Taiwan News
2010-11-25 01:01 AM
Associated Press
Germany’s Roman Catholic Church says self-described victims have reported 664 cases of sexual abuse to its hotline, 432 of which were allegedly committed by priests or monks
Germany’s Bishops Conference said in a statement Wednesday its psychologists and other experts have also had in-depth conversations with some 3,400 people in the first six months of the hotline’s existence
It said 664 people confirmed the abuse allegations in a follow-up survey, and more than 80 percent said they had been repeatedly abused. It said almost one in ten was seeking legal advice, and 6 percent asked about financial compensation.
The hotline began operating March 30 when a widening abuse scandal _ with most reported cases dating back decades _ rocked the Catholic church in Germany, Pope Benedict XVI’s homeland.