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	RC Sex Abuse Victims Redirected to Inquiry Radio Netherlands April 8, 2010 http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/rc-sex-abuse-victims-redirected-inquiry 1300 people who submitted a complaint about sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church are to receive a letter this week informing them how they should proceed. The complaints were handed in via the website of a church-run organisation, Help and Justice. The abuse victims will have to make a separate complaint to the Deetman Commission if they want their case to be included in the independent inquiry. Help and Justice is not allowed to pass on complaints to the commission for reasons of confidentiality. The commission headed by Christian Democrat politician and former education minister Wim Deetman has been set up by the government to investigate the extent of sexual abuse in Catholic institutions during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. In March Mr Deetman told Christian newspaper Nederlands Dagblad, "No-one doubts whether the abuse took place, it's just that we have no idea of the extent." In addition the organisation is helping the church with it own procedure, which could lead to priests guilty of sexual abuse receiving a caution, being sacked or being defrocked. Victims of sexual abuse also have the right to be heard by the religious institute where the abuse took place.
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