The authors of the report estimate that at least 3,500 people have committed sexual abuse and say that the figures are only "the tip of the tip of the iceberg".

The authors of the report estimate that at least 3,500 people have committed sexual abuse and say that the figures are only “the tip of the tip of the iceberg”.

At least 1,259 people working for the Protestant Church of Germany have committed sexual abuse in the last decades and at least 2,225 victims were affected by the abuse according to an independent report published Thursday.

The findings are drawn from an examination of documents and records from regional churches and the Lutherans’ diaconal relief and social welfare organisation, Diakonie.

The authors of the report estimate that the actual number of perpetrators is likely to be much higher, with nearly 3,500 people who have committed sexual abuse, German news agency dpa reported.

Martin Wazlawik from Hannover University, who oversaw the study on sexualised violence in the Protestant Church in Germany, described the disclosed figures as “the tip of the tip of the iceberg.”

    • fastandcurious@lemmy.worldEnglish
      31·
      5 months ago

      Ok, hear me out and I hope I don’t get downvoted to oblivion

      Isn’t it a major sin according to Abrahamic religions (rape, abuse etc.)? How is religion responsible for this particular case, if anything, there should be severe punishment for these people, if people actually follow their faith.

      • amigan@lemmy.dynatron.meEnglish
        8·
        5 months ago

        Clergy are in a position of authority over these victims. Religion is a power structure and as they say, “power corrupts.” That’s all there is to it. It would seem to be that it takes a special kind of person to want to be clergy, and that person is very corruptible. The religious teachings themselves hardly figure into it.

        • fastandcurious@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          5 months ago

          I am pretty sure that in the books, it is mentioned that God is not afraid to punish anyone, and that all the rules are applicable to every person. They don’t change for a common man or a clergy or even the pope

          I am pretty sure these ‘churches’ have just become a place for people higher in power to get away with crimes and squeeze money from people, not a place of worship they are supposed to be, don’t quote me on this tho, I have never been in a church, I wonder what people who actually follow what their faith says do… In fact I remember a news recently that a church was being closed because it offered ppl shelter or something like that

      • No_English
        1·
        5 months ago

        Because: Church ≠ Religion

  • Jeena@jemmy.jeena.netEnglish
    181·
    5 months ago

    So it’s not always just the catholic church! Seems religion itself poisons the mind.

    • Danquebec@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      2·
      5 months ago

      My hypothesis is that positions of power attract people who want power. Someone I know knew a protestant pastor. He was the worst kind of human, groomed a girl from his family, had no consideration for anyone. But there’s one person he really loved: himself.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    1·
    5 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    The findings are drawn from an examination of documents and records from regional churches and the Lutherans’ diaconal relief and social welfare organisation, Diakonie.

    The Protestant Church commissioned the study in 2020, allocating 3.6 million euros for its funding.

    The objective was to analyse the internal structures of the church that contribute to violence and the abuse of power.

    The EKD, representing 19.2 million Protestant Christians in Germany through its 20 regional churches, expressed its remorse to victims during the presentation of the study in Hannover.

    Bishop Kirsten Fehrs of Hamburg, head of the Council of the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD), offered a heartfelt apology to the victims.

    The revelation follows the Catholic Church in Germany disclosing staggering numbers of sexual abuse by its clergy in 2018.

    The original article contains 332 words, the summary contains 128 words. Saved 61%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!