Spectacular meltdown in the way German Catholic Church deals with sexual abuse cases

Investigation

Catholic Dioceses dissolve Joint Abuse Commission

The Archdiocese of Berlin and the Dioceses of Görlitz and Dresden-Meissen are ending their co-operation in investigating sexual abuse. A joint commission has been dissolved by the bishops. The Federal Government's Commissioner for Sexual Abuse and victims called for further efforts to investigate sexual abuse.

The Inter-Diocesan Commission for Investigating Sexual Abuse in several dioceses has failed.

Representatives of victims have already criticized the work of the Commission in the past.

The Federal Government's Commissioner for Sexual Abuse, Kerstin Claus, nevertheless described the dissolution as a "fatal signal."

The investigation into sexual abuse in the Catholic Dioceses of Berlin, Görlitz, and Dresden-Meissen in a joint commission has failed for the time being. The "Inter-Diocesan Commission for the Investigation of Sexual Abuse" (IKA) will be dissolved, the Archdiocese of Berlin announced. Following further resignations from the commission, the bishops decided to end the terms of office of the remaining members on May 31, according to a statement.0

Probing the Case of Abuse: Those affected feel ignored and not taken seriously

As the Archdiocese of Berlin further announced, the dissolution of the interdiocesan IKA follows "the frequently expressed assessment that further cooperation within the given framework seems impossible despite all efforts." However, Berlin's Archbishop Heiner Koch, as well as Bishops Heinrich Timmerevers (Dresden-Meissen) and Wolfgang Ipolt (Görlitz), stated that they remain committed to the cause of probing the case.

Criticism from representatives of victims

The representatives of victims in the East German dioceses criticized the committee in a report published in February. It does not meet the standards of an independent, transparent, and participatory review. Those affected primarily criticized a lack of "substantial participation." The victims' representatives also accused the church representatives of not including a draft prepared by a victims' representative for the 2023/2024 annual report.

In April 2024, the chairman of the IKA had already asked for a vote of confidence. At that time, six members expressed their confidence in him, while three withdrew it. Of the six members who voted in favor, another three had resigned by February 2025, according to the victims' report.

Sharp Criticism from the Abuse Commissioner Claus

The Federal Government's Abuse Commissioner, Kerstin Claus, described the dissolution of the IKA as a "fatal signal." "This deprives victims of sexual violence of the basis for independent investigation and processing," said the commissioner. Even the failure of such a commission should not lead to victims being let down again. "I expect Archbishop Koch and his colleagues to ensure as quickly as possible that reliable structures are created for the next three years through which the requirements of the Joint Declaration are implemented."

At least 78 cases of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Erfurt since 1945

The victims' initiative Eckiger Tisch expressed its regret at the dissolution. At the same time, the initiative's spokesperson, Matthias Katsch, said this should not be the end of the investigation in the three dioceses. An independent commission for the investigation is still needed. Important concerns have not yet been addressed or have only been inadequately addressed. It would have been better from the outset to establish separate investigative commissions in the dioceses of Berlin, Dresden-Meissen, and Erfurt, rather than a cross-diocesan body.

Awareness and Prevention as the Commission's Task

The IKA was constituted on May 10, 2023. Its nine members were appointed by state governments, dioceses, and an advisory board of abuse victims. The body was not part of church structures and worked independently. The commission's task was to determine and evaluate the extent of sexual violence in the participating dioceses, as well as church-related conditions that could encourage abuse, and to work towards effective preventive measures. Furthermore, victims were to be encouraged to report on their experiences.

The basis for the appointment of the commission was an agreement made in 2020 by the Catholic German Bishops' Conference and the then Federal Government Commissioner for Abuse, Johannes-Wilhelm Rörig. Corresponding commissions have since been set up in all Catholic dioceses in Germany.

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