ABUSE TRACKER

DEUTSCHLAND
Frankfurter Allgemeine

12.01.2013 · Die katholische Kirche wollte Missbrauch aufarbeiten – mit dem Kriminologischen Forschungsinstitut Niedersachsen. Das ist gescheitert. Kein Wunder. Denn es geht um mehr als persönliche Befindlichkeiten.

Von Philip Eppelsheim

Anderthalb Jahre ist es her, dass die Katholische Kirche Deutschlands mit dem Kriminologischen Forschungsinstitut Niedersachsen (KFN) ein Forschungsprojekt auf den Weg brachte, um den „sexuellen Missbrauch an Minderjährigen durch katholische Priester, Diakone und männliche Ordensangehörige“ zu untersuchen. In dieser Woche ist das Projekt mit einem großen Eklat gescheitert. Der Leiter des Kriminologischen Forschungsinstituts, Christian Pfeiffer, wirft der Kirche Zensur vor, sogar Aktenvernichtung. Die Kirche wehrt sich: Pfeiffer sei maßlos, das Vertrauensverhältnis zerrüttet. Eine Schlammschlacht, ausgetragen von Alphatieren: hier der medienerfahrene und selbstbewusste Forscher, dort die Katholische Kirche.

Die Ursache dieses Streits ist jedoch nicht das Gebaren der ehemaligen Forschungspartner. Es geht mittlerweile zwar auch um persönliche Befindlichkeiten, aber angelegt ist das Zerwürfnis schon in dem Vertrag, den Pfeiffer Anfang Juli 2011 mit dem Verband der Diözesen schloss. Darin hieß es: „Neun (Erz-)Bistümer haben verbindlich zugesagt, sich an dem Forschungsprojekt zu beteiligen und werden dem KFN alle in den (Erz-)Bistümern erreichbaren Informationen über Fälle des sexuellen Missbrauchs an Minderjährigen durch katholische Priester, Diakone und männliche Ordensangehörige im Bereich der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz seit 1945 für eine Längsschnittanalyse zur Verfügung stellen. Für den Zeitraum von 2000 bis 2010 haben alle (Erz-)Bistümer ihre Mitwirkung am Forschungsprojekt zugesagt. Dies betrifft sowohl Akteninhalte über solche Fälle, die nicht der Strafjustiz bekannt geworden sind, als auch die Aktenzeichen aller Strafverfahren, die in dieser Zeit gegen die Personengruppe, die Gegenstand des Forschungsprojekts ist, wegen sexuellen Missbrauchs an Minderjährigen durchgeführt worden sind.“

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AUSTRALIA
The Examiner

By MICHAEL LOWE
Jan. 12, 2013

THE nation’s royal commission into child abuse will unleash a “tsunami” of allegations in Tasmania, a child protection advocacy group says.

Bravehearts Tasmanian spokesman Stephen Noone said yesterday that the group had been calling for a royal commission for 15 years.

Welcoming the inquiry’s broad terms of reference, announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Friday, Mr Noone said that he expected a “tsunami” of Tasmanians to come forward with abuse allegations.

Beyond Abuse spokesman Steve Fisher also praised the reach of the inquiry, to be headed by New South Wales Supreme Court judge Peter McClellan.

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DEUTSCHLAND
MissBiT

1. Grundsätzlich: Der Punkt schien vermeintlich an das Bistum Trier zu gehen. Dennoch gibt Uzulis hiermit eine Steilvorlage, die noch weitere Fragen aufwirft und das Bistum Trier in Erklärungsnot bringen dürfte.

2. André Uzulis, neuer Pressesprecher im Bistum Trier, behauptet unter anderem: „Die ‘Seitenreste’ (man beachte die Anführungszeichen seinerseits an dieser Stelle!) wiesen auf eine bei der damaligen Aktenführung verwendete Bindetechnik hin. Auf den verbleibenden Rand seien Dokumente aufgeklebt worden. „Die in der Akte ‘freien Ränder’ seien nicht entstanden, weil man etwas nachträglich abgeschnitten hätte, sondern weil sie noch nicht ‘beklebt“ waren.“, sagt Uzulis.

Bei einer so sorgfältigen Aktenführung, die sämtliche Korrespondenz zwischen dem Täter und dem Bistum Trier und die so manch’ kuriose Einträge enthält, fällt es auf, dass die Akte abrupt endet. – Zufällig zum Tatzeitraum. Man will mir also glaubhaft machen, dass es angeblich über einen Zeitraum von mehreren Jahren keinerlei schriftliche Kontakte zwischen Bischof und Priester gab. Als wären beide von der Bildfläche verschwunden. Mit Verlaub, meine Herren. Dies ist mehr als unwahrscheinlich.

3. Wenn die in der Akte ‘freien Ränder“ lt. Meinung von Ackermann/Uzulis nicht „beklebt“ worden sind, frage ich mich also: Warum eigentlich nicht? Über einen Zeitraum von mehreren Jahren, keine Visitationsbesichtigungen mehr? Keinerlei Genehmigungsanfragen auf Urlaub zwischen dem Priester und dem Bischöflichen Stuhl? Keinerlei Anträge mehr auf ein neues Fahrzeug? Merkwürdig. Warum wurde dies alles nicht festgehalten, so wie dies in der Akte in den Jahren zuvor nachlesbar ist? Dass der Priester nicht in einer Art Bermuda-Dreieck verschwand, ist ebenfalls nachweisbar. Denn er war ja hier in seiner Pfarrei präsent und verübte mehrfach sexuellen Missbrauch.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Westfalische Nachrichten

Münster –

Vehement wehrt sich Bischof Dr. Felix Genn gegen den Vorwurf, die Katholische Kirche würde die Aufklärung des Missbrauchsskandals stoppen. Das Gegenteil ist der Fall, betonte der Bischof am Samstagnachmittag während eines Festgottesdienstes in der Überwasserkirche im Rahmen des Neujahrsempfangs des Diözesankomitees der Katholiken im Bistum Münster.

Von Peter Sauer

Ausführlich ging Bischof Genn auf die aktuelle Debatte ein. Die Deutsche Bischofskonferenz hatte die Zusammenarbeit bei der Erforschung von Fällen sexuellen Missbrauchs mit dem Kriminologischen Institut Niedersachsen unter der Leitung von Professor Dr. Christian Pfeiffer beendet. Das Institut hatte den Auftrag, die Taten sexualisierter Gewalt durch Priester, Diakone und männliche Ordensangehörige kriminologisch zu erforschen. Pfeiffer warf den Bischöfen unter anderem “Zensur” vor.

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DEUTSCHLAND
kirkensite – Munster

Bistum. Die Kündigung der Zusammenarbeit der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz mit dem Kriminologen Christian Pfeiffer bei der Erforschung von Fällen sexuellen Missbrauchs in der katholischen Kirche am Mittwoch (09.01.2013) hat erhebliche Irritationen ausgelöst. Zu Beginn der Predigt im Gottesdienst aus Anlass des Neujahrsempfangs des Diözesankomitees der Katholiken im Bistum Münster am Samstag (12.01.2013) gab Bischof Felix Genn dazu folgende Erklärung ab:

Liebe Schwestern und Brüder im Glauben, der jährliche Neujahrsempfang des Diözesankomitees der Katholiken im Bistum Münster ist für mich immer eine willkommene Gelegenheit, allen zu danken, die auf den unterschiedlichen Ebenen in den verschiedenen Verbänden unseres Bistums und nicht zuletzt eben im Diözesankomitee mitarbeiten, um Kirche in unserem Bistum ein Gesicht zu geben. Deshalb nehmen Sie auch immer wieder Anteil an Entwicklungen und Prozessen, die in der Öffentlichkeit mit dem Thema Kirche in Verbindung gebracht werden.

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DEUTSCHLAND
domradio

Opferverband äußert Zweifel am Aufarbeitungswillen

Matthias Katsch im Gespräch mit Philipp Gessler

Nach Beendigung der Zusammenarbeit zwischen der katholischen Kirche und dem Kriminologen Christian Pfeiffer fühlen sich viele, wie auch Matthias Katsch vom Opferverband “Eckiger Tisch”, bestätigt: Der katholischen Kirche liege wenig an einer Aufarbeitung im Missbrauchsskandals.

Philipp Gessler: Da können einem doch Zweifel kommen: In der nun zu Ende gehenden Woche standen die katholischen Bischöfe Deutschlands mal wieder in einem sehr unschönen Licht der Öffentlichkeit. Mit einem Paukenschlag sind sie aus ihrem Vertrag mit dem Kriminologen Christian Pfeiffer ausgestiegen. Der Hannoveraner Wissenschaftler sollte seit 2010 im Auftrag der Kirche mit seinen Fachleuten und mithilfe der Personalakten aus allen 27 deutschen Bistümern die Missbrauchsfälle in der katholischen Kirche erforschen. Darunter auch Fälle, die Jahrzehnte zurückliegen. Doch die riesige Studie kam nie voran. Pfeiffer wirft der Kirche nun vor, sie habe ihn zensieren wollen.

Die Bischofskonferenz behauptet dagegen, mit Pfeiffer könne man einfach nicht zusammenarbeiten. Das Vertrauensverhältnis zu ihm sei zerrüttet. Und sie betont, die Aufklärung gehe weiter, eben nur nicht mit Pfeiffer. Wie denken die Opfer sexuellen Missbrauchs durch katholische Geistliche über das Ende dieser Zusammenarbeit mit dem Hannoveraner Wissenschaftler? Wollen die katholischen Bischöfe überhaupt eine Aufklärung? Darüber habe ich vor der Sendung mit Matthias Katsch vom Opferverband “Eckiger Tisch” gesprochen, einem ehemaligen Opfer von sexueller Gewalt in Berlin, der die Kraft und den Mut hat, für die so lange verdrängten Opfer solcher Verbrechen durch Priesterhand zu kämpfen. Herr Katsch, die katholische Kirche betont, ihr Ausstieg, also der Ausstieg der Kirche aus dem Vertrag mit dem kriminologischen Institut von Professor Pfeiffer zur Aufklärung des Missbrauchsskandals liege vor allem an diesem Kriminologen selbst. Nehmen Sie der Kirche dies ab?

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DEUTSCHLAND
SWR

Der Missbrauchsbeauftragte der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz, Stephan Ackermann, lässt offen, ob alle Bistümer eine Fortsetzung der Missbrauchsstudie mittragen werden. Auch bei einzelnen Absagen “stünde die Studie immer noch auf einer empirisch belastbaren Basis”, sagte er der Tageszeitung “Welt”.

Der Trierer Bischof verwies auf eine vergleichbare Studie zu sexuellem Missbrauch durch Geistliche in den USA. “Da haben sich auch nicht alle Bistümer beteiligt. Das hat aber der Repräsentativität keinen Abbruch getan”, sagte er laut Zeitungsbericht. Er wies Vorwürfe zurück, die Bischöfe würden die Aufklärung von sexuellem Missbrauch behindern. “Unsere ehrlichen Aufklärungsbemühungen werden leider zu wenig gesehen.”

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DEUTSCHLAND
Die Welt

Berlin (dapd). Der Missbrauchsbeauftragte der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz, der Trierer Bischof Stephan Ackermann, lässt offen, ob alle Bistümer eine Fortsetzung der Missbrauchsstudie mittragen werden. “Ich möchte mich an Voraussagen nicht beteiligen”, sagte Ackermann der Zeitung “Die Welt” (Samstagausgabe) laut Vorabbericht. “Aber selbst wenn der eine oder andere Bischof absagen sollte, stünde die Studie immer noch auf einer empirisch belastbaren Basis.”

Das Kriminologische Forschungsinstitut Niedersachsen sollte die sexuellen Missbrauchsfälle in der Kirche wissenschaftlich bewerten. Institutsleiter Christian Pfeiffer warf insbesondere dem Erzbistum München vor, es habe seine Arbeit kontrollieren wollen. Die Bischofskonferenz beendete daraufhin die Zusammenarbeit.

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AUSTRALIA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

[terms of reference – Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse]

Posted by Nicky Davis on January 11, 2013

We applaud the prime minister for establishing this inquiry and setting the terms of reference.

It’s crucial that current and former employees be questioned under oath as to how much church officials have known and how little they have done to protect the children. The commission must be aggressive in finding and questioning these officials, even if they have retired or moved elsewhere or claim special privileges or protections of some sort.

It’s also crucial that no one get complacent now. It will be tempting for many concerned individuals to sit back and convince themselves that they’re “off the hook” and that the commission will “fix” everything. Nothing could be further from the truth.

One reason tens of thousands of Australian kids have been sexually assaulted is because of naïve beliefs like this. No adult can ever be passive about children’s safety. No adult can ever assume “Someone else will expose this predator,” “report these troubling behaviors,” or “call police.”

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AUSTRALIA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests]

[terms of reference – Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse]

Posted by Mark Fabbro on January 11, 2013

Survivors who were concerned about the potential for Commissioners having a conflict of interest or lack of impartiality can be reassured that the large contingent of commissioners chosen appears to be as appropriate as possible for the purpose of getting to the truth.

The delay in the formal release of the Terms of Reference is a minor concern. We keep our fingers crossed that there is adequate powers to subpoena documents and compel witnesses to attend hearings where there is evidence of systemic cover-up by institutions.

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AUSTRALIA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by Sylvia Blayse on January 11, 2013

What matters most are not the professional backgrounds of the individuals chosen for this role. What matters most is their courage. Time and time again, we’ve seen people with impressive credentials “tread lightly” when investigating powerful institutions and their officials.

Regardless of this commission’s role and members, we urge anyone who has seen, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in institutions to report first to local law enforcement. That’s the best and quickest way to safeguard kids. These are crimes and should be treated as crimes.

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BELGIEN
OstBelgien

Der Lütticher Bischof Aloys Jousten rechnet damit, dass in diesem Jahr 2013 ein Nachfolger für ihn gefunden wird und dieser zumindest passive Kenntnisse der deutschen Sprache haben muss. In einem Interview ging der 75-Jährige auch auf die 2012 bekannt gewordenen Fälle von Missbrauch in der katholischen Kirche ein. “Ein Tsunami”, so Aloys Jousten.

Mit dem Erreichen des 75. Lebensjahres hat Jousten sein Bischofsamt zur Verfügung gestellt. “Der Papst hat mich gebeten, vorerst weiterzumachen, und das tue ich gerne”, sagte er dem Grenz-Echo in einem Interview. Auf die Frage, wie lange er gedenke, das Amt weiter auszuüben, betonte der Bischof: “Ich gehe davon aus, dass ein Nachfolger in diesem Jahr gefunden wird.” Einige Zeilen später präzisierte er dazu: “Deutsch wird sicher eine Grundbedingung bei der Bezeichnung sein. Wer die Sprache nicht zumindest passiv beherrscht und keine Lust hat, Deutsch zu lernen, kommt nicht in Frage.”

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DEUTSCHLAND
SPD

Anlässlich des vorläufigen Stopps der Studie, zum sexuellen Missbrauch in der katholischen Kirche erklären die stellvertretende Vorsitzende der SPD-Bundestagsfraktion Dagmar Ziegler und die familienpolitische Sprecherin Caren Marks:

Es ist bedauerlich, dass das Forschungsvorhaben zum sexuellen Missbrauch in der katholischen Kirche vorerst gestoppt ist. Für Betroffene ist dies ein schlechtes Signal.

Die Bundesregierung muss so schnell wie möglich dafür sorgen, dass die Aufklärung von Missbrauchsfällen vorangebracht wird. Der Abschlussbericht des Runden Tischs „Sexueller Kindesmissbrauch“ liegt bereits seit Ende 2011 vor und seitdem kommt die Umsetzung nur schleppend voran.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Augsburger Allgemeine

Zwei Tage, nachdem die Bischöfe ihre Studie zum sexuellen Missbrauch in der katholischen Kirche auf Eis legen, erklärt das Kloster Ettal, seine Studie bald zu veröffentlichen.

Im Gegensatz zu den deutschen Bischöfen will die Benediktinerabtei Ettal ihre Studie zur Aufarbeitung des Missbrauchsskandals hinter Klostermauern schon bald vorstellen. Das Papier stehe kurz vor seiner Veröffentlichung, teilten Kloster, Verein der Ettaler Misshandlungs- und Missbrauchsopfer sowie das Institut für Praxisforschung und Projektberatung (IPP) am Freitag in einer gemeinsamen Erklärung mit. Unterdessen wies der Münchner Kardinal Reinhard Marx den Zensurvorwurf um die gestoppte Studie zum sexuellen Missbrauch in der katholischen Kirche zurück.

Vor allem im Internat des Benediktinerklosters Ettal (Landkreis Garmisch-Partenkirchen) waren Schüler jahrzehntelang von Ordensgeistlichen missbraucht und körperlich sowie seelisch misshandelt worden. Vor zwei Jahren wurden die Fälle bekannt.

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MILWAUKEE (WI)
SNAP Wisconsin

Milwaukee Federal Judge rules against Dolan’s “cemetary scheme” to hide 55 million from sex abuse victims

Statement by Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director
CONTACT: 414.429.7259

Before the Milwaukee Archdiocese filed for Federal Bankruptcy two years ago, former Archbishop Timothy Dolan, now Cardinal Archbishop of New York, moved tens of millions of dollars into a newly invented, unnecessary, and sham “cemetery trust” so that church officials could later claim that they did not have the resources to provide restitution and aid to victims of clerical child molesters.

On Friday, Federal Judge Susan V. Kelley ruled that the archdiocese could not hide these assets from the 570 victims of childhood sex crimes who have filed cases in bankruptcy court.

When Dolan’s creative accounting was discovered and challenged by the court appointed Creditors Committee, he publically scoffed and dismissed charges that he had hid money or that he would ever be engaged in shady and questionable financial practices.

Then it was learned through documents filed in court that Dolan had taken Milwaukee church money to pay pedophile priests a “signing bonus” to quietly leave the priesthood and disappear into unsuspecting communities, including finding new employment working directly with children.

Friday’s ruling in Milwaukee, especially It’s dismissal of the argument that the court examining anything church officials do is some kind of attack on religious freedom, is a major defeat for Dolan. And it sends a message to the new cadre of bishops Dolan leads that they cannot wield social, financial and political power without embracing and exercising public transparency, corporate responsibility, and good citizenship–particularly when it concerns the fundamental duty of all social institutions to protect children.

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INDIA
Express India

Express news service
Posted: Jan 12, 2013

To strengthen the case against a 70-year-old priest arrested for allegedly molesting and filming a 13-year-old girl from Shivaji Nagar, Mumbai Police will record her statement in the presence of NGOs that work with victims of sexual abuse.

Niyad Ansari was arrested Thursday for allegedly making a compromising video of the girl who takes Arabic lessons at the dargah in Shivaji Nagar where he serves. The priest allegedly blackmailed the girl into submission threatening to make the clip public.

The matter came to light after Ansari lost his phone and another man living in the area found it. He showed the clip to the father of the girl, who approached police.

Sources said police want to handle the case sensitively and also ensure the victim does not change statement or withdraw out of shame or intimidation.

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ILLINOIS
Quincy Herald-Whig

By THE HERALD-WHIG STAFF

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. –A Catholic priest who served two different periods in Quincy is now on leave, according to the Diocese of Springfield, after a late November incident.

The CatholicWorldReport.com website reports the Rev. Tom Donovan, pastor of St. Aloysius Church in Springfield, is on leave after he dialed 911 asking for help getting out of handcuffs – a call that has been replayed across the internet almost 100,000 times in recent days.

Police said the priest was wearing an orange jumpsuit and a mask with a gag in his mouth, NBC affiliate KSDK of St. Louis reported.

Diocesan spokeswoman Kathie Sass told CWR that Donovan approached Bishop Thomas Paprocki about the incident before Christmas and before it attracted media attention.

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UNITED KINGDOM
Cornish Guardian

FURIOUS friends of a missing retired priest from Padstow have condemned those spreading rumours that his disappearance was connected to a police investigation into child abuse.

The Reverend Barry Kinsmen is believed to have taken his own life on New Year’s Eve; a note was found in his blue Ford Ka, which was abandoned at Porthmissen. His body has yet to be found.

There has been gossip in Padstow and elsewhere that Mr Kinsmen was interviewed by the police on Christmas Eve over child abuse allegations dating back 20 years.

However, police have confirmed there was no current investigation under way and Mr Kinsmen, 72, had not been interviewed on Christmas Eve or at any time last year.

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AUSTRALIA
Brisbane Times

January 13, 2013

Mark Russell and Jared Lynch

This country mansion seemingly offered an idyllic setting to educate Catholic boys, but behind closed doors, Rupertswood was anything but peaceful.

AT THE end of a winding road overlooking Sunbury is Rupertswood, an ornate 1874 mansion that today serves as a boutique hotel. But the grand residence, where butlers and doormen wait on guests paying up to $500 a night, was for decades a house of horror.

It is alleged that from 1960 to 1990, when Rupertswood was a Catholic boarding and day school, Salesian brothers, including two former school principals and a boarding master, routinely abused boys in their care.

Over the past decade, four brothers have been convicted separately of multiple counts of indecent assault, while another will face trial in August. Two other alleged offenders have left the country.

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MARYLAND
Washington Post

By Matt Zapotosky

A former girls soccer coach at a Largo-area private school was convicted of five counts of child sexual abuse in connection with contact he had with a 16-year-old student, authorities said Friday.

Charles Vasser, 35, of Seat Pleasant, faces more than 100 years in prison at his Feb. 8 sentencing, and will have to register as a sex offender, authorities said. The former coach at Riverdale Baptist School was accused of having sexual contact with a 16-year-old from October 2008 through July 2009, authorities said. The 16-year-old, they said, was a student at the school and played on the soccer team.

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MARYLAND
WUSA

LANDOVER, Md. (WUSA) — A former soccer coach was found guilty on five counts of child sex abuse in Prince George’s County on Friday, the State’s Attorney said in a news release.

Charles Vasser, 35, of Seat Pleasant, faces 100 years in prison for sexually abusing a 15-year-old player on the soccer team he coached, at Riverdale Baptist School in Landover.

“From October 2008 through July of 2009, Vassar had an array of sexual contacts with the victim, who was 15 years old at the time the incidents started. Vasser’s criminal sexual acts against the victim included sexual intercourse; digital penetration and kissing,” officials said in a news release.

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MARYLAND
Patch

By Ryan McDermott

A former Riverdale Baptist School soccer coach is facing 100 years in prison after he was found guilty of five counts of child sex abuse Friday, according to Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.

Charles Vasser was convicted of sexually abusing an underage student athlete at the Upper Marlboro school while he was the coach of the girls’ soccer team. The victim was a member of the soccer team, according to Alsobrooks.

From Oct. 2008 through July 2009, Vassar had sexual contact with the victim, who was 15 years old at the time the incidents started, according to Alsobrooks. The sexual acts against the victim included “sexual intercourse, digital penetration and kissing,” officials said in a release.

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MILWAUKEE (WI)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

By Annysa Johnson of the Journal Sentinel

Taking funds the Archdiocese of Milwaukee set aside for cemetery operations to help settle its bankruptcy debts would not hinder its free exercise of religion under the First Amendment and a 1993 federal law aimed at protecting religious freedom, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Susan V. Kelley said in a hearing Friday.

Kelley’s opinion, which is expected to be filed early next week, is a victory for sex-abuse victims and other creditors working to expand the archdiocese’s bankruptcy estate – the pool of money used to fund settlements and the church’s reorganization.

But it could be short-lived.

Lawyers for the creditors committee and the archdiocese’s cemetery trust have agreed to seek a separate decision from the U.S. District Court in a procedural move that reduces Kelley’s findings from a final order to essentially recommendations – a development that appeared to blindside and anger the judge.

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DUITSLAND
RKnieuws

BERLIJN (RKnieuws.net) – Het geplande wetenschappelijk onderzoek naar seksueel misbruik in de Rooms-Katholieke Kerk in Duitsland gaat voorlopig niet door. De Duitse bisschoppenconferentie had in 2011 een onderzoeksopdracht gegeven aan het Criminologische Onderzoeksinstituut Nedersaksen.

De bisschoppen hebben officieel laten weten dat er gebrek aan vertrouwen is. Het instituut heeft gezegd dat de kerkleiding eist dat de uitkomst van het onderzoek naar seksueel misbruik eerst aan de kerk wordt voorgelegd. Dat weigeren de onderzoekers.

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DUITSLAND
Reformatorisch Dagblad

HANNOVER/TRIER (ANP/DPA) – Het Criminologisch Onderzoeksinstituut Nedersaksen begint een eigen onderzoek naar seksueel misbruik in de Duitse Rooms-Katholieke Kerk. Dat heeft directeur Christian Pfeiffer woensdag gezegd, nadat de Duitse bisschoppen de samenwerking met de instelling hadden opgezegd.

Pfeiffer roept alle slachtoffers van misbruik op met zijn instituut contact op te nemen. De bisschoppen gaven in 2011 het instituut de opdracht voor een wetenschappelijk onderzoek, maar volgens bisschop Stephan Ackermann van Trier, binnen de bisschoppenconferentie belast met misbruikzaken, is er geen enkel vertrouwen meer tussen de kerkleiding en Pfeiffer. Hij gaf geen details.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

[terms of reference – Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse]

A Hunter Valley clergy abuse victim has applauded the Federal Government for taking victims into account as it compiled the terms of reference for its Royal Commission.

The probe was partly prompted by child sex cover up claims made by Hunter Valley Detective Peter Fox.

The main focus will be to investigate systemic failures within church and state-run institutions in preventing and dealing with child abuse.

The terms of reference specifically ask the Commissioners to consider what action governments and institutions should take to help victims.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

[with video]

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has hosted a morning tea for victims of child sexual abuse, a day after announcing the terms of reference for the royal commission into the issue.

Victims and their advocates were invited to Sydney’s Kirribilli House to share their stories, and the small group that gathered on the lawn this morning did just that.

They also thanked Ms Gillard for allowing their voices to be heard.

“Upmost gratification. Gratitude to the Prime Minister,” said Pamella Vernon, who attended the event.

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AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

January 12, 2013

Christine Sams

A day after announcing details about the most extensive royal commission in Australian history, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has thanked advocates against child sexual abuse for years of tireless campaigning.

The Prime Minister hosted a morning tea at Kirribilli House on Saturday and comforted some overwhelmed guests who had themselves been affected by abuse.

She said she wanted to show victims the community silence surrounding child sexual abuse is over.

“I know there a lot of people here, as individuals and as representatives of their groups who probably thought they would never see this day,” Prime Minister Gillard said. “I’m really aware that I’m looking out at a group of people who over years, indeed decades, have fought for justice for people who were abused as children. I know that people here have raised their voices time after time after time to say that our nation has to face up to the consequences of what happened, we have to shine a light on it. It’s going to be painful, it’s going to be hard but we’ve got to do that so that we can learn for the future.”

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AUSTRALIA
NEWS.com.au

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has cautioned victims of child sexual abuse of traumatic times ahead as the royal commission starts its inquiries but stressed that it should eventually bring healing.

Around 30 people gathered at Kirribilli House in Sydney for a morning tea hosted by the Prime Minister a day after the commission’s term of reference were announced.

“Establishing the royal commission is the start of something really big, really emotional, really hard,” Ms Gillard said.

“A lot of people are going to need a lot of support as we go through that process. I can’t promise that these are easy days ahead. I suspect that there are some very traumatic days ahead as people come and tell what happened to them.”

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

THERE are traumatic times ahead for child sexual abuse victims as the royal commission swings into action, Prime Minister Julia Gillard warned.

But eventually, the inquiry’s recommendations will hopefully bring healing to the Australian nation, Ms Gillard told child sex abuse survivors today.

A day after she announced the appointments to the royal commission into child sexual abuse in institutions, Ms Gillard met with about 30 child sexual abuse survivors and advocates at Kirribilli House in Sydney.

“Yesterday’s announcement is a tribute to you for having sustained that campaign after many, many long years,” Ms Gillard told them. “I can’t promise you there are easy days ahead … I suspect there are some very traumatic days ahead as people come and tell what happened to them, many of them for the very first time.”

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AUSTRALIA
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth:

TO

The Honourable Justice Peter David McClellan AM,
Mr Robert Atkinson,
The Honourable Justice Jennifer Ann Coate,
Mr Robert William Fitzgerald AM,
Dr Helen Mary Milroy, and
Mr Andrew James Marshall Murray

GREETING

WHEREAS all children deserve a safe and happy childhood.

AND Australia has undertaken international obligations to take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect children from sexual abuse and other forms of abuse, including measures for the prevention, identification, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment and follow up of incidents of child abuse.

AND all forms of child sexual abuse are a gross violation of a child’s right to this protection and a crime under Australian law and may be accompanied by other unlawful or improper treatment of children, including physical assault, exploitation, deprivation and neglect.

AND child sexual abuse and other related unlawful or improper treatment of children have a long-term cost to individuals, the economy and society.

AND public and private institutions, including child-care, cultural, educational, religious, sporting and other institutions, provide important services and support for children and their families that are beneficial to children’s development.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

[with audio]

[terms of reference – Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse]

by Timothy McDonald

A group representing people who were abused while in care has criticised the Federal Government’s decision to limit the terms of reference for the Royal Commission to cover only cases of sexual abuse.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s announcement of the terms of reference for the royal commission into child sexual abuse has been widely embraced by advocacy groups.

The commission will have the power to set up a special investigations unit which can provide evidence to police, and it will also recommend law changes and consider compensation.

But the Care Leavers of Australia Network (CLAN) says it is a mistake to limit the inquiry’s investigation to the sexual abuse of children, when many other forms of abuse have also been common.

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NAPLES (FL)
Naples Daily News

Sister Simone Campbell, nationally known as the “nun on the bus,” will be one of the speakers in a series on nuns in the Roman Catholic Church sponsored by Voice of the Faithful of Southwest Florida.

Under its 2013 theme, “It’s All About the Nuns,” the group is bringing in a Cleveland priest whose sermon on the role of nuns in today’s world went viral on the Internet. Also attending will be a former religion correspondent for the New York times whose book, “Double Crossed: Uncovering the Catholic Church’s Betrayal of American Nuns” was published in 2006.

The series will be on consecutive Thursdays and are free. Speakers, who will appear at Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church at 7 p.m. on their dates, are as follows:

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IRELAND
Build

Labour TD for Dublin Bay North, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has stated that the Catholic Church cannot credibly say that it has sympathy and compassion for those pregnant as a result of rape, while it still has not paid the state the €380 million it owes to help compensate victims of child rape, sexual assault and physical abuse.

He said: “At the Oireachtas Health Committee hearings into the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in the ABC case, Bishop Christopher Jones and Fr Tim Barlett both stated that in the case of a pregnancy caused through rape, agents of the Church would first and foremost show the utmost compassion for those who find themselves in that tragic situation. Bishop Jones also stated that rapists should be brought to justice.

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OHIO
The Chronicle-Telegram

Filed by Brad Dicken January 11th, 2013

ELYRIA — A former church youth leader is set to go on trial later this month on allegations he lured 11- and 12-year-old boys from his Cleveland church to his North Ridgeville home and sexually abused them.

Jeremy Pettry, who now is an ordained minister, has been incarcerated in the Lorain County Jail since October and faces two counts of rape and six counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

North Ridgeville police Detective Randall Young said the 32-year-old Pettry was a youth leader at the Pearlbrook Church of God in Cleveland and would invite boys he taught to stay over at his home on Saturday nights to watch movies and play video games before they went to church Sunday mornings.

While the victims were at Pettry’s house he would allegedly engage in sexual conduct with them, Young said.

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OHIO
The Plain Dealer

By Bruce Geiselman, Sun News
on January 11, 2013

NORTH RIDGEVILLE – A former church instructor is accused of sexual abuse involving young boys.

A Lorain County grand jury indicted Jeremy A. Pettry, 32, on two counts of rape and six counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. The charges are outlined in an indictment filed in Lorain County Common Pleas Court. The indictment was returned in December.

It states the alleged offenses took place between July 2004 and September 2008. It does not specify the number of victims.

North Ridgeville police Detective Randall Young said he could not release many details.

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CANADA
Legal Examiner

Posted by John McKiggan
January 11, 2013

Last week the Archdiocese of Moncton announced that two New Brunswick priests have been suspended indefinitely: “from any ministry whatsoever following allegations of serious sexual abuse on minors on their part.”

The priests, Rev. Yvon Arsenault (70) and Irois Despres (82) were both retired but the official suspension prevents them from performing any priestly duties.

While the two priests have been suspended, they have not yet been removed as priests. The decision came as a result of some information that was provided to the Archdiocese by retired Supreme Court of Canada Judge Michel Bastarache.

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CANADA
The Chronicle-Herald

By FRANK CAMPBELL

Sister Nuala Kenny is the heal deal.

Involved in the healing business for more than 40 years, Kenny’s biggest therapeutic challenge has come in her quest over the past two decades to help diagnose and treat the clergy sexual abuse crisis in her beloved Catholic Church.

“I’ve dealt with dying children my whole life,” says the pediatrician and ethicist.

“I’ve dealt with cancer-care children my whole life. Nothing takes the stuffing out of me like doing this stuff, because it’s the church.”

Kenny has had to replenish much of that stuffing during an extensive quarter-century of clerical abuse work that has taken her from an archdiocesan inquiry in St. John’s, N.L., in the late 1980s to numerous public lectures, including a conference at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax last month, and a recently published book, Healing the Church.

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OMAHA (NE)
World-Herald

By Christopher Burbach
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

The Vatican has sent a priest sex abuse allegation case back to the Archdiocese of Omaha for resolution, the archdiocese said Friday.

The case involves the Rev. Alfred J. Salanitro of Omaha, whom a man accused in December 2011 of having abused him in the early 1990s, when the man was a boy. Salanitro has denied the allegations. He has been on paid leave for more than a year, and remains barred from public ministry while the matter is pending.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican entity with jurisdiction in resolving allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clerics, has told Omaha Archbishop George Lucas to resolve the case administratively.

Vatican officials told Lucas to use an “administrative penal process.” That involves sending the testimony in the archdiocese’s initial investigation to two canon lawyers outside the Omaha Archdiocese. Those lawyers will assist Lucas in determining Salanitro’s innocence or guilt.

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ALABAMA
North Jefferson Nes

By Robert Carter North Jefferson News

GARDENDALE — The Rev. Dr. Terry Greer is charged with one count of murder and another count of attempted murder, as a result of the shooting Thursday afternoon that left Greer’s wife Lisa dead, and his daughter Suzanna injured from gunshot wounds.

Greer remains in UAB Hospital Friday afternoon, but his condition has been upgraded from critical to stable, according to Gardendale Police Chief Mike Walker.

Walker held a press conference at the Public Safety Center Friday afternoon to give updates on the case, as well as release some details of the incident, which took place at the parsonage of Gardendale-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church. The parsonage is located on Country Meadow Drive in Mt. Olive, near the Mt. Olive Road exit on Interstate 65.

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ALABAMA
KLTV

[with video]

By Melynda Sides

GARDENDALE, AL (WBRC) –
A pastor’s wife who was in critical condition after a shooting and stabbing at her Gardendale home has died, according to an Associated Press report.

The Jefferson County coroner’s office confirmed that Lisa Greer died at 12:38 a.m. Friday, Jan. 11. The AP says she was married to Rev. Terry Greer, the senior pastor at Gardendale-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church.

Rev. Greer’s bio on the church’s website says he was married to the former Lisa Eidson of Scottsboro, and the couple have a daughter named Suzanna Faith Greer.

Officials have not released many details, but said that two females were shot inside a home on Country Meadow Drive in Gardendale on Thursday, Jan. 10. One female was critically injured and another was in stable condition after the shooting. Authorities said the male suspect in the case was stabbed and in critical condition. According to the AP, the man and woman are still in the hospital.

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ALABAMA
Houston Chronicle

By JAY REEVES, Associated Press | January 11, 2013

GARDENDALE, Ala. (AP) — A prominent Alabama pastor fatally shot his wife and wounded their 18-year-old daughter in their church-owned home before grabbing a kitchen knife and trying to stab himself to death, police said Friday.

The Rev. Terry Greer, 54, is being charged with murder in the slaying of 52-year-old Lisa Greer and attempted murder in the wounding of Suzanna Greer, a University of South Alabama student, according to police in Gardendale, a suburb about 10 miles north of Birmingham.

Greer is senior pastor at Gardendale-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church near Birmingham. Prominent in Methodist circles in the area, he leads a church with an average Sunday attendance of about 670.

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DEUTSCHLAND
MissBiT

Wurden nun im Bistum Trier seit Bekanntwerden der Missbrauchsfälle im März 2010 Akten vernichtet?

“Für den angefragten Zeitraum kann für das Bistum Trier klar garantiert werden, dass Inhalte der Personalakten nicht vernichtet worden sind”, sagt der Bistumssprecher.

weiter in dem Artikel heißt es jedoch:

Laut André Uzulis, Sprecher des Bistums Trier, müssen Dokumente über Missbrauchsfälle nicht unweigerlich in der Personalakte des Priesters stehen. Diesbezügliche Unterlagen könnten vielmehr Bestandteil eines Archivs im Generalvikariat sein, zu dem nur eine sehr begrenzte, vom Bischof festgelegte Personengruppe Zugang hat, sagte Uzulis.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Volksfreund

Nach dem Aus für die Missbrauchsstudie des Kriminologischen Forschungsinstituts Niedersachsen wirft dessen Leiter, Kriminologe Christian Pfeiffer, der katholischen Kirche die Vernichtung von Akten vor. Auch Opfer aus dem Bistum Trier vermuten, dass Akten manipuliert worden sein könnten. Das Bistum garantiert die Vollständigkeit der Dokumente.

Trier. Der überraschende Stopp der Missbrauchsstudie durch die katholische Kirche erzeugt heftige Nachwehen: Studien-Leiter Christian Pfeiffer, der Direktor des Kriminologischen Forschungsinstituts Niedersachsen (KFN), äußerte Zensurvorwürfe und vermutet Aktenvernichtung. Damit steht der KFN-Chef nicht alleine da. Auch Missbrauchsopfer aus dem Bistum Trier vermuten Manipulation.

Claudia Adams, Opfer und Bloggerin (www.missbrauch-im-bistum-trier.blogspot.de) hatte 2011 einen Antrag auf Einsicht in die Personalakte ihres Peinigers gestellt. Im Trierer Bistumsarchiv studierte sie Wort für Wort. “Am Ende fehlten sieben Seiten”, sagt Adams. Das schloss sie aus daumenbreiten Seitenresten. Auch fand sie keine Eintragungen für den Zeitraum von 1975 bis 1979 – die Zeit, in der sie als Kindergartenkind von dem Priester mehrfach missbraucht worden war.

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OMAHA (NE)
NECN

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha says it’s taking the next steps in an investigation into child sex abuse allegations against a Bellevue priest.

Omaha television station KETV reports (http://bit.ly/WJYLzr) that two canon lawyers will help Archbishop George Lucas determine whether the complaint against 53-year-old Alfred Salanitro is valid. …

On Friday, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests blasted the Omaha archbishop, saying Catholic officials should not “drag their feet in child sex abuse cases.”

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DEUTSCHLAND
ZVW

Markus Brauer, vom 11.01.2013

Stuttgart/Hannover – Der Direktor des Kriminologischen Forschungsinstituts Niedersachsen (KFN), Christian Pfeiffer, ist um Entspannung im Streit mit der Katholischen Kirche bemüht. Er will das Forschungsvorhaben zum sexuellen Missbrauch fortführen und hofft dabei auf die breite Zusammenarbeit mit Opferverbänden, der Politik – und den katholischen Bischöfen.

Herr Pfeifer, Sie wollen nach der Kündigung des Vertrages durch die Kirche in Eigenregie eine Missbrauchsstudie erstellen. Wie ist der Stand der Dinge?
Wir haben schon sehr viele Rückmeldungen von Opfern sexuellen Missbrauchs. Es ist erfreulich, wie viele sich melden. Ich habe sie noch gar nicht zählen können. Wenn der Medienrummel vorbei ist, werden sie in aller Ruhe wahrgenommen. Aber im Augenblick ist es für die Opfer wahnsinnig schwer zu uns durchzudringen.

In den letzten Tagen haben sich wahrscheinlich vermehrt Betroffene gemeldet.
Ja natürlich. Das ist ganz klar. Ich warte jetzt aber erst einmal ab, ob es zu einer großen Lösung kommt und ob die Politik eingreift und die Katholische Kirche dazu motiviert, eine Kommission zu bilden. Dann wäre die Sache klar, dass wir alle Opfer, die sich bei uns melden, bitten werden mit dieser Kommission zusammenzuarbeiten. Wir würden alle un-sere Erkenntnisse dorthin liefern.

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OMAHA (NE)
KETV

The Archdiocese of Omaha says two canon lawyers will help Archbishop George Lucas determine whether a priest is guilty of sexually abusing a minor.

The archbishop received a complaint in December 2011 that Alfred J. Salanitro, 53, sexually abused a minor between 1991 and 1994.

While Salanitro denied the accusation, the archdiocese said that Lucas found the complaint “carried with it semblance of truth.”

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OMAHA (NE)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by Barbara Dorris on January 11, 2013

It’s irresponsible for Catholic officials to drag their feet in child sex abuse cases like this. It hurts victims, endangers kids, confuses parishioners and thwarts law enforcement.

Archbishop Lucas knows the right thing to do. He should shove aside his defense lawyers and public relations team. He should leave the comfort of his office and personally go to each parish where Fr. Salanitro worked. And he should beg anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered misdeeds by the priest to contact law enforcement immediately.

Beyond that, Lucas and his brother bishops across the world should insist that the Vatican speed up these cases so that dangerous child molesting clerics can be kept away from kids. He should also transfer Fr. Salanitro to a remote, secure, independently-run treatment center so that he will get help and have no access to kids.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Sueddeutsche

Der Streit über das Forschungsprojekt zu Missbrauch in der katholischen Kirche eskaliert immer mehr – und könnte demnächst vor Gericht weitergeführt werden. Der Chef des Kriminologischen Forschungsinstitutes Niedersachsen, Christian Pfeiffer, spricht von “Zensurwünschen” der Kirche. Deren Anwalt wiederum wirft Pfeiffer vor, mit forschen Briefwechseln das Verhältnis zerrüttet zu haben.

Von Roland Preuß und Matthias Drobinski

Christian Pfeiffer spricht heute von einem “tragischen Missverständnis”. Die katholische Kirche habe geglaubt, sich einer wissenschaftlichen Aufarbeitung ihrer Missbrauchsfälle stellen zu können – und dennoch die Kontrolle zu behalten. Der Direktor des Kriminologischen Forschungsinstituts Niedersachsen (KFN) spricht deshalb von “Zensurwünschen”, an denen das gemeinsame Forschungsprojekt gescheitert sei. Der Streit wird nun voraussichtlich vor Gericht ausgetragen werden. Die Bischofskonferenz ließ ihm eine Unterlassungserklärung zukommen, in der Pfeiffer zusichern soll, den Vorwurf der Zensur nicht zu wiederholen. “Die werden wir natürlich nicht unterzeichnen”, sagt Pfeiffer.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Stern

Im Streit um eine Studie zu kirchlichem Kindesmissbrauch hat der Hannoveraner Kriminologe Christian Pfeiffer die Einbindung des Missbrauchsbeauftragten der Bundesregierung angeregt. Eine Kommission unter Vorsitz des Beauftragten Johannes-Wilhelm Rörig und unter Beteiligung von Kirchenvertretern könne die Aufklärung übernehmen, schlug Pfeiffer in den “Stuttgarter Nachrichten” vor. “Ich warte jetzt erst einmal ab, ob es zu einer großen Lösung kommt und ob die Politik eingreift und die Katholische Kirche dazu motiviert, eine Kommission zu bilden.” Rörig sagte der Zeitung, Pfeiffer habe mit ihm keinen Kontakt aufgenommen, um seine Idee zu besprechen. Für ihn sei es noch zu früh, um über einen solchen Vorstoß nachzudenken.

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OMAHA (NE)
WOWT

The Archdiocese of Omaha announced Friday it is beginning the next step of an investigation into an Omaha priest, accused of sexually abusing minors.

The complaint was brought against Rev. Alfred Salanitro about one year ago.

According to Deacon Timothy McNeil, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Omaha, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) reviewed the findings of the archdiocese’s investigation, and advised Archbishop George Lucas to resolve the matter through an administrative process.

That process consists of two canon lawyers who live outside of the Archdiocese of Omaha, and will assist Lucas in determining Rev. Salanitro’s innocence or guilt.

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NEDERLAND
Dagblad De Limburger

De commissie Deetman komt waarschijnlijk in februari met het rapport over kerkelijk misbruik en mishandeling bij vrouwen. Tot nu toe is er nog maar weinig aandacht geweest voor de misstanden in vrouwenkloosters. In de Limburgse kranten van zaterdag komt Annemiek Knibbe aan het woord.

Venray
Van onze verslaggever

Zij is deskundige van het Vrouwenplatform Kerkelijk Kindermisbruik (VPKK) en is blij met het rapport dat eraan zit te komen: “Het is goed dat er zoveel aandacht is voor kerkelijk misbruik bij jongens, maar de meisjes moeten niet vergeten worden.” Knibbe zat zelf als klein meisje bij de zusters Ursulinen in Venray.

In het voorjaar van 2012 kondigde Wim Deetman aan met een tweede onderzoek naar misbruik in de rooms-katholieke kerk te komen. In dit nieuwe onderzoek staat het leed van vrouwen centraal die ooit als minderjarige zijn misbruikt. Het onderzoek concentreert zich niet alleen op seksueel misbruik, zoals Deetman eerder deed, maar ook op lichamelijke en geestelijke mishandeling van de meisjes. Afgelopen voorjaar, nadat Deetman zijn eerste rapport had gepresenteerd, vroeg de Tweede Kamer om een vervolgonderzoek. Volgens de Kamer en groepen slachtoffers bleven vrouwen in het eerste rapport van Wim Deetman onderbelicht.

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NORTHERN IRELAND
BBC News

A former priest who sexually abused more than a dozen boys over a 16-year period has secured a reduced jail sentence for one set of assaults.

The Court of Appeal ruled that Daniel Curran’s jail term for attacks on two victims should be cut from four to three years.

Based on the 62-year-old’s guilty pleas, remorse, and the consequences of multiple sentencing exercises, the penalty imposed was held to be excessive.

Curran, of Bryansford Road, Newcastle, was jailed at Downpatrick Crown Court in February 2012 on five counts of indecent assault.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Augsburger Allgemeine

Die Studie zu Missbrauchfällen in der Katholischen Kirche scheiterte. Der Verantwortlich für die Studie, Christian Pfeiffer, sprach mit der Augsburger Allgemeinen über die Gründe.

Von Michael Pohl

Der niedersächsische Kriminologe Christian Pfeiffer erklärt im Interview, wie es zum Scheitern der Missbrauchsstudie kam, die sein Institut im Auftrag der katholischen Bistümer erstellen sollte, und warum er trotz juristischer Drohungen im Streit mit den Bischöfen hart bleiben will.

Gab es einen unmittelbaren Auslöser für das Scheitern der Studie?

Pfeiffer: Das Scheitern hat eine Geschichte von mehr als zwölf Monaten. Wir hatten eine sehr gute Startphase und einen guten Vertrag mit der Kirche ausgehandelt. Pater Hans Langendörfer und Bischof Stephan Ackermann hatten das Projekt beim Start mit sehr großem Engagement unterstützt. Bis dann im Herbst 2011 aus der Erzdiözese München-Freising Widerstände erkennbar wurden. Generalvikar Peter Beer hat mehr Kontrollrechte für die Kirche gefordert, die es ihr ermöglichen würden, gegebenenfalls auch Veröffentlichungen unseres Instituts zu verbieten.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Berliner Zeitung

Von Florian Leclerc

Als Christian Pfeiffer die Zensurwünsche der katholischen Kirche anprangerte, meinte er damit das von Kardinal Marx geleitete Erzbistum München und Freising. Der Angegriffene holt zum Gegenschlag aus.

Der Erzbischof von München und Freising, Kardinal Reinhard Marx, hat den Zensurvorwurf um die gestoppte Studie zu Missbrauchsfällen in der katholischen Kirche zurückgewiesen. “Von Zensur kann überhaupt nicht die Rede sein”, sagte Marx dem Bayerischen Rundfunk.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Die Welt

Hannover/Berlin (dapd-bay). Im Streit über die Aufklärung der Missbrauchsfälle in der katholischen Kirche verschärft der Kriminologe Christian Pfeiffer den Angriffe auf das Erzbistum München und Freising. Der dortige Generalvikar Peter Beer sei vielleicht der Einzige gewesen, der die möglichen Konsequenzen der Forschungsergebnisse habe ermessen können, sagte Pfeiffer in einem dapd-Interview und verwies darauf, dass München als erstes Bistum einen Missbrauchsbericht erstellen ließ.

Der Zeitung “Augsburger Allgemeine” sagte der Kriminologe: “Vielleicht waren die Ergebnisse ja so katastrophal, dass der dortige Generalvikar die Folgerung zog, dass die Kirche eine weitere Forschung nur zulassen könne, wenn man die Wissenschaftler unter ähnlicher Kontrolle hat wie eigene Anwälte.” Wenn die “allererste Probebohrung” sehr erschreckende Erkenntnisse gebracht habe, “dann kann ich nachvollziehen, dass der Einzige, der diese unveröffentlichten Ergebnisse kennt, mehr Kontrolle verlangt”.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Business-on

Hannover/Hamburg. In dem Streit um die Gründe für das Scheitern der Missbrauchsstudie haben nun die Juristen das Wort. Die Deutsche Bischofskonferenz wehrt sich gegen die Zensur-Vorwürfe, die der Kriminologe Christian Pfeiffer erhoben hat.

Der Leiter des Kriminologischen Forschungsinstituts Niedersachsen sagte dem Hörfunksender NDR Kultur, er sei von der katholischen Kirche aufgefordert worden, eine Unterlassungserklärung zu unterschreiben.

Der Leiter des Forschungsinstituts erklärte: “Ich habe gestern eine Mail bekommen, die nicht mit einer rechtsgültigen Unterschrift versehen ist und bei der die Vollmacht fehlte. Solange ich nicht durch Unterschrift bestätigt bekommen habe, dass die Bischofskonferenz tatsächlich eine solche Erklärung von mir wünscht, habe ich keine Veranlassung, darauf überhaupt irgendwie zu reagieren. Also, ich warte darauf, dass in rechtsgültiger Form mir das Ganze versehen mit einer Vollmacht, die ordentlich unterschrieben ist, zugeht. Ohne dieses geht nichts.”

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DEUTSCHLAND
Ruhr Nachrichten

BERLIN Nach der Aufkündigung der Zusammenarbeit mit dem Kriminologen Christian Pfeiffer bei der Aufklärung des Missbrauchsskandals hält die Kritik an den katholischen Bischöfen an. Im Interview mit Rasmus Buchsteiner wehrt sich Stephan Ackermann, Bischof von Trier und Missbrauchsbeauftragter der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz.

Von Rasmus Buchsteiner

Bischof Ackermann, die katholische Kirche hat ein Forschungsvorhaben des Kriminologen Christian Pfeiffer zur Aufarbeitung des sexuellen Missbrauchs durch Priester gestoppt. Wurde die Arbeit eines unabhängigen Forschers zensiert und kontrolliert?

Ackermann: Von Zensur oder Kontrolle kann keine Rede sein. Es geht nicht nur um Zahlen, sondern auch um Interpretation. Unser Anliegen war, dass wir unsere Sicht auf die Dinge ebenfalls öffentlich darlegen können. Wir wollten unser Votum mit einbringen. Es ging uns ausdrücklich nicht darum, unliebsame Dinge unter den Teppich zu kehren oder wegzustreichen. Wir erwarten, dass Professor Pfeiffer seinen Zensurvorwurf nicht mehr wiederholt, und haben ihm daher eine Unterlassungserklärung zukommen lassen.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Badische Zeitung

Erst vereinbaren alle deutschen Bistümer die Aufklärung von jahrzehntelang vertuschten Missbrauchsfällen, dann platzt die Studie. Was sagt Klaus Mertes, Leiter des Jesuitenkollegs in St. Blasien, dazu?

ST. BLASIEN. Erst vereinbaren alle deutschen Bistümer die Aufklärung von jahrzehntelang vertuschten Missbrauchsfällen, dann platzt die Studie nach Gegenwind aus Teilen der katholischen Kirche. Einen Machtkampf zwischen konservativen und reformgesinnten Kräften in der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz vermuten Experten. Sebastian Barthmes sprach darüber mit dem Direktor des Jesuitenkollegs in St. Blasien, Klaus Mertes (58). Er hatte die Aufdeckung von Missbrauchsfällen in der katholischen Kirche ausgelöst.

BZ: Die Aufarbeitung der Missbrauchsfälle und das Verhindern von Gewalt jeglicher Art sind für Sie und das damals auch betroffene Kolleg St. Blasien ein wichtiges Anliegen. Welche Folgen hat die Kündigung des Vertrags mit dem Forschungsinstitut durch die Bischofskonferenz aus Ihrer Sicht?
Mertes: Ich kenne weder das Forschungsinstitut noch das Konzept der geplanten Studie und auch nicht den Konflikt, der jetzt aufgebrochen ist. Deswegen kann ich nichts Seriöses dazu beitragen. Die Aufarbeitung der Missbrauchsfälle bleibt natürlich ein wichtiges Anliegen. Schlimm ist: Der Vorgang, den Herr Pfeiffer und die Bischofskonferenz zu verantworten haben, erschüttert das Vertrauen in den innerkirchlichen Aufklärungswillen – und das ist ein großer Schaden, sowohl für die betroffenen Opfer als auch für diejenigen, die konkret vor Ort die Arbeit machen.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Sueddeutsche

Von Roland Preuß und Matthias Drobinski

Christian Pfeiffer spricht heute von einem “tragischen Missverständnis”. Die katholische Kirche habe geglaubt, sich einer wissenschaftlichen Aufarbeitung ihrer Missbrauchsfälle stellen zu können – und dennoch die Kontrolle zu behalten. Der Direktor des Kriminologischen Forschungsinstituts Niedersachsen (KFN) spricht deshalb von “Zensurwünschen”, an denen das gemeinsame Forschungsprojekt gescheitert sei. Der Streit wird nun voraussichtlich vor Gericht ausgetragen werden. Die Bischofskonferenz ließ ihm eine Unterlassungserklärung zukommen, in der Pfeiffer zusichern soll, den Vorwurf der Zensur nicht zu wiederholen. “Die werden wir natürlich nicht unterzeichnen”, sagt Pfeiffer.

Damit bahnt sich eine weitere Eskalation an in der Zerrüttungsgeschichte, die der Kirche bereits reichlich Kritik eingetragen hat. Selbst der Präsident des Zentralkomitees der deutschen Katholiken (ZDK), Alois Glück, nannte das Scheitern der KFN-Studie einen “außerordentlich schädlichen Vorgang”. Dem SWR sagte Glück, er erwarte von der nächsten Sitzung der Bischofskonferenz Ende Januar, dass dort der “Aufklärungswillen” bekräftigt werde. Wie das Projekt weitergehen soll, ist noch unklar.

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AUSTRALIA
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney

Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
11 Jan 2013

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced the Terms of Reference for the Royal Commission into institutionalised child sexual abuse and named the six commissioners.

The chief commissioner is Justice Peter McClellan AM, currently the Chief Judge at Common Law of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Announcing the details in Sydney with the Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon and Family Services Minister, Jenny Macklin, the Prime Minister said she believed too many children were subjected to shocking sexual abuse and were not provided with a safe childhood.

She said the Royal Commission would provide advice and recommendations to the government “in as timely a way as possible” with an interim report expected in 18 months and a final report in three years – although this could be extended.

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PENNSYLVANIA
CBS Philly

By Kim Glovas

COATESVILLE, Pa. (CBS) — A Chester County, Pa. man is behind bars today in lieu of $1 million bail, charged with the rape of a 13-year-old girl in late 2011.

Humberto Cervantes, 34, of Coatesville, is charged with felony rape and related crimes after the girl and her parents went to Bensalem police late in 2012.

Bensalem Township police sergeant Andrew Aninsman says Cervantes befriended the victim at a Pentecostal church in Trenton, NJ, where he was a deacon at the time. Aninsman says the two met a few times for walks in Bensalem parks.

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PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Inquirer

Sulaiman Abdur-Rahman, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Friday, January 11, 2013

A church deacon has been arrested on charges he raped a 13-year-old girl at a Bensalem motel two years ago, police announced Thursday.

District Judge Leonard Brown arraigned Humberto Cervantes, 34, of Coatesville, on nine offenses and ordered him held on $1 million bail. Police said Cervantes was a deacon at a Trenton Pentecostal church when he befriended the alleged victim, now 15.

Police said Cervantes met with the alleged victim several times in Bensalem.

The two “went to a few parks and talked about church, life, and family,” police said. “On the final visit, when the victim believed they were going to a park, Cervantes took her to a Bensalem motel and raped her,” police alleged.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Main Line

By MICHAEL N. PRICE
mprice@journalregister.com

A 34-year-old former Trenton church deacon was arrested in Bucks County Wednesday for allegedly raping a then 13-year-old girl in May 2011, according to court records.

Humberto Cervantes, 100 block of Seltzer Avenue in Caln, was a deacon at a Pentecostal church in Trenton when he befriended a young girl who attended the church, according to a criminal complaint filed by police. Cervantes allegedly called and texted the girl, and met with her on multiple occasions, before taking her to a Bensalem motel in May, 2011.

The police investigation began on Dec. 31, 2012, when Bensalem detectives interviewed the now 15-year-old girl. According to the complaint, the girl told investigators that during their final meeting Cervantes picked her up from school and took her to a motel in the 4000 block of Bristol Pike in Bensalem. Cervantes then allegedly forced the girl to have sex with him despite her repeated objections. He then drove her back to school, police said.

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PENNSYLVANIA
WPVI

BENSALEM, Pa. – January 10, 2013 (WPVI) — A Pentecostal deacon is charged with the rape of a parishioner when the girl was just 13-years-old.

34-year-old Humberto Cervantes, of the 100 block of Seltzer Avenue in Coatesville, is charged with rape and related offenses.

The Bensalem Police Special Victims Unit began their investigation in December 2012 when the victim reported that she had been raped by Cervantes at a Bensalem Motel in 2011.

According to the victim, Cervantes was a deacon at a Pentecostal Church in Trenton, New Jersey when he befriended her. They allegedly met several times in Bensalem, going to several parks and talked about church, life and family.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Milanda Rout
From:The Australian
January 12, 2013

SIX days after Julia Gillard announced her sweeping – and rather ill-defined – royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse last November, law firms started circling victims for potential clients.

One newspaper advertisement read: “Royal Commission. Were you sexually abused? You may have a claim. Register now – time limits apply.”

The government was not impressed, and made noises about misleading advertising, given no compensation scheme had been announced, but it was the author of its own predicament.

The rushed decision by the Prime Minister to announce the inquiry without any terms of reference, structure, number of commissioners, length of time, whether it would include a compensation scheme, have a forum for victims or even have an investigatory arm left the doors wide open to all interpretations.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Lauren Wilson and Rick Morton
From:The Australian
January 12, 2013

VICTIMS-RIGHTS group have roundly embraced Julia Gillard’s terms of reference for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and praised the selection of the six commissioners who will spend the next three years examining the evidence.

Religious institutions also welcomed the announcement of the framework for the inquiry yesterday but noted that some issues, including whether the commission would compel Catholic priests to break the “inviolable seal of confession”, remained to be resolved.

While some organisations, including the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, had called on the government to expand the terms of reference to include all forms of abuse suffered by children at the hands of institutions – not just sexual abuse – most advocacy groups conceded yesterday that the inquiry was broad enough.

Hetty Johnston, the founder of victims-advocacy group Bravehearts, said: “We are just ecstatic – there is everything in there that we hoped to see and nothing that we feared we might.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

SUSANNAH MORAN
From:The Australian
January 12, 2013

AS a judge who has presided over some of the nation’s most controversial cases and who was a barrister at the Maralinga inquiry, Peter McClellan brings a wealth of experience to head the federal royal commission into institutional child sexual abuse.

Justice McClellan, 65, will take a three-year break from his role as chief judge at common law in the NSW Supreme Court to take on the role.

NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith said he was “an excellent choice for the role”.

“His extensive experience appearing in and running complex inquiries, his ability for hard work and his compassion make him an ideal candidate,” he said. “He is one of Australia’s top lawyers, known for his principled approach and commitment to fairness and justice. I am confident he will give all parties a full and fair hearing.”

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AUSTRALIA
Canberra Times

January 12, 2013

Barney Zwartz

TRUTH, justice and redress: bold promises for a royal commission, but ones Australians have been longing to hear when it comes to child abuse.

At first sight, victims and their supporters are greatly heartened by Friday’s announcements: both the commissioners and the terms of reference seem excellent. The reasons why the inquiry was necessary – the suicides and premature deaths, the plight of survivors, the concealment and protection of predators, the barriers to justice, the need for law reform and more – are all recognised.

The government has promised the necessary resources, including for advocacy groups, given a long and extendable time frame (but balanced that with a request for an interim report after 18 months), and set up a mechanism by which police can investigate and prosecute as the commission keeps working.

In some ways the most vital work the six commissioners will do over their three-year mandate will take place in the first two months, as they decide how to operate and who they will hear. There are two mutually exclusive imperatives: to be thorough yet also timely.

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NETHERLANDS
Expatica

A Dutch Catholic priest who planned to ‘name and shame’ people leaving the church by pinning their photos up in public has decided not to go ahead.

Harm Schilder had claimed the move would enable other parishioners to pray for people who want to deregister as Catholics but now says he ‘sees the risky side’ of his much-criticised plan.

‘There is now no point in putting the plan into action,’ Schilder says on his weblog. Instead, he and volunteers will look at other ways to ‘keep them with the church’.

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NORTHERN IRELAND
UTV

Paedophile former priest, Daniel Curran, has had his sentence for abusing young boys reduced by the Court of Appeal.

Curran pleaded guilty to five charges of indecently assaulting two boys between 1989 and 1994 and was jailed for four years last February.

He ranks as one of Northern Ireland’s most notorious clerical paedophiles with a catalogue of abuse that includes attacks on 13 boys over a 17 year period.

The pattern in which he abused those children was always the same. Curran was a Priest at St Paul’s in West Belfast in the late 80s. He built a friendship with the parents of altar boys and then took them to his isolated cottage near Tyrella Beach in County Down where he plied them with alcohol and sexually abused them.

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VERMONT
Rutland Herald

By Kevin O’Connor
STAFF WRITER | January 08,2013

Three years after paying more than $20 million to settle almost 30 priest misconduct lawsuits, Vermont’s Catholic Church faces a new challenge: Will the first of a dozen new cases go to trial this week or can it forge an agreement to end them all?

The state’s largest religious denomination had hoped to rid itself of nearly a decade of lurid headlines and legal headaches in 2010 when it sold its historic 32-acre Burlington headquarters and 26-acre Colchester Camp Holy Cross to make good with all its then-known accusers. But that settlement didn’t preclude other former altar boys and young male churchgoers alleging sexual abuse from filing later lawsuits.

Lawyers for the first of 12 new plaintiffs are scheduled to argue their case in U.S. District Court in Burlington starting Wednesday. At a pretrial hearing Monday, Judge William Sessions III asked attorneys for both sides about the possibility of a settlement.

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UNITED STATES
The Jewish Week

01/10/13

Rabbi Gerald Skolnik

Whether in the insular ultra-Orthodox community of Brooklyn this year, or the relatively more modern and open Orthodox community of Yeshiva University in the 1970’s, covering the years when I was an undergraduate student there, recent revelations about sexual abuse in the Jewish world, and efforts to hide it from public view, have been terribly disturbing to all of us. It does not appear that our community is plagued by the kind of serial cover-ups that have tragically characterized the Catholic Church in recent years, which I guess we should be grateful for. But nonetheless, learning that abusers were either sheltered from authorities, or simply allowed to “quietly leave,” stains our community as a whole.

When I hear the stories of abuses such as these, the one thing I am not is surprised. That might sound like a strange thing to say, especially for a rabbi. You might well think, how can I be so cynical? It is almost as if I am expecting there to be inappropriate and even aberrant behavior in our communities. But the truth is that I don’t for a moment doubt that such behaviors exist, nor that they always have. And I have absolutely no doubt that this is not an “Orthodox” issue, or Ultra-Orthodox issue. It crosses all denominational lines.

This is not a matter of cynicism at all. It’s simply a matter of reality. Social pathologies exist in all communities, even (especially?) in religious ones. It is our own, time-cherished and embellished communal self-image that has convinced us of our “specialness,” and made it hard to believe that the problems that afflict everyone else in the world also afflict us.

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WORCESTER (MA)
Telegram & Gazette

By Susan Spencer TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
susan.spencer@telegram.com

WORCESTER — The co-founder and second-in-command pastor of the Church of the End Times in Uxbridge pleaded guilty Thursday to resisting arrest, but won’t serve any more jail time.

Dennis H. Stanley, 36, most recently of 41 Murphy’s Way, Uxbridge, was sentenced in Worcester Central District Court by Judge Janet McGuiggan to 60 days in the Worcester County Jail and House of Correction but received credit for the 60 days already served after he was held without bail Nov. 2.

One charge for violating a restraining order taken out by his estranged wife, Beth Ellen Stanley, was dismissed.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

ON paper, the Gillard government appears to have set down sensible terms of reference for its royal commission into child sexual abuse.

For practical reasons, the commission will not deal with abuse in the family or with the physical and emotional abuse or neglect of children, unless it occurred within the context of child sexual abuse.

But even without broadening its scope to include such evils, the commissioners, announced yesterday, face a mammoth task if they are to finalise their work, as envisaged, by December 2015 and produce an interim report by June 30 next year. Led by senior NSW Supreme Court judge Peter McClellan, their broad mix of judicial, policing, community service, public policy and child health expertise will stand them in good stead.

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AUSTRALIA
The West Australian

NSW Supreme Court judge Peter McClellan has been appointed to head a royal commission into child sexual abuse.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard made the announcement as she outlined the details of the inquiry, which was approved by Governor-General Quentin Bryce on Friday.

Former WA Senator Andrew Murray will be one of six commissioners appointed to assist Justice Murray.

The inquiry will be expected to provide an interim report by the end of June 2014 and will wind up in December 2015.

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AUSTRALIA
NEWS.com.au

THE most comprehensive investigation ever into child abuse in Australia will be headed by a NSW Supreme Court judge and is expected to take evidence from overseas witnesses.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday announced an unprecedented six-strong royal commission – headed by Justice Peter McClellan – with wide-ranging powers to investigate decades of abuse by the church and other institutions.

With public hearings expected to commence within months, the commission will have its own investigations unit to weed out the worst cases of abuse.

The commission has been asked to provide an interim report within 18 months and is expected to cost well over $50 million during its three-year term.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Steve Lewis and Alicia Wood
From:The Daily Telegraph
January 12, 2013

THE most comprehensive investigation into child abuse in Australia will be headed by a NSW Supreme Court judge.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday announced an unprecedented six-strong royal commission, headed by Justice Peter McClellan, with wide-ranging powers to investigate decades of abuse by the church and other institutions.

Public hearings are expected to begin within months, and the commission will have its own investigations units.

The commission has been asked to provide an interim report within 18 months, and and is expected to cost more than $50 million during its three-year term.

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AUSTRALIA
The Age

Why is the government holding a royal commission on child sex abuse?

The inquiry was triggered by ”shocking” revelations of child sex abuse in institutions, such as churches, and evidence that too many adults turned a blind eye or covered it up, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says.

Why does it need six commissioners?

The royal commission has a big job ahead of it and will deal with a large amount of evidence. Many people will want to give evidence and the commissioners might divide up the task of hearing testimony.

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AUSTRALIA
Brisbane Times

January 12, 2013

Judith Ireland, Jonathan Swan

Adults Surviving Child Abuse, president Dr Cathy Kezelman

Dr Kezelman said her organisation was happy to see the terms of reference as a ”starting point” and happy that they were informing a greater awareness of survivors.

Time to deal with the issue … Tony Windsor, federal member for New England. Photo: Andrew Meares

”We knew from the original announcement that the institution of the family was not included. It would be ideal obviously for the needs of survivors to all be acknowledged … but this is a substantial royal commission,” she said. ”It’s good to see that there are several commissioners, representing the police, judiciary, mental health and the legislative side.

”Everyone involved [in the commission] should either have previous experience in or be educated on dealing with trauma.”

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GERMANY
Reuters

By Alexandra Hudson

January 10, 2013

Germany’s justice minister said on Thursday the country’s Roman Catholic Church appeared to be shrinking from independent scrutiny after bishops sacked a top criminologist they had hired to investigate clerical sexual abuse.

Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger said the German bishops had initially committed to an outside study after devastating abuse revelations in 2010 which saw 600 people file claims against priests, but said they now seemed to want to control which findings would be published.

Victims’ groups and sympathisers were outraged by the Catholic bishops’ decision on Wednesday to sack Christian Pfeiffer, a man described by Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger as one of Germany’s foremost criminal experts.

“It appears that conducting an independent, serious study into the abuse cases, as originally intended, is impossible for the Church,” she told Deutschlandfunk radio. “This is a shame, as it gives the impression that ultimately they (the Catholic Church) did not want everything to be independently studied.”

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VATICAN CITY
Irish Times

PADDY AGNEW

ANALYSIS: Rome wants to turn back the clock in Ireland but the church may have the wrong take on the abortion issue

The Holy See has not given up on Ireland. Despite two tempestuous decades of clerical sex abuse scandals, marked by the Irish Catholic Church’s unprecedented loss of credibility and moral authority, there are those in the Vatican who would still like to believe that Ireland can resume its once “proud” role of last bastion of traditional, conservative Catholicism in an increasingly atheist western Europe.

When Pope Benedict XVI last Monday spoke of his dismay that “in various countries, even those of Christian tradition, efforts are being made to introduce or expand legislation which decriminalises abortion”, it was hard not to see this as a specific reference to Ireland.

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AUSTRALIA
Upper Yarra Mail

By KATH GANNAWAY

10th January 2013

FORMER St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School teacher Pam Krstic has worked closely with two parents of children abused by convicted Healesville priests and supported them in their efforts to achieve justice for their own children and protection for all children in the future.

The announcement last year of a Royal Commission into institutionalised abuse by clergy is a triumph for Pam and the Healesville victims of Catholic paedophile priests, which very much includes their families.

In 2006 she and Ian Lawther founded HEAR (Healesville Education and Awareness Raising) to advocate for the education of parents and teachers in schools to recognise grooming behaviour. At the same time they tackled the Catholic Church Melbourne Archdiocese’s practices for handling clergy sexual abuse under their flawed Melbourne Response.

Over the past six years Pam has challenged the Catholic Church’s Melbourne Response directly, advocating for and supporting the parents who dared to go to the police when the church didn’t.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

A SENIOR NSW police officer who blew the whistle on an alleged cover-up of clergy child abuse says independent investigators will be crucial to the royal commission on abuse.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Friday will announce the appointment of six royal commissioners to investigate cases of child sexual abuse and the terms of reference for their inquiry.

The commissioners, to be appointed for three years, will be asked to provide an interim report within 18 months.

The commission will have an investigative unit to examine specific cases of sexual assault and institutional secrecy.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox said he was pleased to hear the investigative unit would be established.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Rick Morton
From:The Australian
January 11, 2013

JULIA Gillard says six “very eminent” Australians conducting the royal commission into child sexual abuse will ensure victims will no longer be ignored.

Julia Gillard today announced the terms of reference for the inquiry, to be led by senior NSW judge Peter McClellan, and which will be expected to provide an interim report by the end of June 2014. It is scheduled to wind up in December 2015.

As well as the appointment of six royal commissioners, the inquiry will include a special unit to investigate cases of sexual assault and organisational cover-up to ensure the inquiry does not get bogged down by thousands of individual claims.

Ms Gillard said the nation needed the royal commission because child sexual abuse in institutions was a “hideous, shocking and vile crime” and victims needed to be heard.

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AUSTRALIA
9 News

A leading child protection advocacy group is absolutely ecstatic about the terms of reference for the royal commission into child sexual abuse.

Bravehearts director Hetty Johnston welcomed the inclusion of the group’s submission in the terms of reference.

“We couldn’t be happier, we’re absolutely ecstatic,” she said.

“It’s absolutely everything we hoped it would be, we’re absolutely thrilled with the outcome,” she told AAP.

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AUSTRALIA
9 News

A lawyer who will represent scores of Ballarat sexual assault victims at the royal commission has welcomed the focus on organisational abuse, saying it can devastate entire generations.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Friday announced the terms of reference for the royal commission on child sexual abuse, which will start as soon as possible and hand down its interim report mid 2014.

It will focus on how organisations have managed and responded to claims of sexual abuse and associated forms of abuse and neglect.

Viv Waller, who will represent 70 victims of abuse perpetrated by clergy in Ballarat during the 1970s, said abuse within churches and schools was particularly abhorrent, given offenders had access to a fresh lot of victims each year.

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AUSTRALIA
My Daily News

Daniel Burdon
11th Jan 2013

SOME of Australia’s leading minds will lead the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced on Friday.

The Royal Commission will be led by Justice Peter McClellan, the current Chief Judge at Common Law of the New South Wales Supreme Court.

Ms Gillard said the commission would investigate how institutions responsible for children had managed and responded to allegations and instances of child sexual abuse.

It will also look into where systems to protect children have failed and make recommendations on how to improve laws and policies.

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AUSTRALIA
The Conversation

Olivia Monaghan

The terms of reference for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse were released this afternoon in Sydney.

In speeches that emphasised the need to acknowledge the experiences of survivors of child sex assault in Australian institutions (both religious and other), Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Attorney General Nicola Roxon, and Minister for Families Jenny Macklin outlined the significance, structure and legislative framework of the commission.

Explaining the terms of reference

The terms of reference highlight several defining characteristics – most notably a multifaceted approach to child sex assault, a broad range of powers, and the commission’s independence in decision-making.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – PM

[with audio]

Victims of sexual abuse and their families have welcomed the Inquiry’s terms of reference. However, some say the treatment of victims’ families should also be specifically listed in the terms of reference.

Transcript

SALLY SARA: For the victims of institutionalised sexual abuse this Royal Commission has been a long time coming. Lives have been ruined and families shattered. Sadly for some, the inquiry comes too late. Many could no longer live with the pain and shame of what had happened and took their own lives.

And while the Royal Commission’s terms of reference have been welcomed by many, some say the treatment of victims’ families should also be part of the inquiry.

And a warning, Annie Guest’s report contains some disturbing content.

ANNIE GUEST: After lifetimes of hurt and campaigning for justice, there’s been a collective sigh of relief from victims, their families and advocates after the release of the inquiry’s terms of reference.

JIM BOYLE: I didn’t think we’d get here as fast. We thought this might take another five years.

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AUSTRALIA
SBS

[with video]

The Australian Greens are concerned the federal government’s royal commission into child sexual abuse in institutions lacks a focus on such activities in Aboriginal communities.

The Australian Greens are concerned the federal government’s royal commission into child sexual abuse lacks a focus on such activities in Aboriginal communities.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Friday announced NSW Supreme Court judge Peter McClellan had been appointed to head the six-member royal commission into child sexual abuse in institutions.

“Our only concern is the absence of specific reference to Aboriginal abuse,” Greens leader Christine Milne said in a statement.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – PM

[with audio]

The mammoth job of the six eminent Australians leading the Royal Commission in to child sexual abuse begins within days. They’ll have their first meetings next week, and will have to decide deciding how the commission will be structured. The terms of reference leave it up to the commissioners to decide who gives evidence, which public and private organisations it wants to examine, and if and who should pay compensation.

Transcript

SALLY SARA: It’s the announcement that thousands of sexual abuse victims have waited decades for.

The Prime Minister has unveiled the details of the Royal Commission into institutionalised sexual abuse.

Six eminent Australians have been appointed and will begin work next week.

The commissioners, led by the New South Wales Supreme Court Judge Peter McClellan, will hold a phone hook-up on Monday and meet on Tuesday.

Among the first order of business will be deciding on the structure of the commission.

The Government’s set an initial timetable of three years for the inquiry but it’s yet to reveal the budget.

Lexi Metherell reports.

LEXI METHERELL: The Prime Minister today received approval for the establishment of the Royal Commission from the Governor-General.

Julia Gillard says it’s a chance for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse to feel Australia is listening.

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AUSTRALIA
9 News

The Northern Territory government says it will co-operate with the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced on Friday the commission into institutional responses to child sex abuse would be led by Justice McClellan.

The commission will look at victim redress measures, child protection systems and flaws in the reporting of abuse as well as canvass the experiences of authorities and victims.

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AUSTRALIA
Slater & Gordon

11 January 2013

A national law firm that has acted for hundreds of victims of sexual abuse today welcomed the release of the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse and the announcement of highly qualified commissioners.

Slater & Gordon General Manager, Hayden Stephens, said the broad terms of reference announced today would give the commission significant scope to perform its role and examine sexual abuse in institutional settings.

“This Royal Commission is a once in a generation opportunity to expose the cultures that have allowed such horrifying abuse to take place and to see comprehensive steps taken to prevent such abuse in the future,” Mr Stephens said.

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AUSTRALIA
The Age

January 12, 2013

Bianca Hall, Judith Ireland

THOUSANDS of child sexual abuse victims across Australia have been offered the prospect of financial compensation for their treatment at the hands of institutions and organisations.

The royal commission into child sex abuse will be asked to report on what institutions and governments should do to address or to soften the impact of past and future abuse. This could include forcing institutions to offer redress, helping crimes be referred for prosecution and offering support services.

Announcing the terms of reference, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Australia must never again avert its eyes from the spectre of child sexual abuse.

”Any child being subject to child sexual abuse is an evil and horrible event,” Ms Gillard said.

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AUSTRALIA
9 News

The NSW Greens have backed Justice Peter McClellan’s appointment as head of the royal commission into child sex abuse, saying he brings a “wealth and experience” to the role.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced on Friday that the commission into institutional responses to child sex abuse would be led by Justice McClellan AM, who is the Chief Judge at Common Law of the NSW Supreme Court.

NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge said in a statement that having the Justice McClellan as the chair “brings a wealth of experience and competence to the Commission”.

Mr Shoebridge said he also supported the commission’s terms of reference.

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AUSTRALIA
Canberra Times

January 12, 2013

Jack Waterford

Everyone has an opinion, it seems, on whether priests should be allowed to hide behind the seal of the confessional if anyone tells them about the sexual abuse of children. It’s an issue less likely to arise at the royal commission into institutional sexual abuse of children than some think. But here’s one that will – or should – will we let priests, or bishops, or principals, or for that matter, lawyers, hide behind the seal of legal professional privilege?

Suppose a school principal is informed of allegations that a teacher has sexually molested a pupil. She (the principal) wants to do the right thing, by everybody, perhaps particularly for the child. First, of course, the child must be protected from the risk of further harm, assuming, for the moment, the allegation could be true. That obligation, probably, stands before any other. But the principal has other obligations too.

She has an obligation to the teacher, the subject of the allegations, to do a proper investigation, or, at the least to see that a proper investigation occurs, probably by the police. There are questions about the school’s obligations to the alleged victim, and also to other victims. There will almost inevitably be questions about the school’s liability, given the propensity for lawyers to sue those of potential defendants with the deepest pockets. The principal consults a lawyer about the full range of her duties and obligations, whether by force of positive statute law (say, in relation to the mandatory notification of suspected child abuse), or in relation to its duty of care, or status as employer or perhaps occupier of land. The principal is frank with the solicitor, who, professionally, recommends that others higher and lower in the school system become involved in the decision making. Some of the advice – say about the duty to move to protect the alleged victim – is unequivocal. Other bits of the advice speak of choices, and the need to move so as to minimise the school’s liability at common law.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – The World Today

[with audio]

The Royal Commission into institutional child sexual abuse is beginning to take form, with the Attorney-General revealing it will have the power to set up a special investigative unit to ensure any potential criminal cases that emerge during the inquiry are investigated and prosecuted quickly. Victims groups have welcomed the model, but say it may be more efficient for victims to go straight to police rather than raise their allegations with the Royal Commission.

Transcript

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: The Prime Minister is to announce the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse this afternoon.

Six commissioners will lead the huge inquiry, and the structure of the commission will be largely left up to them.

But the Attorney-General has already revealed the commission will have a special unit to ensure criminal allegations raised in the inquiry are investigated and prosecuted swiftly.

That’s being welcomed by victims groups but they’re warning victims they may be better off taking their cases straight to the police.

Lexi Metherell reports.

LEXI METHERELL: The Royal Commission’s role is not to make criminal prosecutions, but policy recommendations.

Nonetheless, the Government wants to ensure any potential criminal cases that emerge during the inquiry are investigated and prosecuted quickly.

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AUSTRALIA
National Times

January 11, 2013

Justice Peter McClellan AM has most recently been the Chief Judge at Common Law of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. He was appointed to the position in 2005. He has also held judicial and other appointments including Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales, Chairman of the Sydney Water Inquiry and Assistant Commissioner at the Independent Commission Against Corruption. Justice McClellan was admitted to practice law in 1974 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1985.

Bob Atkinson APM served as the Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service for 12 years from 2000 until his retirement in October 2012. In a 44-year career with the Queensland Police Service, he served throughout Queensland from Goondiwindi to Cairns. He was a detective for about 20 years and acted as the police prosecutor in various Magistrates Courts during this period. Commissioner Atkinson has extensive experience in change management, overseeing reforms after the Fitzgerald inquiry from 1990 and following the Public Sector Management Commission Review and Report Recommendations of the Queensland Police Service in 1993.

Justice Jennifer Coate has most recently been appointed a Judge of the Family Court of Australia. She has held a number of appointments including as Judge of the County Court of Victoria, State Coroner of Victoria, the inaugural President of the Children’s Court of Victoria and Senior Magistrate and Magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Victoria. During her time as President of the Children’s Court of Victoria, Commissioner Coate oversaw the establishment of the Children’s Koori Court. Commissioner Coate also has experience as a part-time Law Reform Commissioner, a solicitor in private practice, a solicitor for the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria and in policy and research for the Victorian Government.

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AUSTRALIA
SBS

The head of a Catholic Church council established to work with the royal commission on child abuse says it will be transparent and open.

The head of a Catholic Church council set up to work with the royal commission into child abuse says the church wants to work transparently with authorities so “the truth can come out”.

But Francis Sullivan, the chief executive of the new Truth, Justice and Healing Council, says the seal of confession remains “intimate” for the church and its followers, and should be maintained.

The new council, announced in December, will be headed by former NSW Supreme Court chief judge Barry O’Keefe and Mr Sullivan, the former secretary-general of the Australian Medical Association.

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