISSION INTO SEX ABUSE PETER ADRIAENSSENS SAYING: "We are really shocked by the fact that the totality of the documents have been confiscated without a single question being put to us, without us knowing right now what it is about. Five hundred people who put their trust in us, we have explained several times in the press that people can go either to the police or to the courts or to the commission." JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHAIRMAN OF THE CHURCH COMMISSION INTO SEX ABUSE PETER ADRIAENSSENS SAYING: "Indeed there are an estimated one hundred people who want the commission to inform the courts about their story. But there are also hundreds of people who asked us to respect, scrupulously, their privacy." JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHAIRMAN OF THE CHURCH COMMISSION INTO SEX ABUSE PETER ADRIAENSSENS SAYING: " I can assure you that these documents are not about superficial touchings, it is about sexual abuse, it is about sexual crime. And so we believe it is important to respect this group of victims who, for the first time, are making the effort of looking for a path, who want help and who, maybe, will finally address the courts but who need someone who is ready to walk with them." CUTAWAY (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHAIRMAN OF THE CHURCH COMMISSION INTO SEX ABUSE PETER ADRIAENSSENS SAYING: "This work is completely destroyed even if the documents come back tomorrow. What does it mean for all concerned? That in two weeks, I can invite you again because another judge is thinking about collecting our documents? What should I say to a victim who says to me: 'I want to talk with you but in absolute discretion. How can I guarantee that? For now, I don't know." CAMERAMAN ADRIAENSSENS SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS
- Embargoed: 10th July 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Belgium
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Religion
- Reuters ID: LVA307VH075LEKG0WQ5DQ9B91EF0
- Story Text: Belgian investigators probing sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests raided central Church offices on Thursday (June 24) and searched the home of the former archbishop.
Later in the day the Chairman of the commission in charge of investigating claims of sexual abuse said investigators had also seized all of their documents.
The chairman, Peter Adriaenssens, said the commission had received 500 claims in eight weeks and 100 of those asked the commission to go to court, he said. But hundreds more had asked the commission to keep the details confidential.
Police sought evidence to document abuse cases in the offices of the Brussels archdiocese and in the home of Cardinal Godfried Danneels, who stepped down in January as head of the Belgian Church after holding that position since 1979.
"We are really shocked by the fact that the totality of the documents have been confiscated without a single question being put to us, without us knowing right now that it is about. 500 people who put their turst in us, we have explained several time in the press that people can go either to the police or to the courts or to the commission," Adriaenssens said.
"Indeed there are an estimated 100 people who want the commission to inform the courts about their story. But there are also hundreds of people who asked us to respect, scrupulously, their privacy he added.
" I can assure you that these documents are not about superficial touchings, it is about sexual abuse, it is about sexual crime. And so we believe it is important to respect this group of victims who, for the first time, are making the effort of looking for a path, who wants help and who, maybe, will finally address the courts but who need someone who is ready to walk with them The Church commission has been tracking complaints and compiling evidence about sexual abuse of minors by Belgian priests.
He said several clerics were implicated but gave no names.
Judicial searches of archdiocesan headquarters or homes of cardinals are extremely rare, even in cases of sexual abuse allegations. In several European countries, independent panels have been set up in which church and state cooperate.
The raid in Mechelen, a town outside the Belgian capital where the Brussels archdiocese is based, came while the country's bishops were meeting there, a Church statement said.
The current Brussels archbishop, Andre-Joseph Leonard, "has always been clear in saying that there must be a zero-tolerance in matters of sexual abuse," it added.
Allegations of sexual abuse of minors have haunted the Catholic Church in Europe since two damning government reports in Ireland exposed the extent of the hidden scandals there.
The shock of those two reports prompted victims of abuse, sometimes committed decades ago, to speak up in other countries, especially Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Austria.
The Belgian Church seemed to be less tainted until the bishop of Bruges, Roger Vangheluwe, suddenly resigned in April and admitted he had sexually abused before and after becoming a bishop. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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