Diocese of Osnabrück refuses to disclose names of abuse!

Diocese of Osnabrück refuses to disclose names of abuse!

There are currently major discussions in the diocese of Osnabrück about coming to terms with sexual violence. A spokesman for the diocese confirmed that they do not want to disclose the names of perpetrators of abuse. This decision is based on significant legal concerns, which the diocese does not wish to elaborate on. Instead, the intention is to deal with this sensitive matter as part of the church's protection process. The diocese would not be the first to be confronted with this potentially damaging issue; Two years ago, the diocese of Aachen published a list with the names of abusers, a step that Osnabrück will not imitate. Over the past eight decades, more than 120 clergy in the diocese have sexually abused minors or wards, a worrying sign that raises many questions.

In order to take the abused victims and the problem itself into account, further steps were taken last year. On September 20, 2022, the University of Osnabrück presented an interim report on the study of sexual violence in the diocese since 1945. This report revealed significant deficiencies in the way those affected were dealt with and in file management. Diocesan Bishop Franz-Josef Bode then announced measures to improve the protection process, including the establishment of the North Affected Council in spring 2022. A member of this council will be sent to the monitoring group of the protection process.

Measures to support those affected

As part of an effort for renewal and transparency, a position for an Independent Representative in the Protection Process has been advertised. Sarah Röser took on this task on February 1, 2024. In addition, in November 2023, Simon Kampe was appointed as an ombudsperson for those affected by sexual violence. In order to support the financial concerns of those affected, a fund was set up with 50,000 euros. Since September 2022, 273,000 euros have already been paid out in 13 cases.

In 2023, the diocese of Osnabrück reported a total of 44 cases of sexual violence to the statutory accident insurance, which demonstrates the urgency and scope of the problem. Measures for quality assurance in personnel responsibility were also introduced: Since June 1, 2023, Yvonne von Wulfen and Thilo Wilhelm have headed the Episcopal Human Resources Department. Bishop Bode announced that in the future he would present annual reports on key decisions to the Common Council. In addition, the “Regulations on the Management of Personnel Files” came into force on January 1, 2022 in order to standardize the handling of personnel matters.

Progress and challenges

However, it remains to be emphasized that coming to terms with sexual violence in the church in Germany is a lengthy process that varies greatly and is often characterized by disputes. The diocese of Osnabrück, which has already made progress in the processing, contradicts the approaches of other dioceses where the processing is not always transparent or not carried out at all. The women and men who have suffered from sexual violence must be given a voice, and this can only work if the dioceses are prepared to openly confront these difficult issues. For many, the decades-long culture of silence seems to be a sign that a lot of persuasion still needs to be done.

The developments of the past few years show that there are definitely changes, but also that there is still a lot to do to regain the public's trust. After all, it is to be hoped that the measures taken will bear fruit in the long term and that the protection of those affected in the Diocese of Osnabrück can be seriously improved. What this looks like in other regions of Germany and beyond remains to be seen. Given the many reports and social discussions about sexual violence, everyone involved must remain vigilant to create a climate in which those affected are heard and protected.

For further information about the measures and developments in the Diocese of Osnabrück you can read the articles from OS Radio, Diocese of Osnabrück and Deutschlandfunk read.