As of: February 27, 2024 11:00 p.m
There is said to have been sexual violence against children and young people in a church community in Georgsmarienhütte-Oesede in the 1970s. A commission accuses the church of a cover-up.
A deacon in training is said to have raped an eleven-year-old girl in the King Christ community of Oesede (Osnabrück district). In addition, at least seven other children and young people are said to have been victims of sexual violence by the accused. This is the conclusion reached by the report of an independent review commission, which was presented on Tuesday in Hanover.
Abuse reported – mouth forbidden?
As it became known in autumn 2021, the eleven-year-old had reported the incident to the volunteer supervisor of a church holiday camp in 1974. However, this had no consequences for the accused. “The remaining victims and the subsequent acts would not have taken place if this carer had fulfilled her obligation,” the commission said. The carer even forbade the girl to talk about it.
“No attention was paid” to those affected
The responsible community pastor became aware of the incident in 1976. It then took another nine months until the deacon was released. During this time, the deacon was not relieved of his duties, which enabled him to deal with children and young people. Three of those affected were known to those responsible. No attention was paid to them, no support or help was offered. In addition, the fact that the deacon had committed sexual violence was not explicitly documented anywhere. Rather, the “cover-up of these acts was supported by those responsible.” The case was not prosecuted under criminal law. According to the commission, the man even received a certificate confirming the successful completion of his training. The deacon was popular in the community and had a close relationship with the pastor. The accused died in 2018.
Report paints picture of a serial perpetrator
The investigation was only initiated after the then eleven-year-old victim made his case public in October 2021. The report now shows what the person concerned suspected: the deacon appears to have been a serial offender. The person concerned sat in the audience for the presentation of the commission area. She says: “Hearing this confirmed again shocked me a lot and also shows me how important this study is.” The results showed that the review committee had worked meticulously and extensively.
Church is said to have known about cases for years
The person affected is said to have turned to the church eleven years previously. She informed the state superintendent of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover about the sexual violence. According to the report, the fact that this information was not disseminated is a “significant omission on the part of the Hanover Regional Church Office”. According to the commission, the regional church did not publicly search for other possible victims.
Ralf Meister thanks you – those affected call it “cynical”
The Hanover regional church was not informed in advance about the results of the report, the processing commission said. The report was presented to Regional Bishop Ralf Meister in Hanover. He wants to comment in 14 days. On site he said: “Let me say, first of all, that I would like to express, first of all, with great respect, perhaps one could say with gratitude, to those affected that without their commitment over many decades, this review commission would not have come about. ” The person affected herself says she finds the bishop’s thanks cynical.
Nationwide study: Researchers criticize EKD
At the end of January, a nationwide study on sexual violence in the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) and in the Diakonie was presented in Hanover. The research team also criticized the fact that in the past those affected had mostly been left alone by the Protestant church and their experiences had been ignored for a long time.
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