Jesuit orders in Germany said Wednesday they have offered former
students sexually abused in their schools payouts of 5,000 euros (6,832
dollars) each, a sum victims' groups had previously rejected.
A spokesman for the order in Munich said the Jesuits had sent the
offer in letters and emails to the around 200 victims who had come
forward, in which it was noted that the sum "could never compensate for
the suffering incurred."
Recipients had attended Jesuit schools in Hamburg, Bonn, the Black
Forest and Berlin, where revelations a year ago of sexual violence
against students brought a scandal plaguing the Roman Catholic Church to
Germany.
Jesuit orders had floated an offer of 5,000 euros last September but
it was rejected out of hand by a prominent victims' organisation,
Eckiger Tisch (Square Table).
The group said a sliding scale ranging from 20,000 to 120,000 euros
based on the severity of the case or a one-off payment of 54,000 euros
would be more suitable.
The spokesman in Munich, Thomas Busch, said such sums were
"unrealistic" but acknowledged that the offer currently on the table was
unlikely to satisfy those molested by Jesuit priests and teachers.
He added that the payout would not be made for another two to three
months while the Jesuits sought a comprehensive offer with other Roman
Catholic institutions.
The German Bishops Conference has not yet taken a decision on the matter.
Germany has faced revelations over the past year that hundreds of
children were physically and sexually abused in institutions throughout
the country, all but a handful run by the Roman Catholic Church.
The Church in Germany has said it failed to investigate properly
claims of abuse and that in some cases there was a cover-up, with
paedophile priests simply moved elsewhere instead of being disciplined
and reported to the police.
It has also faced accusations of foot-dragging on reparations for
victims, most of whom suffered their abuse several decades ago.
SIC: EDE/EU