More than 500 victims of abuse in the Diocese of Trier

A Commission in the Diocese of Trier has identified more than 500 victims of sexual abuse. In its first interim report, the Commission raises serious accusations and demands that the handling of victims must be significantly improved.The Independent Commission for Coming to Terms with Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Trier has so far identified 513 victims and 195 convicted and accused perpetrators. This is according to the First Interim Report presented by the Commission in Trier. According to the report, the cases of abuse discovered date from 1946 to 2021. Some of those affected could not be identified by name but only anonymously. The Commission accused those responsible in the Diocese of having covered up sexual abuse by priests for decades. When cases became known, perpetrators were transferred within and outside the diocese - also to protect them from prosecution. In addition, "in a large number of cases" no measures had been taken to protect potential victims in their new places of work.

Perpetrators protected, victims not

From the files, the Commission reported two "serious case histories" spanning the years 1955 to 1975. One Diocesan priest had been sent to Paraguay "at the special intervention of the Diocese of Trier" after repeated abuse and an arrest warrant. Another priest, although previously convicted of abuse in Austria, had been given a job in the Diocese of Trier - he had then abused children and young people again in the Eifel region.The Commission demanded that the Diocese make it much easier for those affected to inspect the files. In addition, regular and more intensive information should be provided about the internal church investigations into the respective cases of abuse. "It is clearly recognisable that the situation of those affected has been given far too little attention in the handling within the Church of the cases," the report states. Therefore, it says, a contact and counselling point for those affected must be created: "Either in the form of special pastoral care or through an independent ombudsman's office."

Study expected by October

The seven-member commission is made up of victims and experts, headed by the former Justice Minister of the Rhineland-Palatinate, Gerhard Robbers. It has been working for a good year and is to investigate the abuse scandal in the Diocese for a total of six years. In parallel, a study by the University of Trier is also investigating the abuse. The Commission wants to investigate further cases in order to be able to assess the "clear role and responsibility" of the respective leadership and bishops. By mid-October, it wants to present a first study on abuse during the term of office of the former Bishop of Trier, Bernhard Stein (1904-1993). He is accused of having known between 1967 and 1980 that clerics were abusing children and of having covered up for them.

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Cathcon: At some stage, they will produce the report on the time that Cardinal Marx was Bishop of Trier.  It could very well be career limiting....