Politics plans protection concepts

Politics plans protection concepts

The Union wants to present protection concepts for children and young people © Julian Stratenschulte

The results of the abuse study have shaken up church and politics. The CDU/CSU parliamentary group plans to present a resolution on better protection for children and young people by the beginning of next year at the latest.

In response to the Catholic Church's abuse study, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group wants to present measures to better protect children and young people. A corresponding 20-point plan on the basis of which the Union wants to decide on the ie, presented on Wednesday in Berlin, the family and youth policy spokesman, Marcus Weinberg, and the deputy chairwoman of the Union faction, Nadine Schon (both CDU).

The horrific outcome of the study on abuse in the Catholic Church has made the importance of the ie even clearer, Weinberg said. In addition to the necessary political measures, there must be a "social outcry". Weinberg emphasized that he shares "in large parts" the position of the abuse commissioner Johannes-Wilhem Rorig. Two weeks ago, the German Bishops' Conference presented the results of a study it had commissioned on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Rapid immediate and acute assistance for victims

In detail the plan presented now plans among other things a better prevention by protection concepts in Kitas, schools as well as in the child and youth welfare service. In addition, help for those affected must be improved. So there must be more quick immediate and acute help for them, he said.

Specialist counseling centers would have to be established throughout the country, as well as the supplementary help system that ares support to those affected would have to be continued. Likewise, the office of the abuse commissioner as well as the work of the victims' council and the reappraisal commission must be secured.

Further, the plan provides for the expansion of the punishability of cyber-grooming and the increase of the minimum penalty for the abuse of children and the distribution, acquisition and possession of so-called child pornographic writings. Cyber-grooming is the targeted approach of minors on the Internet with the aim of initiating sexual contact.

Reform of the Victim Compensation Act

Rorig, the abuse commissioner, has also been urging for years that these measures be implemented. He told the Katholische Nachrichten-Agentur (KNA) that he was pleased about every comrade-in-arms who took the fight against abuse seriously. Especially with a view to the upcoming budget negotiations in 2019, he hoped that appropriate funds would now be allocated.

He continues to push for a reform of the Victim Compensation Act, which has been pending for years, explained Rorig further. According to victims, the current law is often ineffective because they do not receive the help they need, such as therapy. As a temporary solution, the federal government and some of the German states have therefore set up an aid fund.

In addition, the position of the abuse commissioner as well as the work of the victims' council and the processing commission must be secured beyond March 2019, Rorig demanded. There must be a cabinet decision on this as soon as possible.

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