GERMANY: Germany sets up panel to investigate sexual abuse of children in Catholic institutions
Record ID:
334604
GERMANY: Germany sets up panel to investigate sexual abuse of children in Catholic institutions
- Title: GERMANY: Germany sets up panel to investigate sexual abuse of children in Catholic institutions
- Date: 25th March 2010
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (MARCH 24, 2010) (REUTERS) ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL ARRIVING FOR WEEKLY CABINET MEETING TOGETHER WITH FOREIGN MINISTER GUIDO WESTERWELLE MERKEL SITTING DOWN / WESTERWELLE SITTING DOWN WIDE OF CABINET TABLE WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE REPORTERS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (German) JUSTICE MINISTER, SABINE LEUTHEUSSER-SCHNARRENBERGER, SAYING: "The independent envoy, Christine Bergmann will be the contact person for many people affected and she will then be able to make proposals and suggestions at the round table." REPORTERS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (German) EDUCATION MINISTER, ANNETTE SCHAVAN, SAYING: "We are talking about crimes here which left deep scars in the souls of young people. We are talking about perpetrators who abused their positions of closeness, trust and dependancy in a repulsive way. We created this panel and the envoy's position in a manner which makes clear that above all, this is about the victims now." CAMERA CREWS FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (German) FAMILY MINISTER, KRISTINA KOEHLER, SAYING: "It is very important now that the Catholic church does everything to investigate these cases and follow up on them. I have to say, the way things are going at the Catholic church right now deserve our respect." TRIER, GERMANY (RECENT: MARCH 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIORS OF TRIER CATHEDRAL NEUMARKT, GERMANY (MARCH 24, 2010) (REUTERS) 51-YEAR-OLD BERNHARD RASCHE, VICTIM OF SEXUAL ABUSE AT CATHOLIC BOARDING SCHOOL IN 1970s, WALKING PAST RELIGIOUS STATUE IN STREET STONE STATUE RASCHE SITTING DOWN IN HIS LIVING ROOM AND LOOKING AT PHOTO ALBUM OF HIS DAYS AT "LEBENHAN" BOARDING SCHOOL HANDWRITTEN TEXT UNDERNEATH PHOTO READING " MY FELLOW SUFFERERS AT LEBENHAN" (SOUNDBITE) (German) VICTIM OF SEXUAL ABUSE AT CATHOLIC BOARDING SCHOOL IN 1970s, BERNHARD RASCHE, SAYING: "Overall it must be said that victims are nowhere represented (at panel), real victims who know what it is all about." RELIGIOUS PAINTING BOOKS ON SHELF (SOUNDBITE) (German) VICTIM OF SEXUAL ABUSE AT CATHOLIC BOARDING SCHOOL IN 1970s, BERNHARD RASCHE, SAYING: "The abuse that took place at the boarding school was emotional, physical and sexual abuse whereas I especially experienced sexual abuse. (pauses) This means that the priest really abused children, sometimes every night, in the dormitory."
- Embargoed: 9th April 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Religion
- Reuters ID: LVA7ACM25EYK4W5MOIDC2K56XNOY
- Story Text: The German government sets up a panel to investigate cases of abuse of children in Catholic, Protestant and secular schools as a victim criticises the "round table" does not include those "who know what it is all about."
An envoy investigating cases of abuse of children in Catholic, Protestant and secular schools was appointed by the government of Germany on Wednesday (March 24) as an Irish Catholic bishop who was personal secretary to three popes became the latest and biggest casualty in the child sexual abuse scandal convulsing the Church in Europe.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet installed 70-year-old Christine Bergmann, a former family minister, as "independent envoy" to investigate the cases.
More than 250 people were abused at Church-run schools in past decades, according to German media reports.
"We are talking about crimes here which left deep scars in the souls of young people," Education Minister Annette Schavan said.
"We are talking about perpetrators who abused their positions of closeness, trust and dependancy in a repulsive way. We created this panel and the envoy's position in a manner which makes clear that above all, this is about the victims now," Schavan added.
One such victim is 51-year-old Bernhard Rasche who went to Catholic boarding school "Lebenhan" in Bavaria when he was 11.
"The abuse that took place at the boarding school was emotional, physical and sexual abuse whereas I especially experienced sexual abuse," Rasche said, visibly shaken 40 years later.
He told how "the priest really abused children, sometimes every night, in the dormitory."
Rasche, who became a theologian said in a recent newspaper interview that after several failed relationships and a serious depression, he reported the priest to Wuerzburg diocese.
The accused priest admitted to abusing 16 students and he was removed from his post but was allowed to remain in the religious order. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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