Federal Family Minister Franziska Giffey sees considerable need for action to protect children and young people – even ten years after the abuse scandal in the Catholic Church was uncovered.
"Whether in schools, daycare centers, church communities or sports clubs – we must enable the best possible protection of children everywhere and further intensify our efforts," the SPD politician told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (Monday).
One to two affected children per school class
The numbers of abuse cases are still alarmingly high, they say. Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that one million children in Germany have experienced or are experiencing abuse. That is one to two affected children per school class, Giffey emphasized. "We must not and will not accept this," she warned.
Everyone is called upon. "We often see in cases of abuse after the fact that it is still far too often unclear how to help in such a situation or that people even look the other way when there is a suspicion," Giffey lamented.
Praise for Enlightenment at Berlin's Canisius College
The minister praised efforts that have been made since the cases of abuse at Berlin's Canisius College were uncovered ten years ago to protect children and young people from sexualized violence and provide better support for those affected. "We created the office of the independent commissioner for child sexual abuse ies. Together with the Council of Victims, we now have strong structures that are permanently committed to this important task," said Giffey.
In addition, the "National Council against Sexual Violence against Children and Adolescents" has been in existence since December. "Here we are working together with various federal ministries, with the states, local authorities and committed people on concrete measures for even better protection of children and young people against sexualized violence and for support for those affected," Giffey explained.
On 28. In January 2010, it became known that children and young people had been sexually abused at the Jesuit grammar school Canisius-Kolleg in Berlin in the 1970s and 1980s. This triggered a nationwide debate about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.