German official wants payment rules for Protestant Church sex abuse

Following the revelation of thousands of cases of sexualized violence in the Evangelical Church (EKD), the Commissioner for Abuse has spoken out in favour of binding rules for recognition payments, reported dpa.

"Whether the abuse experienced can ever be made up for - and if so, how - is something that those affected can only decide for themselves," Kerstin Claus told Germany's Funke media group newspapers in remarks published on Friday.

"I think it's very good that the Hessian regional church has set a basic amount of €20,000 ($21,761) for those affected by abuse; in many places it's only €5,000. What is important is that transparency and commitment must now be established for the recognition payments, which must be mandatory for all regional churches," she said.

A study on sexual abuse in the Protestant church presented last week documents at least 2,225 victims and 1,259 alleged perpetrators over the past decades. The head of the study said it was the "tip of the iceberg."

Claus criticized the EKD's treatment of those affected.

"The study makes it clear that the cases of abuse in the Protestant Church are not isolated incidents. But that is exactly what those affected were always told by the church," she said.

She added that it is alarming that the church is still resisting reporting centres, external offers of help and clarification "because those responsible allegedly feel under general suspicion."

The church needs the independent reporting centres and ombudsman's offices clearly recommended by the researchers and long called for by those affected.

"The Protestant Church is withdrawing from dealing with sexual abuse in church bodies, and much remains in the dark for the public. This is backroom politics, and the church must move away from this," said Claus.