Investigation: No Evidence of Ritual Abuse in Dioceses - German Abuse Probe Finds No Evidence of Ritual Sexual Abuse
A comprehensive investigation into allegations of ritual sexual abuse in several German dioceses has found no evidence to support the claims. The report, set to be published anonymously and redacted, concludes that memories of such abuse may be false, and therapists may have influenced the affected individuals' accounts.
The investigation, which covered the dioceses of Münster, Essen, Paderborn, Hildesheim, and the Archdiocese of Cologne, found no concrete objective evidence of serious criminal offenses such as rapes, forced abortions, or homicides committed by priests and bishops. Psychologists involved in the investigation concluded that some memories of ritual violence may be false.
The affected individuals named several high-ranking clergy members, including cardinals and bishops, in their allegations. However, the investigation found no evidence to corroborate these claims. Interviews with the affected individuals and psychological evaluations were conducted as part of the investigation. Earlier counseling centers and a working group on ritual violence in the Diocese of Münster were criticized for potentially exacerbating the situation by encouraging the affected individuals to delve deeper into their memories.
The report's findings cast doubt on the allegations of ritual sexual abuse within the investigated dioceses. While the affected individuals' experiences of trauma are not denied, the lack of evidence suggests that the memories of ritual violence may be false. The publication of the anonymized and redacted report aims to provide transparency and closure to this complex and sensitive issue.
