ESSEN/Germany: After almost three years of preparation, the Munich-based IPP institute is due to present a study on sexual abuse in the Catholic diocese of Essen on Tuesday.
According to the IPP, researchers have analysed all personnel files, including secret files, since the founding of the diocese in 1958 and conducted numerous interviews with victims, experts and diocesan executives.
The study is primarily concerned with the framework conditions that made sexualized violence by clerics possible, in some cases over many years. In addition, there are suggestions for improvements in the future.
The Essen diocese, with around 720,000 Catholics in the Ruhr region and Sauerland, describes itself as the smallest diocese in Germany in terms of area.
As of 2020, 99 people across the diocese were known to have been victims of sexual abuse, and 63 diocesan priests were accused at that time.
The study could come up with a higher number. In addition, there is probably a considerable number of unreported cases.
The Munich institute worked completely independently. A statement by Essen Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck is also expected at the presentation in a press conference.
