Three-quarters of the victims were boys. Most of them are children between the ages of 10 and 14 …
Berlin, First Published Jun 14, 2022, 10:53 AM IST
BERLIN: More details of the sexual assault of a Catholic priest in the German diocese of Munster have been released. A new study shows that the actual number of sexual assaults is 10 times higher than current records. Records show that at least 600 teenagers and young people have been sexually abused by Catholic priests. But the number of actual victims could be 10 times higher, according to a report released Monday.
According to the University of Munster, the diocese has official records of 610 victims of Lyme violence. But a new report reveals that the number of actual victims is higher than the 2018 study found by these documents. Historian Natalie Pourosnik, who was involved in the study, said 5,000 to 6,000 girls and boys were affected. According to the report, 196 priests, including 183 priests, have committed more than 5,700 sexual assaults.
It was found that five per cent of the priests who committed Lyme violence were victims of around 10 per cent and less than 10 per cent of the people were facing legal action. During the peak of abuse in the 1960s and 1970s, the diocese reported an average of two cases per week.
Three-quarters of the victims were boys. Most are children between the ages of 10 and 14. Violence was reported against altar boys or those arriving at children’s and youth camps.
Many of the victims have suffered mental health problems since then. There are indications that there are 27 cases of attempted suicide. The study reported that victims experienced significant psychological problems during adulthood, including depression and suicidal thoughts.
A study commissioned by the German Bishops’ Conference in 2018 found that between 1946 and 2014, 1,670 priests in the country committed some form of sexual abuse of 3,677 minors. The actual number of victims is estimated to be much higher.
Last Updated Jun 14, 2022, 11:03 AM IST
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