German Catholic Clerics Involved In Massive Child Sexual Abuse Scandal

Catholic Dioceses in Germany

Map courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org/

An official report on sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in Germany reveals about 1,670 priests, deacons, and male members of certain Religious Orders sexually abused 3,677 children between 1946 to 2014. More than half of the victims were boys, aged 13 years or younger. 

The research study, conducted by experts from the universities of Giessen, Heidelberg, and Mannheim, adds, too, that the actual number of victims is likely to be much higher. 

Catholic bishops later expressed their shame and regret and apologized for the shocking abuses. "Sexual abuse is a crime," Cardinal Reinhard Marx, head of the German Bishops' Conference, told reporters. "I'm ashamed for so many (of us) looking away, not wanting to recognize what happened and not helping the victims. That goes for me as well."

For more, please click on the following: 

• Leaked German study documents thousands of sexual abuse cases (Sept. 12, 2018)
• German Catholic priests 'abused thousands of children' (Sept. 12, 2018)
• Catholic priests abused thousands in Germany: study (Sept. 12, 2018)
• German report details widespread and ongoing clerical sex abuse (Sept. 12, 2018)
• In German Catholic Churches, Child Sex Abuse Victims Top 3,600, Study Finds (Sept. 12, 2018)
• Report: 3,677 Sex Abuse Cases in German Catholic Church (Sept. 13, 2018)
• German Catholic Church reveals scale of sexual abuse (Sept. 25, 2018)
• 'Shocking' sexual abuse of children by German clergy detailed in report (Sept. 25, 2018)
• Summary: "Sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests, deacons and male members of orders in the domain of the German Bishops' Conference" [27 dioceses participated in this study] (2018)
• German bishops apologize for thousands of sex abuse cases (Dec. 25, 2018)
• German Catholic Church apologises for mass child sex abuse (Sept. 26, 2018)

Related Items:

• Prevalence of sexual abuse of children in Germany (1992)
• German Catholics criticize pope's silence on child sex abuse scandal (March 15, 2010) [Pope Benedict XVI]
• German Catholic choir abuse victims to receive compensation (Oct. 13, 2016)
• German study reveals the scope of child sexual abuse within families (June 14, 2017)
• Regensburg Domspatzen choir: More than 500 boys abused (July 18, 2017)