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	Germany Sets up Child Abuse Panel Amid Church Scandals Expatica March 24, 2010 http://www.expatica.com/de/news/german-rss-news/germany-sets-up-child-abuse-panel-amid-church-scandals_33119.html The German government set up a panel of victims, experts and advocates Wednesday to shed light on child abuse in the wake of dozens of allegations against the Catholic Church and other institutions. Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet named former family minister Christine Bergmann head of an "independent body charged with working on the subject and on financial and non-financial aid to victims," a government spokesman said. Bergmann would also act as "the first port of call for the victims," spokesman Christoph Steegmans told a regular briefing here. The round table, due to hold its first meeting on April 23 and report its findings by the end of the year, will be under the joint auspices of the family, justice and education ministries. The panel will investigate paedophilia "in private and public institutions" said a family ministry statement. "We have all been shocked by the allegations of sexual abuse that have been revealed in more and more institutions in recent weeks," said Kristina Schroeder, the family minister. Germany has been rocked recently by almost daily revelations of sexual abuse of minors, mainly in the Catholic Church but also in Protestant institutions.
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