• Germany edition
Politics
Photo: DPA

Row holds up child abuse compensation

Published: 20 Feb 13 12:44 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20130220-48083.html

A row has broken out about who will pay for a fund to pay out €100 million to German victims of child abuse in schools, state children's homes and church-run institutes.

Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Scharrenberger called for the states to put in their share of the money, while victims' groups said they were bitterly disappointed at the results so far.

The government set up a "round table" group of representatives from the federal and state governments as well as victims groups to come up with recommendations of what to do after numerous cases of abuse were revealed from around the country.

A major recommendation was to set up a €100 million compensation fund - the cost of which would be shared between state and federal governments. But all the state governments apart from Bavaria have said they could not make their contributions, saying there was no overarching concept for how the money would be distributed.

Leutheusser-Scharrenberger rejected the claims, and said the federal government would pay its share and start operating the fund.

She also on Wednesday presented a new draft law designed to improve victim protection - a draft that has been hanging in limbo for the past 20 months as state and central governments scrapped over who should pay for what.

“We have to do everything we can to make sure that the urgently needed help for child sex abuse victims can be freed up,” she told the Wiesbadener Kurier regional newspaper on Wednesday.

Matthias Katsch, speaking for the victims said that the government should first begin paying out compensation from the €50 million in the fund.

Katsch added that the fact victims have had to wait nearly three years since the round table was set up for compensation was a source of “great anger.”

DPA/DAPD/The Local/jcw

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

19:32 February 20, 2013 by rosenthalenglish
Now if this article was about the church refusing to pay we would have loads of derogatory comments,but when governments and states don't pay up,utter silence from our Catholic Bashing commentators on this site.
04:07 February 21, 2013 by parografik
You're kidding, right? Ok, the governments should pay up. Get on that, government, you corrupt SOBs!

And the Catholic church should open their books as well, and quit the moralizing. The pope wants to retire, so he finds some quasi legal reason to justify his actions, while in reality it is tradition that empowers the church to maintain it's myth of consistency. Let's not forget that these abuses happened within Church structures and institutions, and the cover up begins within their walls. There is no condoning the lapses on the civil authorities, but the perpetrators were first and foremost agents of the poor church.
05:30 February 21, 2013 by owlguard
Everybodiy is a victim. Everybody has their hand out. Since when did victims of criminals get compensated? Some crook steals my tv and pawns it. If they get caught they go to jail but I don't get compensation. When some drunk wrecks my car and the drunk has no insurance, the only compensation I am going to get comes from my own insurance company. Some robber kills my son, who is working at the store, the robber goes to jail but what do I get? Nothing. The State has no money except the money it takes from me in taxes. So why am I paying for the sexual abuse of some administrator who should be put in jail? And before you jump on me, I agree, sexual abuse of children is horrible but so is armed robber, murder committed by drunk drivers, and a host of other criminal activities.
09:07 February 21, 2013 by Firmino
Well I'm guessing had you been raped as child you'd be thinking differently..... The very least the church can do is pay for its crimes.
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
Photo: DPA

Nationwide cannabis limit rolls nearer

Germany could in the future have a country-wide “tolerable limit” for cannabis possession, it was reported on Friday. Currently, this amount differs between states. READ () »

Photo: DPA

IEA: protect consumers from energy price hikes

The International Energy Agency said Friday that Germany must shield its consumers from paying too much of the cost of its ambitious switch from nuclear power and fossil fuels toward renewable energy. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Job centre Facebook spying 'is illegal'

Job centres searching for photos of “ill” people at wild parties or statuses by “broke” people boasting about their new cars were warned on Friday it was illegal to use Facebook to spy on people suspected of abusing the benefits system. READ () »

'The Jewish Candidate'
Photo: David Crossland

'Germany is indifferent to neo-Nazi violence'

It's an intriguing premise: Are Germans ready to elect a Jewish politician chancellor? British journalist David Crossland has written a novel exploring themes of racism and neo-Nazi violence in Germany. The Local has excerpts. READ () »

Last year's annual meeting. Photo: DPA

Fraternities mull 'Aryan purity' test for members

Germany's oldest fraternity association could change its membership rules to include only ethnic Germans at their annual meeting this weekend, the country's media reported on Friday. READ () »

My Germany
Photo: Private

'Herrenberg is a colourful, cultural gem'

Get The Local flavour of Germany with our series offering an insider's take on their hometown. This week, Marcy Jarvis talks about her adopted town, Herrenberg. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Immigrants 'more skilled' than many Germans

Nearly half of all immigrants arriving in Germany are more highly skilled than their host country's residents, a study released on Friday revealed. READ () »

Photo: DPA

German consumers keep recession at bay

Buoyant consumer confidence and increased household spending is keeping Germany, Europe's biggest economy, from recession, despite sagging exports and falling investment, data showed on Friday. READ () »

More Politics
RECEIVE OUR NEWSLETTER AND ALERTS
  1. Germany's collective blame phobia »
  2. Germany tops world popularity poll »
  3. Cop faces charges for punching woman »
  4. 'I hate Wagner but I hate him on my knees' »
  5. R
    Highlights
    Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: Private Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: M&S Photo: Private Photo: Katie Needs Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: A Peoples' Picture Photo: Private Photo: DPA Photo: Private Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Monster/jobpilot.de Furniture Leasing Corporation Photo: Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se



    Latest news from The Local in France

    More news from France at thelocal.fr

    Latest news from The Local in Norway

    More news from Norway at thelocal.no

    Latest news from The Local in Sweden

    More news from Sweden at thelocal.se

    Latest news from The Local in Switzerland

    More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch

    See all ads | Join the Marketplace

    Jobs in Germany, in English

    959 jobs available
    670 new jobs this week
    120 new jobs today

    ALL JOBS »

    Blog
    Essentials

    Dating
    Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your style? Find a German sweetheart here.

    Weather
    "After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather section.

    Blog
    German stuff that's distracting us today.

    Noticeboard
    Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of charge.

    Discuss
    Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.

    Search News


    Register

    Register now for:
    > Free use of noticeboard
    > Special discounts
    > Weekly news roundup
    > Unlimited use of discuss

    REGISTER FOR FREE »

    News from the Goethe-Institut
    News from Young Germany
    • So You Want to Be an Artist
      The tradition of hands-on training in the arts is alive and well in Germany. Interested in studying visual, performance, or sound arts? Keen to pursue graphic and product design, textiles, or typography? Germany is home to many exceptional art schools as well as a rich history of excellence in and support for the arts.
    • Frankfurt's Skyscrapers: A Guide
      Frankfurt is known for banks and skyscrapers. So what is behind the colossal glass, steel, and stone facades of the city’s buildings? Meet Frankfurt’s tallest.
    • Conference - Pioneers on Dual Training Abroad
      Germany‘s system of dual training is one of the foundations of its economic strength.
    • The all-German final in Wembley
      Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund are playing in the final of the Champions League at London’s Wembley Stadium.
    • German first feature film in Cannes
      A directorial debut from Germany makes it to the competition “Un Certain Regard” at the famous film festival on the Côte d’Azur.
    News from DeutschlandOnline

Toytown Germany
Germany's English-speaking crowd
Trade CFDs with InterTrader.com
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
Little house in Spain
'Charming, old, beamed cottage for holiday let in Jesus Pobre, Alicante, Spain
www.littlehouseinspain.com/
Albatross Insurance
Professional and qualified consultancy on all insurance and finance matters in Germany, Telephone: +49 2163 571 1740, Email: bg@albatross-assurance.com
www.albatross-assurance.com
Hotel reservations in Berlin
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
Rental apartments in Berlin
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.