Some dial the number and remain silent as soon as the connection is established, “they need a lot of appreciation before they open up”. Others start talking right away and have clear questions. And there are also callers who “need a lot of space to tell”. Between January 20, the day the report on sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising was published, and the end of last week, 77 people reported to the contact and advice center for those affected, according to a spokeswoman for the ordinariate.
“Some were affected, some were people who were struggling with the question of leaving the church or had a problem with the church and current events, for example because of the role of the emeritus pope.” Others have brought up events in their parishes that concern completely different topics. “Of course, the conversations are absolutely confidential and callers can also contact the contact and advice center anonymously.”
Even before the experts from the Westpfahl Spilker Wastl law firm raised at a press conference more than two weeks ago to present their investigations into abuse in the years 1945 to 2019 as a “balance sheet of horror”, the number of a hotline for those affected by the archdiocese that had just been activated was announced from the podium made known. Since then, up to six experienced psychologists and psychotherapists from the archdiocese’s counseling services have been available here from Monday morning to Saturday evening. They should give those affected the opportunity to talk about how suffering was done to them within the walls of the Catholic Church, to relieve themselves emotionally.
The connection is also intended for relatives; they too can easily get advice and help here. The experts take on a pilot function to further support offers, independent contact persons and non-church advice centers. Because what is essential for many victims is that they never again want to confide in anyone who works in the institution in which they were injured body and soul.
Maximum compensation of 50,000 euros
The phone calls also discuss how and where an application for compensation can be made. Before 2021, the standard amount of 5,000 euros set by the German Bishops’ Conference was paid out in most cases. For the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, the spokeswoman for the house called “53 recognition services for those affected by sexual abuse” by 2021. As a rule, the maximum amount of 5,000 euros was paid. Those affected have criticized the level of compensation for many years as mere “alms”.
After a long struggle for improvements, the payments “in recognition of the suffering suffered” have been newly regulated for all dioceses throughout Germany since the beginning of 2021. The amount is based on state court proceedings. A maximum of 50,000 euros is planned. An Independent Commission for Recognition Benefits (UKA) now determines the level of benefits and also directs the payments to those affected. Information on how to apply is now bundled and compact on a website: www.ankennognition-kirche.de. The seven UKA members are independent of instructions and are not employees of the Catholic Church, rather experts in the fields of law, medicine and psychology. Criteria for their assessment include the frequency of abuse, the age of those affected or the type of physical and mental impairments.
How many individual cases in the archdiocese have been decided according to the new procedure since 2021 could not initially be determined in the ordinariate. The highest single sum paid since then: It was 45,000 euros, according to the spokeswoman: “We don’t have any statistics on how long those affected had to wait on average from the application to the payment of the recognition benefit.”
The contact and counseling center for victims of sexual abuse in the archdiocese of Munich and Freising is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on telephone number 089/2137-77000.